Tag archives: emergencies

Evacuation Planning Survey 
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   April 25, 2023

The County is seeking public involvement in a survey to help enhance emergency response plans and preparedness in local areas. The purpose of the survey is to understand constraints and behavior during emergencies such as wildfires, floods, chemical spills, and other catastrophic events.  The survey, which takes less than five minutes to complete, will directly […]

Cottage Family Suites Opens
By Zach Rosen   |   November 29, 2022

Medical emergencies are not exactly planned, and there can be unexpected costs that come at inopportune times when they do arise. If a family has to stay overnight, this can add even more burden on an already stressful situation. Fortunately Cottage Hospital, in their ongoing effort to provide the best service they can to the […]

Now is Not the Time to Change 911 System
By Pat McElroy   |   January 4, 2022

Last week I was forwarded a newsletter from the Montecito Association. I was struck by the recommendation to use the 10-digit phone number for the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s landline rather than 911 when reporting an emergency in Montecito, specifically Coast Village Road. Having dealt extensively with this issue during my career with Santa Barbara City […]

Prepare Now to Protect Everyone You Love
By Christina Atchison   |   September 21, 2021

The serenity of the South Coast provides a sense of security that the next major disaster is unlikely to happen here. Yet, we only need to look a few pages back in our local history to know the potential for disaster in our quaint community is significant. Preparedness is a formidable and proactive defense to […]

Are You Ready? Have Things Set Up? Because You Will Never Know When it’s Time to Go.
By Christina Atchison   |   June 17, 2021

Those three little words…  No. Not “I love you.” We do love you but we’re talking about: Ready! Set! Go!  They are three little words that can make a life-or-death difference if you choose to take them seriously, now. What is a wildfire action plan and what does it mean for those of us in […]

Microgrid Moves Forward
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   February 28, 2019

In a unanimous vote on Monday, February 25, the Montecito Fire Protection District Board of Directors authorized Fire Chief Chip Hickman to enter into negotiations with Clean Coalition, a non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and a modern energy grid.  Craig Lewis, founder of Clean Coalition, explained to the Board […]

MERRAG Updates
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   February 7, 2019

In anticipation of last week’s evacuations and storms, volunteers from MERRAG, the Montecito Emergency Response and Recovery Action Group, were in the upper village hosting a kiosk with storm and evacuation information, keeping residents informed on emergency preparedness. This was the second time this year that they manned the kiosk to inform residents about potentially […]

Fire and Flood in Montecito
By James Buckley   |   January 11, 2018

It was a double whammy. First the fire, and then came the flood. And, in this case, it wasn’t so much a “flood” as a debris-laden runoff from the denuded hills above Montecito. The flow of boulders, mud, and timber that came crashing down, crafted a direct route from the burn area to the ocean, […]

Catastrophic Flooding in Montecito
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   January 11, 2018

On Tuesday, January 9, 2018, Montecito endured the most catastrophic natural disaster of the last several decades as a rain storm created multiple mudslides and flooding, taking the lives of at least 13 people. As of press time, more than 25 Montecito residents remain unaccounted for; there are also dozens of homes lost and even […]