During an emergency, regular communication channels can be interrupted, especially during power outages and when phone lines are down. Because communication is critical for public safety and an efficient emergency response, Direct Relief, California Concern, and the Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Services have collaborated on a program called Radio Ready to enable communications to the public during an emergency in Santa Barbara County.
Radio Ready has been funded through a generous grant from the Orfalea Fund's Aware & Prepare Initiative. Through the program, nine local radio stations will broadcast emergency updates to the public on regular intervals and as necessary. Participating radio stations are:
Santa Barbara:
KTMS 990 AM
KIST 1490 AM
KIST 107.7 FM (Spanish)
KSPE 94.5 FM (Spanish)
KTYD 99.9 FM
KSBL 101.7 FM
KCSB 91.9 FM
Santa Maria:
KUHL 1440 AM
Santa Ynez:
KRAZ 105.9 FM
The backbone of this system is a network of Inmarsat satellite communications equipment placed in strategic locations, including the county emergency operations center and Santa Barbara County radio stations with generators at their transmitting stations and transmission towers. Inmarsat systems have been used since 1979 for marine and other mobile communications.
Because the best, most accurate, and most reliable source of information will be available through radio broadcasts, an awareness campaign also encourages the public to purchase hand-crank emergency AM radios, which don’t require batteries or electricity to function. To ensure that families without the means to purchase their own radios have access to this vital lifeline during an emergency, 5,000 of the radios have been donated to area residents who live below the poverty line.