The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors heard a report Tuesday about the county’s Emergency Alert and Warning Systems, and why information does not always reach the public effectively.
Emergency alerts are sent after collaboration between different authorities, typically the Sheriff’s Department and local fire departments. This often takes time for all parties to properly assess the situation, according to Kelly Hubbard, director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
In an emergency, the public is alerted through news broadcasts, social media, the county call center, and first responders knocking on doors in possible evacuation areas.