Mayor Patino Proclaims National Preparedness Month For City Of Santa Maria
Mayor Alice Patino proclaimed “National Preparedness Month” for Santa Maria at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
The theme for National Preparedness Month 2026 is “Americans Stand Ready.”
As wildfires are burning north of SLO County affecting air quality as far south as Santa Barbara County, El Nino seems to be simultaneously signaling palpable weather changes in the coming weeks, as summer transitions to fall.
The first week of this year’s national month-long campaign is focused on self reliance and individual resilience.
The second week centers on the individual’s duty to their loved ones, and the remaining weeks focus on community.
“When I was talking to our weather service partners, they're really trying to downplay the whole ‘El Nino, El Nino, El Nino!’ thing,” says Roy Dugger, Santa Maria Emergency Services Specialist. “Because when we do get things like this hurricane coming next week, coming up the coast, the they want people to be able to hear the alert message and act on it.”
Experts say cutting-edge technologies are being developed across the nation to help people navigate to safety during emergencies, but nothing compares to being prepared.
“Everybody needs—you have to have a plan,” says Ernie Williams, ‘Go 2 Green: Pathway To Safety’ CEO. “If you don't have a plan, you're, you're going to fail, guaranteed.”
Preparedness Month proclamations are made each year nationwide to encourage all residents, businesses and organizations to continually take preemptive planning steps in anticipation of emergencies.
“Just to try to get the public's attention, to start the preparedness, and also as a way to highlight to the City Council the work that our government agencies do all year round to be prepared,” says Dugger.
National and local leaders encourage knowing your environment, planning escape routes and meeting points with family, having go bags pre-packed, and community involvement like first aid or CPR classes.
“A lot of people talk about a go bag,” says Williams. “The next question I ask, ‘Where are you going to go?’ And they don't have that answer. So if you have a go bag, have a place to go.”
And city and county leaders encourage residents to sign up or update their information for emergency alerts at ReadySLO.org or ReadySBC.org.
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