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Orange County, N.Y. Executive Steve Neuhaus in Los Angeles: "It looks like after World War II"

Orange County, N.Y. executive in Los Angeles to learn from wildfire response
Orange County, N.Y. executive in Los Angeles to learn from wildfire response 02:20

NEW YORK - Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus is in Los Angeles getting a closeup look at the wildfire response

Neuhaus is in California as part of his duties with the Naval Reserve, and says pictures can't fully convey the scope and impact of seeing wildfire damage firsthand. 

So far, the wildfires across Los Angeles have killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures. Some 92,000 Los Angeles County residents were under evacuation orders. 

Neuhaus will return to New York Tuesday to brief his counterparts in all of New York's 62 counties on what he saw, and learned. 

"It looks like after World War II Europe"

"Last night, I went up to Los Angeles to see the damage myself. It was pretty mind-opening," Neuhaus said. "It looks like after World War II Europe... .  Ten thousand homes, in the United States, and this has all happened in the last five days."

Neuhaus observed military helicopter teams equip and practice firefighting in anticipation of being pressed into duty. He also observed the LAPS trying to enforce the curfew in evacuated neighborhoods now targeted by looters. 

"There's a ton of looters coming in, taking advantage of that," Neuhaus said. "To see resources being wasted because of the threat of looting, to me, I was very disappointed." 

Two months ago, Neuhaus helped coordinate the response to the Jennings Creek wildfire that burned 5,000 acres across New York and New Jersey. 

"You have to nip these things in the bud before they become out of control," he said. "I think the real lesson in California or anywhere else, if you have an emergency, call the cavalry then. Don't wait and say 'I got this,'" Neuhaus said. 

That means preparing for the worst with training and equipment, and support for first responders braving danger. 

"This is far from over, and we've got to keep all these guys in our prayers," Neuhaus said. 

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