California mobilizes 785+ emergency personnel in Orange County hazmat response

ORANGE COUNTY – California continues to lead a coordinated whole-of-government response to support local agencies and protect communities following the chemical incident in Garden Grove that prompted evacuations across Orange County. 

In addition to Governor Gavin Newsom’s state of emergency proclamation on Friday and his request for a federal emergency declaration, the state has moved quickly to activate emergency operations and deploy specialized resources to assist impacted communities. More than 785 state and local first responders and emergency personnel are supporting public safety, evacuations, traffic management, sheltering operations, environmental monitoring, and community assistance efforts.

On Friday, Governor Newsom activated the State Operations Center and directed state agencies to coordinate proactively and rapidly with local officials to ensure a unified response. Highly trained emergency experts — including three specialized hazmat teams — continue working 24/7 to monitor conditions, support evacuations, and protect public health and safety.