The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County will host Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety Learn-at-Lunch webinars, a monthly series covering one of the seven steps each month. The program will culminate with the local edition of California’s statewide Great ShakeOut drill, 10 a.m. Oct. 20.
The free series started April 20 and continues with monthly events through October.
“We’re proud to take a leading role in disaster preparedness initiatives that the entire community can participate in,” said Anthony Rodriguez, Foodbank operations and disaster services specialist. “One step at a time we can all become ready to stay resilient when one of our state’s most likely natural disasters strikes.”
Rodriguez; Stacy Silva, emergency manager, Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management; and Ethan Walker, regional prevention and preparedness manager for American Red Cross, serve as coordinating committee chairs of the new Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA) Central Coast, a regional chapter of the statewide ECA.
The organization is sponsoring the Learn at Lunch series with Rodriguez at the helm. Various experts in emergency and disaster preparedness will address topics that range from having a household plan for safety to minimizing financial hardship in case of a disaster.
The seven steps to safety topics, schedule of events and links to sign up to participate in the monthly webinars are as follows:
Step 1: Secure your Space by Identifying Hazards
Wednesday, April 20. Attendees learned how easy it is to secure contents in your home (or elsewhere) to reduce dangers to life and property.
Step 2: Plan to Be Safe
May 18, 11 a.m.-noon
Learn how to create a disaster plan and decide how to communicate with friends, family and co-workers during an emergency.
To register, visit: www.FoodbankSBC.org/DisasterSession2
Step 3: Organizing Emergency Supplies
June 15, 11 a.m.-noon
Learn how to organize disaster supplies and keep them in convenient locations to be prepared for earthquakes and other disasters.
Register at www.FoodbankSBC.org/DisasterSession3
Step 4: Minimize Financial Hardship
July 20, 11 a.m.-noon
Learn how to organize your important documents, strengthen your property and consider insurance.
Register at www.FoodbankSBC.org/DisasterSession4
Step 5: Drop, Cover and Hold On
Aug. 17, 11 a.m.-noon
Learn how and why to drop, cover and hold on in different situations when the earth shakes.
Register at www.FoodbankSBC.org/DisasterSession5
Step 6: Improve Safety and Step 7: Reconnect and Restore
Sept. 21, 11 a.m.-noon
Learn how to improve safety when shaking stops by assessing and dealing with injures, broken utility lines, building damage, aftershocks, and – if along the coast – tsunami.
Step 7: Reconnect and Restore (same session as Step 6)
Learn how to restore daily life after an earthquake by reconnecting with others, repairing damage, and rebuilding community!
Register at www.FoodbankSBC.org/DisasterSession6
Shakeout Drill
Thursday, Oct. 20, 10:20 a.m.
Introduction to immediate earthquake safety followed by community drill via zoom.
Register at www.FoodbankSBC.org/GreatShakeOut22/SignUp
ECA is a public-private-grassroots partnership of leading earthquake professionals, emergency managers, government officials, and business and community leaders.
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County provides nourishment and education through a network of more than 300 partner agencies, nutrition education programs and food distribution sites operated by the Foodbank and its volunteers
Over the last year, The Foodbank’s response to the COVID-19 economic crisis has included distributing some 30 million pounds of food; making more than 80,000 home deliveries of healthy groceries to older adults and those with disabilities; and launching new services in high-poverty areas, such as the Healthy Farmworkers program.
For many local residents, recovery from the economic crisis is expected to take 18-24 months. With the community’s continued support, the Foodbank will be a significant driver of economic recovery for Santa Barbara County. For more information, visit FoodbankSBC.org.