Calif. Declares State of Emergency
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2009 | Updated 5:41 PM PST
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger discusses swine flu at a news conference Monday in Beverly Hills.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency that will help California agencies coordinate efforts in response to the outbreak of swine flu.
Schwarzenegger's proclamation on Tuesday sets in motion a series of administrative actions, including ordering all agencies to coordinate with public health officials as needed.
The action also suspends noncompetitive bidding for contracts needed to respond to the outbreak and waives certification requirements for laboratories involved in the testing.
In proclaiming the emergency, Schwarzenegger also cautioned that "there is no need for alarm."
The Republican governor said his priority was to limit the swine flu's spread as quickly as possible.
State health officials so far have confirmed 13 cases of swine flu in California.
According to the governor's website, the proclamation cuts government red tape by:
--Ordering all state agencies and departments to utilize and employ state personnel, equipment and facilities to assist the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the State Emergency Plan as coordinated by the California Emergency Management Agency
--Ordering DPH and the Emergency Medical Services Authority to enter into any and all necessary contracts for providing services, materials, personnel and equipment to supplement extraordinary preventive measures being taken across the state
--Suspending non-competitive bid contracts for services, material, personnel and equipment needed to respond to this outbreak
--Waiving select certification requirements for public health laboratories to help in the state’s expansion of our testing capabilities
