How our Neighborhood Safety Program brought our neighborhood together!

Our San Antonio Creek neighborhood safety program started out with the goal of collectively preparing for a possible emergency/natural disaster. In doing so we accomplished something equally important, a closer community.

“Sundowner winds” describe a phenomenon unique to Santa Barbara in which the winds can become gale force or higher and the temperatures can rise significantly above 100 °F. These winds have resulted in property and agriculture damage as well as extreme fire danger. The residents of the San Antonio Creek Area are far too familiar with this phenomenon and the danger that it presents.

On June 27, 1990 at 6:02 pm the Painted Cave Fire swept down the Santa Barbara foothills destroying 5,000 acres, 440 houses, 28 apartment complexes, and 30 other structures. San Antonio Creek was one of the areas devastated by the fire. Now 18 years later their homes are rebuilt and landscape filling in but they still live with the fear that it could happen again. On July 4th, 2007 the Zaca fire threatened the foothills again and this time I decided to take action.

I enrolled my neighborhood in the Safer-Friendlier-America program from Neighborhood Safety Net. The goal of this program is first and foremost to increase disaster preparedness; it is also to reduce crime and to create a strong sense of community. Connecting the neighbors creates trust which is so crucial in times of emergency. This program has given many of my neighbors a strong sense of security.

It has been 10 months now and there have been 6 meetings and the neighborhood is currently preparing for an Evacuation Drill that will end with a Picnic in the Park. The response from the neighbors has been remarkable, much more than I ever expected. To date 200 of 220 residents have participated in the program and many have voiced their gratitude not only for making them feel safer but also for having the opportunity to meet their neighbors. I would encourage everyone to create or get involved in a

Neighborhood Safety program, it is a lot of work but the outcome is well worth the effort.