As El Niño potentially brings more severe storms to the Central Coast, emergency preparedness officials are encouraging people who rely on refrigerated medications or electric medical devices to plan ahead for possible power outages.
For Santa Maria resident Ana Reyes, losing electricity brings added concerns because she relies on insulin that needs to be refrigerated.
Reyes said keeping her medication cool without electricity can be challenging.
“When the power is out, sometimes the freezer has some ice or stuff like that. It's the only way we can keep it a little bit, you know, cold. But other than that, that's a problem,” Reyes said.
Stacey Silva, interim director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management, said having a plan and supplies ready before a storm is important, especially for people who rely on refrigerated medications.
“Individuals that have refrigerated medication should have a plan in place,” Silva said. “Keep ice packs in the freezer and a small cooler available in the event that they need to leave their home rather quickly, that they can take the medication with them.”
For people who depend on electric medical devices, Silva recommends having a backup power source available in case electricity is interrupted.
“You have different types, including one that can be charged through your normal electric channel and then be available as your resource,” Silva said. “There are also generators that can be solar charged.”
Silva also recommends tailoring emergency kits to individual needs, including medications, medical supplies, and other essentials.
She said the county is prepared to provide resources to community members during emergencies and evacuations.
“In the event of a large emergency, we have activated our emergency operations centers. We do have a process to assist community members to access medication with refills or other medical devices and equipment,” Silva said.
Resources available for people with access and functional needs
One resource is Access Central Coast, a nonprofit serving Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties that helps seniors and people with access and functional needs prepare for emergencies.
Bradlee Kirkman, emergency preparedness manager at Access Central Coast, said the organization has seen an increase in people seeking help with emergency preparedness.
Kirkman said Access Central Coast offers one-on-one meetings, either in person or through Zoom, to help people develop personalized emergency plans based on their individual needs.
The organization also partners with PG&E to connect people with resources during emergencies, including public safety power shutoffs (PSPS).
“We actually partner with PG&E and we are considered a DDAR. Let's say public safety power shutoff, you can call PG&E and they will connect you with us,” Kirkman said.
PG&E also offers a Medical Baseline program for customers who rely on electricity for certain medical needs. The program provides additional notifications about planned power shutoffs.
The City of Santa Maria also provides an emergency plan checklist for people with access and functional needs to use as a guide when preparing for emergencies.
To sign up for emergency alerts, visit ReadySBC.org.
