Press Release - Fire Fighters are Prepared to Respond

Date/Time of Occurrence:	December 30, 2005
Nature of Occurrence:	Apartment Fire
City:	Sacramento
Contact:	Battalion Chief Niko King
Phone:	916-216-0316
Email:	nking@sfd.cityofsacramento.org

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Fire Department has been communicating closely with the State and Federal Flood Operations Center in preparation to be called upon in case of flooding emergencies that may occur as a result of the numerous storms that are expected throughout the next several days. The department can be called upon as a State of California Office of Emergency Services Type-1 Water Rescue Team, to deploy to any area inundated with water.

As a host agency for a state water rescue team, the Sacramento Fire Department maintains a cache of water rescue equipment owned by the state that can be used by the department as needed for daily operations. Part of the agreement in using the equipment is to provide a water rescue team of up to 14 qualified members to deploy as a resource wherever needed. Water rescue teams have been formed to respond to all of the more recent floods in the Sacramento Region in years past. The team was also called upon to respond out of state for the first time during Hurricane Katrina.

As the rivers rise in our region, all fire fighters are reviewing water rescue procedures and are identifying the most likely hazard areas within their own response areas. Because of the large section of the American River, Sacramento River, creeks, and flooded areas like Discovery Park, Sacramento Fire Fighters strongly encourage people to stay away from the cold, fast moving, hazardous waters this time of year.

Public Information Officer:

Battalion Chief Niko King