San Mateo County’s Disaster Preparedness Day returns Aug. 1 with firsts for radio and K9 demo

San Mateo County will host its 22nd annual Disaster Preparedness Day on Aug. 1 at the San Mateo County Event Center, with free admission, multilingual workshops and live demonstrations. The event adds live KCBS broadcasting and a Hillsborough and Friends K9 Unit demo for the first time as the county pushes practical disaster readiness across the Bay Area.

Why it matters: - San Mateo County is using a free, family-friendly event to push practical disaster readiness before the next emergency. - The program is designed to help residents, workers and visitors learn what to do in a crisis, from CPR and go-bag prep to recovery planning. - The event also tries to lower barriers by offering activities in multiple languages and for all ages.

What happened: - San Mateo County will hold its 22nd annual Disaster Preparedness Day on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the San Mateo County Event Center in Redwood City. - Admission is free. - The county is inviting residents, workers and visitors from across San Mateo County and the broader Bay Area. - San Mateo County Emergency Management built the program around community-requested languages, questions and recovery concerns.

The details: - Workshops will be offered in English, Spanish and Mandarin. - A "How to Pack a Go Bag" workshop will run in English, Spanish and Mandarin. - "Storytime with a Firefighter" will be offered in the same three languages for younger visitors. - Master Gardeners will discuss native plants and landscaping that can better handle fire and drought. - Insurance and legal experts will answer questions tied to disaster recovery. - Young people exploring careers or college paths will see a range of vocations on display. - County amateur radio operators will be part of the lineup, showing how ham radios can keep neighbors connected when cell towers and power fail. - A CalFire crew will lead a hands-on cooking demonstration on emergency meals, with samples of emergency rations for attendees. - Families can also see live demonstrations and hands-on workshops throughout the day. - KCBS All News Radio, 106.9 FM and 740 AM, will broadcast live from the fairgrounds for the first time. - The Hillsborough and Friends K9 Unit will make its event debut with a live working dog demonstration. - The event is supported by AMR (American Medical Response), the San Mateo County Event Center, The Daily Journal, Kaiser Permanente and KCBS All News Radio. - Updates will be posted at SMC Disaster Prep as the event approaches.

Between the lines: - The county is framing preparedness as a shared community responsibility, not just an individual household task. - The multilingual programming and recovery-focused sessions suggest organizers are responding to specific gaps residents say they face after disasters. - Adding live radio coverage and a K9 demo appears aimed at widening the event’s reach and making preparedness more visible and engaging.

What's next: - San Mateo County will continue posting event updates at SMC Disaster Prep. - Residents can expect the Aug. 1 event to deliver the county’s hands-on preparedness programming and the two first-time features. - The county is positioning the day as both a learning event and a community connection point ahead of future emergencies.

The bottom line: - San Mateo County wants residents to leave Disaster Preparedness Day with practical skills, local contacts and a clearer sense of how to respond when disaster strikes.