The County of Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors passed and adopted a Resolution in support of “the leaders and people of Ukraine as they defend against Russia’s massive military attack on Ukraine as a sovereign nation.”
In addition to condemning the annexation of Ukrainian lands, invasion into its territories, the Resolution specifically stressed numerous forms of violence unleashed toward the Ukrainian people. The Resolution urged the U.S. government and elected leaders to continue providing “political, diplomatic, and military support” for Ukrainians.
The Resolution also honored the work of our fire departments, including Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Summerland, and Santa Barbara County Fire, as well the Sheriff’s department and local organizations, which have donated hundreds of turnouts, medical and rescue equipment, and supplies. In addition, the Resolution commended the team of local firefighters who spent three weeks in Ukraine “performing search and rescue operations, body recovery, rebuilding fire houses and providing over 100 hours of training with Ukrainians on the equipment that was donated from California.”
The Resolution named other local leaders and groups that have supported Ukraine and Ukrainians during this war, including Direct Relief International, Santa Barbara County Fire Foundation, and the nation-wide group Project Joint Guardian. Finally this Resolution stressed “courage, resolve and restraint shown by the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of sovereignty and democracy.” This show of “unwavering support” for Ukraine via Resolution was also endorsed in reflections of Santa Barbara County supervisors Das Williams and Gregg Hart as well as representatives of the local Ukrainian community and the fire department.