Pájaro resident recounts flood, urges Spanish-language emergency training in Monterey County

A Pájaro resident recounted the flood that struck her neighborhood three years ago and said local emergency-response training has helped her prepare to assist neighbors in future disasters.

"me tocó directamente a mí porque yo ya vivía en el pájaro y trabajaba, tengo mi negocio en el pájaro," the resident said, describing how belongings and medicines were lost and how the experience left people uncertain about paying rent or feeding their families. The resident said the event had “un impacto fuerte, tanto mental como físicamente.”

The resident said she decided to enroll in a local training program after seeing volunteers helping at a shelter during the flood. Organizers offered a three-class course through local community venues; she said she completed all three classes and now feels better prepared to help others. "Con el entrenamiento que tuvimos podemos ya organizarnos y tratar de ayudar a la comunidad," she said.

She urged Monterey County and neighboring counties to provide materials and instruction in Spanish and Mixteco and highlighted the role of community centers such as the Casa de la Cultura in outreach. The resident named Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Benito as counties that coordinate similar programs and said Pájaro needs the same multilingual support.

The training, she said, taught practical skills: moving heavy debris safely, shutting off gas to stop leaks, extinguishing small fires and providing first aid before professional responders arrive. "sabemos cómo mover esa tabla, esa viga pesada... estamos preparados para apagar un incendio leve," she said.

Beyond rescue skills, the resident said trainees formed communication teams to stay in contact during emergencies and help control traffic to reduce chaos at incident scenes. She said the program—referred to in her remarks as 'Search de Pájaro' or SERS and by her team name 'equipo C'—has made her "más preparada para ayudar a mi familia, a los vecinos, a la comunidad."

The testimony emphasized community resilience and the need for linguistically appropriate outreach to ensure Spanish- and Mixteco-speaking residents can access training and recovery resources in Monterey County. The speaker closed by saying she is proud to be part of the program and ready to respond when called.

The remarks were a personal testimonial and did not record any formal action, vote or funding commitment recorded in the transcript.