County Disaster Supplies Moving To L.A.

KNSD-NBC TV - San Diego's disaster medical supplies will no longer be kept in the city, NBC reported Tuesday.

Critics of the move are wondering if having those supplies in Los Angeles will compromise safety.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, NBC received a statement from Rep. Brian Bilbray, which said "aside from natural and manmade disasters, San Diego is a potential target for terrorism" and this move threatens the health and safety of every San Diego county resident.

The federal government ordered the supplies to be packed up and driven to Los Angeles by the end of March, NBC 7/39 reported. The three truckloads are made up of 12 tons of tents, generators, medical supplies and other emergency equipment.

The county's disaster medical supplies have been housed in a local warehouse since 1994. Those resources were tapped into during both firestorms. They can treat up to 250 patients a day for three days at a disaster scene.

Now, though, in an effort to save money, federal health officials wants to consolidate disaster supplies at regional areas instead of in specific cities.
That, said officials From D-mat, San Diego's Department of Medical Supply Team, is a disaster waiting to happen.

"If we have to go to Los Angeles to retrieve it and then drive back, that's going to add three to four hours -- half a day, perhaps -- and it would delay immediate emergency medical care to people who need it," said Dmat's Jake Jacoby.

The County Board of Supervisors said that the relocation of the supplies endangers all 3 million people living in the San Diego County.

"We have the ability to help ourselves, if we have the supplies and the equipment we need," County Supervisor Ron Roberts said.

The county supervisors have sent a letter to Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services, asking them to reverse the decision. So far, those pleas have yet to yield results.

(####)

______Home | In the News List_