Assembly Speaker Toni G. Atkins announced that Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez will serve as Chair of the Joint Assembly/Senate Committee on Emergency Management for the 2015-2016 Legislative Session. The committee’s primary jurisdiction includes disaster preparedness, emergency management, and homeland security issues.
Rodriguez is a 30-year Emergency Medical Technician and assisted as part of the relief efforts during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He previously served as Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee under the leadership of Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson and he is the Chair of the Select Committee on Local Emergency Preparedness.
“I am honored that Speaker Atkins has named me Chair of the Joint Committee on Emergency Management and am grateful that I will continue to have an opportunity to utilize my experience as an Emergency Medical Technician to help improve California’s emergency services,” said Rodriguez. “We did a lot of great work last year and I am looking forward to continuing that work during this upcoming session and working hard to keep California safe during an emergency.”
Rodriguez recently completed his first term in the State Assembly and introduced a package of legislation dedicated to improving California’s Emergency Medical Services system, including AB 1598 which was signed into law and requires law enforcement, fire departments and EMS personnel to coordinate their training to be better prepared to cohesively respond to active shooter situations. As Chair of the Select Committee on Local Emergency Preparedness and Vice Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management, Rodriguez convened informational hearings to examine the state’s emergency preparedness for active shooter incidents and oil-by-rail accidents and to review the response to the Napa Earthquake.
Assemblymember Rodriguez represents the 52nd Assembly District which includes the cities of Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona and portions of unincorporated Fontana.