Santa Maria Red Cross celebrates
Santa
Maria’s Red Cross has a brand new facility to celebrate, a fully equipped
emergency preparedness and response center at 3030 Skyway Drive.
Dedicated
in ceremonies June 27, the new center was opened with a festive ribbon-cutting
attended by the chapter’s officials and community supporters.
Santa
Maria’s Red Cross is a part of the Santa Barbara County Red Cross. However,
Santa Maria is far enough north that it is possible for the community to find
itself somewhat isolated in the event of a serious crisis.
In
a statement, the Santa Maria office said, “The new facility will dramatically
enhance the ability of the Red Cross Chapter to help the residents of northern
Santa Barbara County to prepare for and respond to disasters — both large and
small. It will also enhance the chapter’s ability to provide emergency
preparedness training classes and other critical services to all residents of
the region, regardless of their education, income level, ethnic background or
facility in English.”
The
Santa Barbara chapter chose five years ago to buy an 11,750-square-foot
warehouse at 3030 Skyway Dr. for $1.3 million. Then the chapter launched a
campaign to raise an additional $1.5 million from individuals, business and
foundation sources to fund a new preparedness and response center serving the
North County.
So far, the Red Cross has raised 98 percent of the amount
for renovation of the new facility. Fifty-seven-thousand dollars remains to be
raised.