December brings celebrations, new devices, and time spent with the people we care about most. As the year wraps up, it’s also the perfect moment to help your California friends and family start 2026 ready for whatever comes their way — especially earthquakes.

Your 5-Minute Preparedness Checklist

Here’s a simple checklist you can share with family and friends. Walk through it together, text it to your group chat, or tackle it yourself and pass along what you learned.

1. Get Connected to Earthquake Warnings

California’s free earthquake early warning system delivers alerts seconds before shaking starts, enough time to Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Help someone:

• Download the MyShake App or enable Android Earthquake Alerts in phone settings
• Set location services to “always on” so the system works properly
• Turn on Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) if they’re not already enabled

2. Build (or Refresh) the Emergency Kit

Californians should have basic supplies ready. Help gather essentials for three days without power or water:

• Water (one gallon per person per day)
• Non-perishable food and manual can opener
• Flashlights, batteries, and phone chargers
• First aid supplies and medications
• Important documents in waterproof container
• Cash (ATMs won’t work without power)
• Supplies for pets

3. Make a Quick Safety Plan

Talk through the basics:

• Where are the safe spots in each room? (Under sturdy tables, away from windows)
• How will you reconnect if separated? (Designate an out-of-state contact)
• Does everyone know Drop/Lock, Cover, and Hold On?

4. Secure the Heavy Stuff

Walk through their space: Are tall furniture and water heaters anchored to walls? Are heavy items secured on high shelves? These five-minute fixes prevent injuries during shaking.

5. Know the Other Risks

California isn’t just earthquake country. Depending on where your loved ones live, they might also need plans for wildfires, floods, or extreme heat. Visit earthquake.ca.gov and caloes.ca.gov for resources on all hazards.

Why This Matters

California experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, and preparedness isn’t just for the Big One. It’s also for the medium ones, the small ones that catch you off guard, and the other disasters that don’t wait for convenient timing. Your five-minute conversation about preparedness could make a real difference when something happens.

This is a gift people will actually use!

County Celebrates Completion of Emergency Operations Center and Regional Fire Communications Center

Santa Barbara County officials and public safety partners gathered on December 9, 2025, at 4406 & 4408 Cathedral Oaks Road in Santa Barbara to officially cut the ribbon on the newly completed Emergency Operations Center and Regional Fire Communication Center Building expansion.  This milestone marks a new era in emergency response for the region.

The Regional Fire Communications Center (RFCC) dispatches emergency calls for all seven local fire agencies and American Medical Response (AMR), fulfilling a long-term goal to centralize fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) dispatch, streamline response times, and improve coordination during emergencies.

“This facility embodies years of planning, collaboration, and commitment across city and county agencies,” said Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Laura Capps. “We now have a modern, unified dispatch center that sends the closest available help, regardless of jurisdiction. This is a major step forward in public safety for everyone in Santa Barbara County.”

The new Regional Fire Communications Center now handles dispatch services for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, Montecito Fire Protection District, Lompoc Fire Department, Guadalupe Fire Department, Santa Maria Fire Department, and American Medical Response. Dispatchers at the RFCC are trained Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMD), equipped to provide life-saving pre-arrival instructions, including CPR, while help is in route.

“The vision for the Regional Fire Communications Center began years ago through collaboration and hard work with our Operational Area partners. The unified approach of the Operational Area Fire Chiefs—delivering service regardless of jurisdictional boundaries—has been the driving force behind this accomplishment. Today, that vision becomes reality, and this center represents what we can accomplish together for the people of Santa Barbara County,” said Santa Barbara County Fire Chief and Fire Warden Garret F. Huff.

The project also included an expansion of the existing Emergency Operations Center, creating a new expanded Joint Information Center and Call Center to support the communication needs of Santa Barbara County residents during emergencies.

The Emergency Operations Center is activated during emergencies, this includes during large scale events, evacuations, or in-preparation for in-coming storms.  The Joint Information Center serves as the hub for collaboration across multiple agencies to ensure streamlined coordination to support the gathering, verification and dissemination of accurate, accessible, and timely information to the public. Additionally, the Call Center expansion greatly enhances the County’s ability to provide the community with information and answer questions during a disaster.

“Emergency response is a team effort involving multiple agencies, and this expansion gives us the space and resources to bring together decision-makers, responders, and communicators under one roof to work more efficiently to better serve the public,” said Kelly Hubbard, Director of the Office of Emergency Management.

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce it has received a $64,429 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support its Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program. This grant will be used to help promote safe practices for pedestrians and bicyclists and provide education about the importance of sharing the road.

“We are excited to receive this grant, which will allow us to expand our bicycle and pedestrian safety program,” Autumn Glaeser, Assistant Public Works Director said. “By focusing on education, awareness, and promoting safe practices, we aim to reduce crashes and prevent injuries. Ultimately, we’re working toward building more walkable and bike-friendly neighborhoods where everyone can travel safely and confidently.”

Grant funds will support a variety of activities focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety:

• Community bicycle and walk events.
• Bicycle training courses that educate youth on safe riding behaviors.
• Helmet fitting inspections and distribution of helmets to those in need.
• Community and school education presentation, including safety presentations specifically addressing E-bike safety.
• Develop a standardized E-bike education program for schools.
• Community bike rides that encourage and teach riders safe riding skills.
• Walking field trips or on-foot safety training with an effort to reach youth.
• Pop-up events that promote the importance of visibility on roads with safety equipment such as reflective armbands/leg bands and bicycle headlights/taillights.

“Through safety programs and strong partnerships, we are working toward a future where everyone walking and biking in California can travel safely,” OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty said. “By supporting projects that encourage people to prioritize safety in their daily choices, we are creating a strong road safety culture together.”

The grant program will run through September 2026.

E-bikes are an increasingly popular way to get around town as there are many benefits to riding one, however, it’s important for users to understand how to safely operate them, and for drivers to know how to share the road. Therefore, for the fourth year in a row, the City of Goleta is bringing attention to the importance of e-bike safety by proclaiming a week in January as E-Bike Safety Awareness Week. This year it will be January 19 to 25, 2026.

Here is what we have planned:

On Tuesday, January 20, at 5:30 p.m. the Goleta City Council will issue a proclamation for E- Bike Safety Awareness Week to MOVE Santa Barbara County. Throughout the week, MOVE representatives alongside City staff, Cottage Health, and California Highway Patrol, will be at several local schools conducting E-Bike Safety Awareness outreach activities. Thank you to Goleta Valley Junior High, Dos Pueblos High School, and San Marcos High School for partnering with us to make students more aware of what they need to do to be safe while riding an e-bike. Additionally on Saturday, January 24th, MOVE will be hosting an e-bike skills class and group ride at GVJH, open to the public. Stay tuned for more information.

A great resource for all e-bike riders is the California Highway Patrol’s online e-bike safety and training program required by AB 1946 to provide information on safety, emergency maneuver skills, rules of the road, and laws related to e-bikes. The online program features tutorials, videos, a quiz, and other interactive elements. MOVE will be sharing additional resources with students and community members during outreach activities and on social media. 

Every year there are e-bike related crashes with serious injuries and even fatalities. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), there were more than 9,600 bicycle-involved crashes in California in 2022, 225 of which involved an e-bike (an increase over 80 the prior year) and four of which resulted in fatal injuries. In Santa Barbara County in particular, there have been 1252 crashes involving bicycles between 2019 and 2024, 10 of which were fatal, according to the Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) developed by UC Berkeley. 

Steps you can take to make sure you are safe while riding an e-bike include:

• Checking your battery, brakes, chain, and tire pressure before you ride.
• Wearing a helmet and visible clothing whether you are a rider or passenger.
• Watching your speed by riding slowly and respectfully on multi-use paths or where pedestrians are present.
• Riding predictably, using hand signals and keeping eye contact to communicate your movements with other vehicles.
• Avoiding texting, talking on the phone, or listening to loud music while riding.
• Obeying traffic signs, signals, and roadway laws just as cars are required to.

Thanks for doing your part to make sure our e-bike riders are safe.