Emergency information broadcast network on AM 530 launched in Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – If you tune your radio to AM 530 in central and northern portions of Santa Barbara County, you will be able to listen to 24/7 emergency preparedness and disaster response information thanks in part to a federal grant through the Homeland Security Grant Program.

Stations will broadcast important information including:

• Areas currently under an evacuation order or warning, shelter in place, and/or other protective actions
• Temporary evacuation points as well as human and animal shelter locations
• Recovery assistance and resource centers
• Readiness tips for storms, wildfires, earthquakes, and other major incidents

"We recognize how critical it is to be able to deliver time-sensitive information to all communities, especially during rapidly evolving emergencies," said Santa Barbara County's Office of Emergency Management Director Kelly Hubbard. "This effort has been many years in the making and our team worked to place these stations where we could reach the greatest number of community members in mid and north county areas."

The network of AM radio stations are spread across most of the County, from the Santa Ynez Valley and up to Santa Maria, and are strategically placed at sites with backup generators and an uninterruptible power source explained the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) in a press release Thursday.

Those strategic placements will allow crucial emergency information to remain available to the public, even in the event of a power outage.

According to the Office of Emergency Management, public safety officials will be able to remotely update broadcast messages.

An additional County-operated station in the Cuyama Valley is expected to be added later this year and more stations are in the process of being added to the network shared the OEM.

"Our team is reengaging local commercial radio stations on their ongoing interest in participating in the program," explained OEM Director Hubbard. "Additionally, we are collaborating with south county public safety partners that already manage AM radio stations to formalize an emergency radio broadcast network. This partnership will allow the County to share emergency public information through these stations."

Don't forget, you can also sign up for County emergency alerts on your personal device here.