Chumash Resilience Hub & Network Planning
Chumash community members living in the Lompoc area have expressed a need for an Indigenous-led and focused resilience hub and linked networks for communication and coordination among Chumash residents. Climate resilience hubs promote community preparedness, well-being and trust-building; and connect residents to resources and services before, during and after a natural disaster or other disruptions. There is a need for resilience hubs in the Lompoc area to provide shelter during emergencies, cooling centers during extreme heat events, charging stations during power outages, and distribution of food and other services as needed. Hubs are also important for creating community cohesion and collaboration to better handle disruptions and emergencies. It is critical that these hubs are representative of the communities they serve and incorporate cultural and geographic needs of a given neighborhood or community. Fire and emergency service agencies could better navigate through trusted Chumash leaders to provide information, training, and education to the community. The Fire Safe Council could also work through the Chumash resilience hub for developing Fire Wise Communities and providing support on home hardening and other programs. Chumash resilience hubs support leadership development and management skills, and allow for residents to decide on the programs and services they would like to invite into the community. The City’s Safety Element and the County’s Climate Adaptation Plan identify development and maintenance of resilience hubs as critical for the safety of residents, and CEC, together with the County, has developed a resilience hub toolkit to help guide potential hub operators. The "Indigenous Perspectives on Climate Resilience" focus group identified a pilot resilience hub as a key need.
Scope: Support the development of a pilot resilience hub in Lompoc with Chumash community members determining the location, functions, and governance. First steps would include seeking funding to support planning for the project with the Chumash community in Lompoc.
Status: Conceptual
Cost: Low cost
Potential Partners: Native Coast Action Network, Wildfire Resilience Collaborative, Community Environmental Council (CEC), Santa Barbara Fire Safe Council (SBFSC), Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Santa Barbara County Sustainability Division, Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, Red Cross and City of Lompoc