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During crises, Democrats get by; Republicans lead

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Over Memorial Day weekend, Orange County faced a public safety crisis that could have turned catastrophic.

At the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, a storage tank holding thousands of gallons of methyl methacrylate began overheating. This was not a minor chemical scare.

It was a volatile, flammable chemical sitting in the middle of a dense urban area.

Homes, schools, businesses and major roads were nearby. Tens of thousands of residents were ordered out of Garden Grove and parts of Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress and Westminster.

The possible outcomes were ugly.

Explosion. Fire. Chemical release. A spill into storm drains or waterways.

That the worst did not happen should not cause anyone to minimize what Orange County was facing. A major industrial hazard threatened working-class neighborhoods in one of California’s most populated regions.

And when the test came, Republican leadership delivered.

As a former public information officer for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department who worked emergency responses in the field and at the county Emergency Operations Center, I have seen firsthand what competent crisis coordination looks like.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department, under Sheriff Don Barnes, managed Stanton’s full evacuation and coordinated closely with police agencies across the affected cities, including Garden Grove and Anaheim.

Supervisor Janet Nguyen helped unify agencies and keep the county response moving in the same direction.

Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein and Stanton Mayor Dave Shawver were especially visible in keeping residents informed.

But the broader response was unmistakably driven by Republican leadership.

Faulty equipment........

© New York Post