As the Kincade fire in Sonoma County, CA spreads, there is a significant number of Spanish and Maya speaking residents there who have an urgent need for verified information in their own language. People need to know where the fire is spreading, what the evacuation routes are, and where to find safe shelter and services. Our partner, KBBF, is the only bilingual radio station in the county and their volunteers are working around the clock to provide urgent information. They need our support.
As over 200,000 residents evacuate their homes, information can be hard to access and verify. There are rolling power outages across the county, limited cell phone service and the majority of emergency response information is only shared in English. People desperately need the information to be connected to services and resources that they can trust. KBBF 89.1 FM is an accessible and trusted community news service, but they need additional resources to continue to keep their station running.
Since the Kincade fire began, KBBF volunteers have been collecting and answering questions from residents, interviewing emergency response personnel, translating press briefings and providing information on safe shelters and other aid services. They have partnered with Sonoma Family Meal to provide free meals for residents in need. KBBF is a vital community resource for the Latinx community in Sonoma. All donations to this fund will go to supporting the access to this essential information.
On day six of the fire, a man called into KBBF and said that rumors and misinformation are circulating, and thanked KBBF for broadcasting verified information. This is one example of how KBBF has real impact. People trust and rely on them, especially during times of crisis. This fund will give KBBF the support they need to continue carrying out their mission not only during this fire, but during the recovery phase. It will also ensure that KBBF is better equipped for crises in the future.
