Full Notification

Santa Maria Sheltering Operations:

On Saturday October 12th, at approximately 2 A.M. there was a structure fire at the Town Center Hotel in Santa Maria. Approximately 150 people were displaced by the fire. The American Red Cross, in conjunction with the City of Santa Maria opened a shelter at the Minami Center. They have been serving as many as 60 people in this shelter, and it continues to remain open. The following is a list of ongoing issues and updates:

- The shelter will be closing Friday, October 25th.
- The American Red Cross, Santa Barbara County VOAD (Volunteers Organizations Active in Disasters), Santa Maria City, and County Social Services (in conjunction with a number of other agencies) are seeking long term residency solutions for the shelterees.
- The Town Center hotel may be partially reopened in 6-8 weeks.
- The shelterees are part of a fragile demographic with many access and functional needs.

As the Santa Barbara County VOAD and the American Red Cross transition into long term recovery, The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management would like to thank the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Good Samaritan, VOAD SBC, other non-profit organizations, and the faith-based community involved in this effort for their tireless contributions.

If you would like to donate financially or assist in the long term housing needs, please contact the American Red Cross and/or the VOAD SBC at:
Red Cross: redcross.org 1-800-RED-CROSS
VOAD: voadsbc.org


Fire Prevention Month:

October is Fire Prevention Month and there are many things that people can do to improve their safety at home, school, or work from a fire! To learn more, visit the following website: http://www.weather.com/life/safety/wildfire/wildfire-safety_2011-11-03

Cyber Security Awareness:

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. To create a safe, secure, and resilient cyber environment everyone has to play a role in cybersecurity. Constantly evolving cyber threats require the engagement of the entire nation — from government and law enforcement to the private sector and most importantly, the public.

Cyberspace is woven into the fabric of our daily lives and the world is more interconnected today than ever before. We enjoy the benefits and convenience that cyberspace provides as we shop from home online, bank using our smart phones, and interact with friends from around the world through social networks. The Department of Homeland Security is committed to raising cybersecurity awareness across the nation and to working across all levels of government, the private sector, and internationally to protect against and respond to cyber incidents.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

Through a series of events and initiatives across the country, National Cyber Security Awareness Month engages public and private sector partners to raise awareness and educate Americans about cybersecurity, and increase the resiliency of the Nation and its cyber infrastructure.

To learn more about being secure on all technological devices visit the following site: https://www.dhs.gov/publication/being-mobile-online-safety-and-security

Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management:

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For additional emergency management related information subscribe to Santa Barbara County's Office of Emergency Management's Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/SBCountyOEM

OEM will issue emergency information as it is provided by agencies or the Incident Commander(s).

To learn more about receiving emergency information from local radio stations. Visit www.sbcoem.org and click the "Radio Ready" icon.

News Media Contact:
Duty Officer, Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
(805) 681-5526
[email protected]