Strengthening Communities with Libraries: Innovative Strategies for Emergency Preparedness

Register here

Join us for a collaborative webinar that empowers libraries to play a pivotal role in community resilience. This session will explore effective strategies for hosting emergency preparedness trainings at your library, featuring insights from key experts, including the San Diego County Fire Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Coordinator, the San Diego County Library, Borrego Springs Branch Manager, and the Senior Emergency Services Coordinator from the Office of Emergency Services. We’ll showcase successful collaborations, practical tools, and resources to help libraries strengthen community readiness for emergencies. Whether you’re new to emergency preparedness or looking to expand your library’s role in community safety, this session will provide valuable strategies and support to take action.

Presenters: 

Cecilia Salgado
Adult Services Manager, San Diego County Library, Learning Marketing & Engagement
Cecilia Salgado is the Adult Services Manager at the San Diego County Library (SDCL), Learning, Marketing & Engagement (LME). She currently oversees system-wide adult programming at the library's 33 branches. Before joining LME, she served as the Branch Manager at the Imperial Beach Library for 2.5 years and has been with SDCL for a total of 12 years.

Teresa Greenhalgh
Community Emergency Response Team Coordinator, San Diego County Fire Protection District
Teresa Greenhalgh is the San Diego County Fire Community Emergency Response Team Coordinator. In addition to presenting at several National CERT Conferences, she has also presented to national audiences, via virtual webinars, for FEMA Regions 2 and 9. Her vision and passion continue to grow the CERT Program with a focus on team organization and building community resiliency. Under her leadership the team has completed several response deployments; while also engaging 10,000+ residents through emergency preparedness outreach activities, events and training since June 2019. Many of those outreach activities have been in partnership with the San Diego County Branch Libraries.

Cristin McVey
Branch Manager/ Librarian II, San Diego County Library, Borrego Springs, CA
Cristin McVey is the Branch Manager at the Borrego Springs Branch, San Diego County Public Library. She joined the San Diego County Library as a Librarian in 2018 and has served as the Branch Manager from 2020 to present, overseeing all branch operations and services during the pandemic. She continues to partner with SD County Fire/CERT on emergency preparedness programs, San Diego County LiveWell and the Cool Zone and hosts other economic and medical self-sufficiency services programs at the branch.

Nicholas Thomlison
Senior Emergency Services Coordinator, Office of Emergency Services, County of San Diego
Nicholas Thomlison is a Senior Emergency Services Coordinator with the County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services. Before joining the County of San Diego Nicholas served 8 years in the United States Marine Corps, owned his own business, and worked as a Business Continuity Coordinator for a private company. Nicholas holds a bachelor's degree in Public Health.

Hosts: 

• Julianna Robbins, Library Programs Consultant, California State Library 
• Lisa Lindsay, Library Programs Consultant, California State Library 
• Gabriella Dixon, Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, California State Library

CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY AFFILIATED