SANTA BARBARA, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 03/04/09 --

DATE:           Friday, March 6, 2009

TIME:           10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
                Refreshments Provided

LOCATION:       Santa Barbara County Employees' University
                267 Camino del Remedio
                Santa Barbara, CA 93110

EVENT DETAILS:  The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services
                (OES), the Orfalea Fund's Aware and Prepare Initiative,
                and California Concern, a local citizen group is holding
                a press conference to launch Radio Ready, which is a
                partnership with designated local radio stations to create
                a system that connects the release of timely information
                from the OES to the radio-listening public.  The
                collaboration will discuss the Radio Ready program, the
                importance of emergency communications and answer any
                questions from participating attendees.

SPEAKERS:       * Janet Wolf, County Supervisor, 2nd District.

                * Michael Harris, Emergency Operations Chief, Santa Barbara
                  County Office of Emergency Services (OES).

                * Bill Pearlman, Project Manager, California Concern.

                * Michael Mingee, President, Santa Barbara County Fire
                  Chiefs' Association.

ABOUT THE
ORFALEA FAMILY
FOUNDATION:     The Orfalea Foundations were established in 2000 by Natalie
                and Paul Orfalea (Kinko's Inc. founder) and they created
                Aware & Prepare in 2008, which is a community partnership
                with James Lee Witt Associates (JLWA), Santa Barbara County
                Office of Emergency Services (SBC OES), and local
                foundations to strengthen emergency and disaster readiness.
                The purpose of this initiative is to enhance capabilities
                to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from an
                emergency or disaster within the Santa Barbara County
                Operational Area. For more information, please visit
                www.orfaleafoundations.org.

ABOUT
CALIFORNIA
CONCERN:        California Concern is a Public Policy Group of Santa
                Barbara County made up of community members who join
                together to provide programs and services that address
                specific high priority community needs, and which enhance
                the quality of life in Santa Barbara County.  California
                Concern member, Bill Pearlman, will oversee the "Radio
                Ready" program.

ABOUT THE SANTA
BARBARA COUNTY
OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY
SERVICES:       The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services
                serves as the lead management agency for the Santa Barbara
                County Operational Area. The operational area includes all
                cities and other political subdivisions located within the
                County of Santa Barbara. In working with the various
                jurisdictions, non-profits and interested members of the
                community, the OES provides leadership in coordinating
                disaster response and preparation. When disasters occur
                within the county, the OES works with the affected
                jurisdiction(s) in recovery efforts by serving as the
                conduit with state and federal disaster agencies.  A link
                from your website can be made to www.countyofsb.org for
                program information (effective March 6, 2009).