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California National Guard continues efforts to support local authorities
CALIFORNIA —More than 2,400 Citizen Soldiers of the California National Guard continue to provide area security, traffic control, and property protection for the southern California wildfires.
The California National Guard Soldiers and Airmen responded swiftly to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s call with various air and ground assets that are providing security, transportation, and humanitarian support by assisting local authorities.
A 150-person tent-city has been set up in San Diego County in support of public safety officials and first responders
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More than 14,000 CNG personnel are available to the Governor if he requests additional CNG presence. California has more than 20,000 National Guard members currently assigned.
Ground Assets:
- Soldiers from units throughout California that are providing security, humanitarian relief and other support requested by local authorities as necessary at multiple locations throughout Southern California including AA Ford, Escondido, Qualcomm Stadium, Del Mar racetrack, and other locations throughout southern California.
- More than 300 Soldiers from the 49th Military Police Brigade are activated to support the disaster from the following units:
- 270th Military Police Company of Sacramento- approximately 95 Soldiers
- 649th Military Police Company of San Luis Obispo- approximately 40 Soldiers
- 670th Military Police Company of National City- approximately 90 Soldiers
- 40th Military Police Company of Los Alamitos- approximately 115 Soldiers
- 69th Public Affairs Detachment of Fairfield- approximately 5 Soldiers
- 9th Combat Support Team- approximately 18 Soldiers
- 1/185th Armor - approximately 460 Soldiers
- 1/144th Field Artillery of Burbank - approximately 200 Soldiers
- More than 1,000 40th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers are activated to support the disaster from the following units:
- 40th Brigade Special Troops Battalion - approximately 260 Soldiers
- 1/184 Infantry Regiment of Modesto- approximately 390 Soldiers
- 40th Brigade Support Battalion of San Diego- approximately 50 Soldiers
- 1/18th Cavalry Regiment of Azusa- approximately 400 Soldiers
- 233rd Engineer Detachment - approximately 50 Soldiers
- From the 146 Air Wing, Channel Islands, approximately 15 Air Guard personnel have been activated.
- Approximately 50 State Military Reserve members have been activated to provide support to Operation Fall Blaze.
Aviation Assets:
- Six UH-60 Blackhawks (two Firehawks) and two CH-47 Chinooks have been supporting Cal Fire with their water bucket and personnel transport capability.
- Six C-130H aircraft fitted with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems are being utilized to battle to fires. Two are from the Air Force Reserve at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, and four from the Air National Guard in Wyoming and North Carolina. These systems are capable of dropping 3,000 pounds of water or retardant in seven seconds. These are the only six functional MAFFS systems in the U.S.
- More than 14,500 gallons of retardant from C-130s aircraft have been utilized and more than 180,000 gallons of water from helicopters has been dropped.
- One C-130J is being utilized for transportation of equipment and personnel in support of the fire.
- One C26 is conducting aerial reconnaissance throughout Southern California
- The California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station is being used as the supporting base for out-of-state aircraft using the MAFFS. The UH-60 Blackhawks and the Firehawk are capable of fire suppression missions as well as personnel transport in and out of dangerous and hard to reach locations.
For more information please contact Lt. Col. Jon Siepmann at 916-854-3304 or 916-417-5459.
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