With FIFA World Cup matches set to begin this week in Los Angeles and Santa Clara, the California Office of Emergency Services says they are ready.
CAL-OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs says hundreds of hours have gone into planning exercises and drills in preparation for the month-long international football tournament.
“As we move closer to kickoff, Californians and visitors should feel confident that California is prepared.Prepared to coordinate, prepared to respond, and prepared to help ensure the FIFA World Cup is safe, secure, and memorable for everyone.”
Around 100 Cal OES personnel will be activated at the state center to run a joint information and coordination hub. Three-hundred fifty CHP officers will be dedicated to the 14 matches with specialized response teams to handle crowd management and any civil unrest.
The federal government has also allocated 221 million dollars to the 11 host cities in the US for protection against drone threats.