Goleta Emergency Preparedness Partnership Faces First Test

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/070208_goleta_partnership_faces_first_emergency/

By Mollie Helmuth, Noozhawk Intern

The Gap Fire sends the alliance into active mode as it promotes disaster-safety education.

The Gap Fire marks the first serious disaster the Goleta Partnership for Preparedness has faced since its creation in September.

The partnership is an alliance of the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce, the city of Goleta and the American Red Cross, Santa Barbara County Chapter.

The organizations joined forces to promote disaster-safety education and leadership to ensure the community would be prepared in case of a threatening event, such as the brush fire that ignited Tuesday.

Goleta City Manager Dan Singer said the partnership put a lot of initial focus on business preparedness.

“When you think about major disasters, if it strikes in the daytime, there is likelihood that companies have a lot of employees from out of the area,” Singer said.

The focus now has turned to active emergency operation mode, with the separate arms of the alliance functioning in individual community roles, he said.

“Red Cross is prepared to do massive shelter and care, the city is mostly involved in traffic control and police presence as well as evacuations,” Singer said. “The chamber and business community aren’t really intimately involved.”

The Red Cross is offering free disaster volunteer training classes Thursday and Friday for residents who would like to help provide shelter and food for people affected by the fire.

The “Fulfilling Our Mission” and “Mass Care” trainings will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. “Shelter Operations” and a “Shelter Operations Simulation” will be presented from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. All of the classes will be held at the chapter office, 2707 State St. Volunteers must attend both days of training to assist in local Red Cross relief efforts. To reserve a space or for more information, call 805.687.1331.

Janet Stanley, CEO of the Santa Barbara area Red Cross, said a shelter has been set up at San Marcos High School. As of early Wednesday evening, only one person had taken advantage of the service.

“We deployed one of the Goleta emergency preparedness disaster trailers to the shelter,” Stanley said, “and we had it up and going in one hour.”

Purchase of the Red Cross shelter trailers was the first official priority of the partnership, the result of a successful 2007 campaign to raise money and support.

The trailer has emergency supplies for up to 100 people, from basics such as snacks and blankets to comforting amenities such as crayons and coloring books for children. The Red Cross will provide mental health services to those who are in need. More supplies will be driven to the shelter if necessary.

Noozhawk intern Mollie Helmuth can be reached at .

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