Ventura County Human Services will also address the situation of those with special needs in the community, and how their needs would be accommodated in the case of disaster.“We want people to attend and be rewarded for coming. It will last about three hours and move quickly,” with alternating live and film presentations.“One of the reason we want to include churches is that every church has a building” for sheltering, said Wilson-Bolton. “One church has acquired a POD” and stored seven days worth of supplies for each congregant.“If we got every church involved, it would help about 7,500 people in the community... we’re taking very seriously that we want a safe community that will survive a disaster.” It’s not a matter of what disaster would be faced, but that a disaster is “going to happen,” noted Wilson-Bolton.For more information or to reserve a spot at the October 4 Emergency Preparedness Forum, call 933-4297.
Council: Upcoming emergency readiness symposium has target audience
September 26, 2008
Santa Paula City Council
An upcoming symposium centered on emergency preparedness for churches, businesses and niche providers is being presented next month, the City Council learned at the September 15 meeting.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAn upcoming symposium centered on emergency preparedness for churches, businesses and niche providers is being presented next month, the City Council learned at the September 15 meeting. Fire Chief Rick Araiza said the October 4 event “came together as part of CERT of Ojai,” with a forum geared towards businesses that was organized by SPFD Captain/Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Steve Lazenby and Fire Chaplain Kay Wilson-Bolton.The Ojai preparedness event was “so successful, we thought it important to bring it to Santa Paula.” The October 4 Preparedness Event will be held at the Limoneira Pavilion (at Hallock Road and Highway 126) from 9 a.m. to noon.“This event has been planned to fulfill a need in our community,” and Lazenby said “everyone is invite to intend, but specific invites are for target groups and organizations that historically and logically want to be prepared and will help” others be prepared. Encouraged to attend are representatives of the faith-based community, service groups/organizations, large and small business owners, and those operating convalescent homes and childcare facilities.Areas that have experienced disasters have shown that those affected “turned to churches for help and support,” said Lazenby. “They will want to be good support, and are a good tool in the community. Businesses” can learn to be better prepared to react to the needs of their employees, as well as the community at large, by “keeping their doors open and providing needed services.”Care facilities are “already providing support to people, and we’ll show them how to be better prepared,” Lazenby said. “We’ll come up with a plan to provide them” that will be not only be practical, but also spark the “desire to be better prepared,” with presentations by the Santa Paula Police, Fire and Building & Safety departments, Ventura County Public Health, the Humane Society, American Red Cross and Ventura County Emergency Services among others.
