As Los Angeles residents continue to suffer the effects of the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, Santa Barbara groups have responded with volunteers, resources and services to provide relief.
Since Tuesday, multiple fires have raged through parts of Los Angeles County and have burned more than 40,000 acres and killed at least 10 people.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has mobilized five fire engines, a battalion chief and a public information officer to help fight the fires.
Local nonprofit organizations also have worked to provide resources or just open their services to L.A. residents affected by the blazes.
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and Food Share of Ventura County provided 10 pallets of water, which were sent to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank to distribute in affected areas.
Laurel Alcantar, the foodbank’s director of marketing, said the efforts are part of ongoing coordination among multiple organizations in the region.
“We work with our partner food banks across the state in different areas to ensure that each food bank has support in the event of any kind of a natural disaster or disaster situation,” Alcantar said.
She said the relationship also benefits Santa Barbara County when disasters occur because other food banks provide resources.
Alcantar added that the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County will be better able to provide supplies when it opens its new Goleta facility in March. The site will allow the organization to store more food in case of disasters.
Direct Relief has provided medical supplies to evacuation centers and health facilities in the L.A. area. Supplies donated include N95 respirators, prescription medicines, Tdap vaccines, medical supplies, personal care items, and protective gear for post-fire recovery efforts.
Brea Burkholz, a spokeswoman for Direct Relief, said the organization works to serve the community as a whole but also tries to support areas that have historically been disadvantaged.
“We always say, ‘Those who are the most vulnerable in times of disaster were vulnerable the day before,'” Burkholz said. “So, we look to our network of established relationships in the community, and we work through them as a support organization to provide them with everything they need to serve their population and their patients.”
The organization’s primary goal is to help people manage or protect their health during a crisis.
She said that when disasters occur, many people do not have time to gather medications, or the supply chain is cut because of a lack of pharmacies. The other issue is smoke inhalation or particulates, which can damage the eyes, throat or lungs.
“In times it’s been Santa Barbara that’s been impacted by fires and other disasters, and so we want to be there for our neighbors to the south in their time of need great,” Burkholz said.
In addition to supplies, other organizations are opening their doors.
In the past week, Santa Barbara Humane has begun accepting dogs from shelters in the Los Angeles area.
“Santa Barbara Humane is going down and we’re taking adoptable animals from Pasadena and transferring them up here to our facility to make them available for adoption,” Santa Barbara Humane CEO Kerri Burns said. “That clears up space for the evacuated animals to be able to come into their shelters.”
Burns added that many people in the area remember the 2017 Thomas Fire and the 2018 Montecito debris flows, which happened seven years ago Thursday. Providing relief such as this is one way the shelter can provide help.
The shelter has transferred 13 dogs to Santa Barbara this week and has plans to transfer more. Plans are also being made to transfer about 30 cats as well.
Staff have made the trip to the Los Angeles area to provide relief to shelters and offer their services. Burns said staff can help care for the animals or even provide medical services.
“If you think about it, their staff is so overwhelmed with all the animals coming in, and their staff is probably dealing with their own issues. Maybe their house burned down or maybe they have to care for their (own) animal in the shelter,” she said.
Other agencies have worked to develop ways for evacuated residents to find shelter.
Visit Santa Barbara has collaborated with hotels across the South Coast to offer discounted rates for evacuees.
“As soon as news of the fires in L.A. broke, Visit Santa Barbara’s board chair, Tom Patton, prompted us to reach out to our lodging properties and compile a list of special rates,” said Kathy Janega-Dykes, Visit Santa Barbara’s CEO.
“Tom is the managing partner of Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara, and he’s also the past board chair of the California Hotel & Lodging Association, so he’s frequently thinking about how our industry can contribute to the greater good.”
To qualify for those rates, visitors may be asked to provide their address or evacuation notice. To learn more about which locations are offering discounted rates, click here.
In addition to hotels, various businesses in Santa Barbara are offering discounts or free admission to guests. The locations include the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Art From Scrap, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation.
“Our thoughts and hearts are with all those affected by the L.A. fires. To evacuees, we hope Santa Barbara will provide a sense of comfort and solace as you navigate this difficult time. To local residents, we ask that you be especially welcoming and show care for the visitors in our midst. This is a great time to provide the warm welcome our community is so well known for,” Janega-Dykes said.
For a full and updated list of locations, visitors can check the organization’s website under “Additional Assistance.”
The City of Santa Barbara released information Friday on supporting people devastated by fires in Los Angeles County, including guidance on donating.
How to Donate
Before donating any money to resources, double check whether the organization is trustworthy. Here are a few tips from Give.org about how to identify potential scams.
- Make Sure the Charity Is Trustworthy: Before giving, search for the charity’s report on Give.org to find out whether the charity meets the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability (i.e., a BBB Accredited Charity). While disaster fundraising has not yet fully emerged for this tragedy, donors might check with the following BBB Accredited Charities to help start their selection of organizations offering help: American Red Cross, Direct Relief, GlobalGiving and Salvation Army.
- Look for Specific Fire Relief Activities in Appeals: Be wary of relief appeals that have vague program descriptions and do not explain what activities your support will assist.
- Watch Out for Clickbait and Phishing Scams: Online giving scams tend to pop up after a disaster to take advantage of public sympathy. Don’t click on email, text or social media links promising to connect you to a familiar charity. Instead, go directly to the charity’s website on your own.
- Review Crowdfunding Requests: Some crowdfunding sites take precautions in carefully screening, vetting and managing postings after a disaster or tragedy. Others might not. If unsure, review the procedures described on the site and also find out about transaction fees and other specifics.
- Verify Charity Registration: About 40 of the 50 states require charities to annually register. Check with your state’s office of the attorney general or secretary of state’s office.
- Understand the Phases of Disaster Relief: Most disasters go through three periods of activity: rescue, relief and recovery. Each phase involves different activities and support. You can familiarize yourself with each phase on the Supporting Disaster Relief and Preparedness page.
Where to Donate
Residents can also provide donations to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation at the following link. Those donations will be used to equip firefighters with hydration packs, emergency fire shelters and other tools needed in the field.
Donations can also be made to the American Red Cross, which provides food, shelter, emotional support and health services. Residents can donate through the website, call 800.733.2767 or text REDCROSS to 90999.
Anyone wishing to volunteer can sign up online.
