Governor Directs State Government to Prepare for Extremely Cold Temperatures
By: Office of the Governor
Published: Jan 11, 2007 at 08:38
In anticipation of unusually cold temperatures forecast throughout much of California in the coming days, Gov. Schwarzenegger directed state agencies to activate the extreme temperature protocols established last year to assist the most vulnerable populations in the state and asked local governments and the people of California to take common sense precautions in the unseasonably cold weather.
"Northern and Central California will see night time temperatures drop into the teens and low 20s," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. "Because of the extreme cold, I have directed state government to spring into action to protect our most vulnerable communities. The state has made 11 National Guard armories available and will make additional facilities available, such as fairgrounds, should local governments deem it necessary."
Among the steps the state is taking are:
* Protecting Seniors and the Disabled: The Department of Health Services is making contact with its licensed facilities and local health departments to ensure that they are aware of the cold weather event and to inform them of protocols to protect the health and safety of the vulnerable populations in their care given the extreme weather. Additionally, the Department of Social Services is making contact with County Welfare Directors to ensure that they are aware of the cold weather event and ensure that In Home Supportive Service (IHSS) workers are aware of the event and the protocols to protect the health and safety of the vulnerable populations in their care given the extreme weather.
* Warming Centers: The California National Guard and the California Department of Food and Agriculture are working with local government officials to make armories and fair grounds available to supplement their sheltering needs. Currently, there are 11 California National Guard armories that have been opened as shelters from the cold in Gilroy, Sunnyvale, Santa Cruz, Merced, Sylmar, Ventura, Los Angeles (Federal Ave), Culver City, Santa Ana, Fullerton and Glendale. They are opened daily from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. Below is a list with addresses to the facilities. An additional 16 locations in parts of the state expected to be hardest hit by the cold weather have been identified and put on standby should local governments request the assistance.
National Weather Service has reported to OES that temperatures will drop into the 20s and 30s Wednesday night into Thursday, followed by daytime temperatures in the mid 40s in most areas. On Friday and into the weekend, temperatures will drop further, reaching the high teens to low 20s in most areas at night, and continued daytime lows in the mid 40s.
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You'd think all those grenhouse gases in California would keep those record lows away, wouldn't you? By the way, we're expecting a high of 20 here in the high plains of Texas on Monday, so all you people enjoying the record warmth think of us poor, cold Texans, Californians, and snow-packed Coloradoans this weekend. |
