State, local officials prepare for tsunami preparedness drill

The final week of March marks Tsunami Preparedness Week, afull week dedicated to testing warning communication systems and providing awareness to coastal communities.

Federal, state and local emergency managers are asking residents and visitors along the ocean to take a moment to learn more about the risks of a tsunami and what actions are needed.

“If you feel an earthquake, you need to get up to high ground as quickly as possible,” Emergency Services Manager Yolanda McGlinchey said.

McGlinchey works for the city of Santa Barbara and she believes the city is tsunami-ready.

“If you go along the beach you can see a lot of our tsunami signs that are up letting people know if they’re entering a tsunami area or leaving,” she said.

As part ofTsunami Preparedness Week some local television and radio stations will be testing the tsunami warning system.

For more information on Tsunami Preparedness Week and to find out if you live in a tsunami inundation zone, visit the City of Santa Barbara Emergency Services website.