Being Prepared, Ready, and Armed with Knowledge

How do we as a community prepare for disaster scenarios? What should we be doing as individuals to be ready? Do we know how to aid our vulnerable community members? Do we have the knowledge to survive in the woods? These questions, spurred by the book Station Eleven, will be discussed and investigated in a set of events being held by the Santa Barbara Public Library System for this year’s Santa Barbara Reads.

On Monday, November 6 at 5:30pm the Eastside Library will be hosting Gracie Huerta, founder of Listos. She will be presenting Listos’ Spanish language disaster preparedness session, a culturally appropriate curriculum that uses the strengths and bonds within the Latino community to educate and prepare. Huerta founded Listos in 2010 and brings her unique experiences growing up as a Latina in America and learning to successfully bridge both cultures. This makes her particularly aware of the issues affecting immigrant families as well as the need for preparedness training that specifically caters to the needs of the Latino population.

At the Goleta Library, seniors, their families, and their caregivers are invited to join Liliana Encinas from Goleta’s Department of Neighborhood Services and Public Safety about what to expect in a wide variety of disasters, and how to prepare. Special tips regarding safety for seniors will be focused on, including what to do if you have a senior living with you. Attendees of the event on Thursday, November 9 at 3:00pm will receive a Ready Kit to take home.

Join representatives from the Santa Barbara County and City Offices of Emergency Management, the Santa Barbara Response Network, and others to hear what pandemic scenarios might look like for our community. From physical health to mental health, the network of responders and their joint plans before, during, and after a disaster in Santa Barbara are important for the well-being of all. This event will be held on Thursday, November 9 at 6:00pm at the Central Library.

The final event of this series focuses on the natural resources available to aid in survival in the wild. The regular Hiking Series talk on Thursday, November 16 at 6:30pm at the Central Library will be Nature Skills, Survival Skills, Now led by Mike Kresky, an accomplished naturalist and wildlife tracker. Kresky is co-author of the field guide Animal Tracks and Scat of California and has completed the intensive Kamana Naturalist Training Program. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the wilderness and how humans can see previously unknown clues and signs.

The Santa Barbara Public Library invites the community to engage and be as informed as possible, one never knows when a disaster or pandemic will strike and it is important to prepare and understand in advance.

Disaster Preparedness Training with Listos

• Monday, November 6 at 5:30 PM
• Eastside Library

Disaster Preparedness for Seniors

• Thursday, November 9 at 3:00 PM
• Goleta Library

Pandemics and the Community: No One is Coming For You

• Thursday, November 9 at 6:00 PM
• Central Library

Nature Skills, Survival Skills, Now

• Thursday, November 16 at 6:30 PM
• Central Library

Information about Santa Barbara Public Library System locations, hours, events, and programs is available at SBPLibrary.org. All Library programs are free and open to the public.