Local peer support crews added to the frontline of firefighting and response efforts
MONTECITO, Calif. - The Santa Barbara County Fire Chiefs are as committed to the wellness of their frontline responders as they are to every call for service, saying that they go hand in hand.
A relatively new team of peer support firefighters have been trained to respond to the needs of first responders who have dealt with serious calls and traumatic incidents.
Chief Kevin Taylor with the Montecito Fire Department says the counseling is available in a confidential way on multiple levels. It s a safe spot for our staff knowing it helps them feel comfortable doing it without any repercussions. In addition, to be physically healthy they need to be mental and spiritually healthy and that is very important for them to have longevity in the position, said Taylor.
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Residents Urged to Be Ready as ‘High Fire Season’ Kicks Off in Santa Barbara County
With scant rainfall this year, vegetation is drying quickly, and firefighting agencies warn of a serious risk of major conflagrations
With a firefighting bulldozer as a backdrop, Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig announces the beginning of high fire season on Monday. (Jade Martinez-Pogue / Noozhawk photo) By Jade Martinez-Pogue, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @MartinezPogue
May 3, 2021
| 3:45 p.m.
With high fire season coming early this year in Santa Barbara County, fire officials are remaining vigilant and are urging the community to do the same.
“This isn’t a fire season kick-off, and in fact, the state of California is really going to a year-round fire season in both staffing and funding,” Mark Hartwig, Santa Barbara County Fire Chief, said at a press conference on Monday. “We’re here to tell you that we’re ready, and that we want you to be ready.”