No Rest for Weary California Fire Fighters

 Injuries, Worries About Own Families Don’t Deter Valiant Response to
California Wildfire Emergency

Fire Fighters Leader, in Press Conference With Gov. Schwarzenegger, Calls State, Government
Efforts Far Better Than After Hurricane Katrina 

Escondido, Calif. –International Association of Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger, appearing at a press conference here today with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, issued the following statement:

“Our fire fighters have performed valiantly to save lives and homes and contain the fires. The devastating string of fires that began Sunday has left them battered and bruised. Some are in the hospital with critical injuries, and we are praying for their recovery. Dozens have lost homes in the fire and have been unable to get back to their families.

“Fire fighters fought bravely for nearly two days before strike force teams from across California and neighboring states arrived to relieve them.

“The response by the state of California has been outstanding, far better than the response of states in the wake of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast. California clearly learned some valuable lessons with the 2003 wildfires and has been better prepared to respond this time.

“While residents in and around New Orleans continue to struggle because of the botched response to Hurricane Katrina, California has a better chance to fully recover because the state quickly and methodically responded to this natural disaster.

“At the same time, however, it’s clear that the state needs to keep fire fighters with Cal Fire on duty all year, rather than rely on a seasonal force. While the wildfires may be seasonal, the need for a well-trained, year-round, fulltime fire department is evident.

“We cannot lose sight of the resources needed for local fire fighters and their communities up and down the state. With resources already running thin in many communities, fire fighters were being deployed to fight the wildfires, leaving their own cities and communities at serious risk.”

The International Association of Fire Fighters, headquartered in Washington, DC, represents more than 281,000 full-time professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect 80 percent of the nation’s population. More information is available at www.iaff.org.

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