Clark County sending more firefighters to help in California — PHOTOS
More firefighters from Clark County are headed to Southern California to combat the deadly wildfires there.
Twenty-one additional personnel will help fight the fires ravaging the Los Angeles area, Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck said Thursday.
The county is sending two fire engines, a water tender, a mechanic and a battalion chief, he said.
The firefighters are in addition to units sent Wednesday by fire departments across Nevada. Steinbeck said that the Clark County fire personnel deployed Wednesday arrived at the base of operation in California at around 1:30 a.m.
The Las Vegas Fire Department also is providing assistance battling the wildfires by sending two fire engines and a battalion chief.
On Thursday, two trained disaster volunteers from the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada left Las Vegas to begin a 14-day deployment to help those affected by the wildfires, according to a news release.
The two-person team is made up of Las Vegas resident Emma Empey, who will manage one of the evacuation shelters, and another Las Vegas volunteer who will drive a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle to deliver supplies to shelters and provide meals to evacuees.
“We are incredibly grateful to our dedicated volunteers who are leaving Southern Nevada to assist with the wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles,” Rachel Flanigan, executive director of the American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter, said in the release. “Their compassion and commitment to helping those in need during such a challenging time are truly inspiring. Their work will make a real difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by this devastating disaster.”
Red Cross teams are on the ground, providing safe shelters as more than 100,000 residents are forced to flee their homes, the release said.
The Los Angeles wildfires have caused widespread devastation, with more than 2,000 homes, businesses and other structures damaged or destroyed. At least five people have died.
Contact Marian Green at mgreen@reviewjournal.com.
