Amazing all the people who are working on our communities behalf. This post is a facebook post from Jaqueline Rubasky, share if you feel appropriate. Margie
January 14: Insights from inside the disaster area.
Montecito Community Thomas Fire Network facebook post
https://www.facebook.com/groups/105384633586961/permalink/144105136381577/
We have a few things to share tonight.
We still have some people in the community that are yelling at the police officers at the check-points.
This is a sign that the trauma of this natural disaster is having an effect on people and that these individuals need to go within for self-care.
The police at the check points are working 12 hour shifts. I spoke with a team that came in from SLO who are away from their families. They have been working very hard and making personal sacrifices. They are human. Have compassion and understanding. We are all on the same side. It is very unkind and toxic to yell at anyone let alone someone that is trying to protect you from harm.
Please begin to surrender to the idea that the roads may stay closed longer than you want them to be and that you will be away from home longer than you would like. What if the 101 does not open until the end of January? What if the next rain event brings with it additional flows? You may be away from home much longer than you had originally planned. Surrendering and acceptance verses fighting with reality will bring peace.
The volunteer program with Help California is going well and food is being collected and distributed inside 2X a day. This is a highly coordinated effort that follows very strict security clearance measures. The two person team makes only one stop at the Von's parking lot and returns using the same route. They deliver coffee, drinks and food. Tomorrow we will have a list of every business and brand that has donated products so far.
We have learned that our fire fighters, search and rescue, drivers and everyone working inside likes healthy food and beverages. They prefer coconut water for the electrolytes verses Vitamin Water. There are also many vegans. Food donations right now are ok until mid-next week. We need to watch the next rain event and want to only ask for what can be immediately used.
The Village Cheese Shop & Wine is making sandwiches for everyone inside and providing alternative options to the meals The Food Bank is providing. The GoFundMe for Village Cheese Shop & Wine has been looked into and it is legitimate. Please help support their efforts.
Von's is open and they are able to get some deliveries in. They are also supplying food.
Starbucks is closed.
The two people making the deliveries said that the humbleness, hard work and compassion of the first responders and everyone working on the disaster is like nothing they have seen before. One firefighter brought them a turtle to take out. All life is sacred to them.
When you start to get frustrated by being away from home or anger starts to well up and you want to criticize any of the decisions or efforts by these remarkable people please work to muster every bit of mindfulness and thank your brain for sharing and don't act on it. Don't throw your anger and emotional unrest onto these people. Just don't. Own it and process it in a healthy way. An angry word or thought against another is like a negative prayer. It sends bad energy to them and weakens them. We need everyone strong, focused and powerful.
Understanding our watershed, hydrology and geography is important. There will be a talk by Professor Ed Keller of UCSB at Central Library’s Faulkner Gallery on January 25 at 6:30 p.m. He will discuss fluvial geomorphology and this event.
Fluvial geomorphology is the study of the form and function of streams and the interaction between streams and the landscape around them. 'Fluvial' refers to the processes associated with running waters, 'geo' refers to earth and 'morphology' refers to channel shape.
One last comment about the dumping of the debris on the beach. What people don't realize is the ocean is the natural outlet for all waterways - at least where we are. If people are worried about the hazardous condition, it has already occurred. The people that wanted to clean up the beach were unaware of the hazard, due to bacteria, etc.
If you have concerns about the dumping please call the Incident Information number.
There are experts that are looking at the big picture, and are making decisions based on local conditions, natural progression, etc.
Everyone understands you are concerned. However, this is not an oil spill or a man-made incident. This is a large scale, major disaster...a Natural Disaster.
Beaches are being used as staging areas for the debris, and will be hauled out later. Jacqueline Rubasky
(805) 962-2571
P.O. Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
margie@sbpermaculture.org
http://www.sbpermaculture.org
P Please consider the environment before printing this email