When wildfires burn in your area, they produce smoke that may reach your community. Wildfire smoke is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. This smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Who is at greatest risk from wildfire smoke? People who have heart or lung diseases, like heart disease, chest pain, lung disease, or asthma, are at higher risk from wildfire smoke. Old

The month of September is National Preparedness Month and a time to think about what we need to do to get prepared for disasters and emergencies. For a month-by-month approach to getting prepared, check out the County Office of Emergency Services' Twelve Month Emergency Preparedness Calendar. Every month focuses on just one aspect of getting prepared -- and breaks it down into small, easily doable steps. September's theme is: Being informed. You can download a fact sheet that

If you are CERT trained and would like to participate in a Santa Clara COUNTY wide drill, today is your lucky day! The drill will take place on Saturday October 27th at Moffett Field. Mentors will walk you through the drill to sharpen and refresh your skills. Please sign up at the Event Brite link provided as space is limited. Hope to see you there! https://scc-cert-2018.eventbrite.com/ #CERT #EmergencyPreparedness #Event

The U.S. Geological Survey says a pair of minor earthquakes just a few hours apart rattled the San Jose, South Bay Area. The Mercury News of San Jose, citing the USGS, reports a 3.1 magnitude quake hit an area northeast of San Martin at 7:19 p.m. Tuesday. A stronger 3.9 magnitude quake hit at 10:32 p.m. northeast of Alum Rock. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. What to do after an earthquake Expect aftershocks hours, days, or weeks after the main quake. Af

The Home Fire Campaign helps save lives by installing free smoke alarms in homes that don't have them, and by educating people about home fire safety. This spring, the Red Cross will launch Sound the Alarm, a series of home fire safety and smoke alarm installation events nationwide. Volunteers will install 100,000 free smoke alarms in high risk neighborhoods, culminating in the installation of the one millionth smoke alarm! Since 2014, the Red Cross, in partnership with fire

A 152-acre wildfire in the Santa Cruz Mountains was 5 percent contained at 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to Cal Fire. The fire is an immediate threat to about 150 homes. All residents have been evacuated successfully from those homes, and no one is trapped behind the fire lines, according to Cal Fire. A fire at a house, which started at about 10:30 p.m. Monday on the 800 block of Bear Canyon Road, destroyed the home and spread to the forest in the Deer Creek area. As of 10 a.m.,

The City of San José and the Santa Clara Valley Water District are hosting a series of resource fairs this month to help residents prepare for winter storms. At the resource fairs, residents will have the opportunity to learn about the district’s tools to monitor stream, reservoir and rainfall levels and where to access this information made available through the district’s gauge system. There will also be free sandbag workshops to demonstrate the proper filling and placement

The American Red Cross is in California, providing shelter, food and comfort as residents cope with the deadliest week of wildfires in state history. About 101,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders, including the entire town of Calistoga, most having only a few minutes to flee their neighborhood. As many as 33,000 homes are threatened by the out-of-control fires. The fires have already burned more than 162,000 acres and destroyed some 1,300 homes. Several hospitals

Did you know September is National Preparedness Month? The Houston floods and those we experienced here in February are reminders that we all need to prepare for disaster. We’ll share tips throughout September to help you protect yourself, your families, your neighbors and your pets. https://www.ready.gov/september While we’re on the subject, Sign up for AlertSCC and receive free emergency notifications. https://www.sccgov.org/sites/alertscc #EmergencyPreparedness

Being Ready for Wildfire has never been easier with CAL FIRE’s new Ready for Wi ldfire app.. This new tool puts a whole library of step - by - step checklists in the palm of the user’s hand.. It allows homeowners to track their progress while creating Defensible Space,, hardening their homes with fire - resistant construction,, assembling an em ergency supply kit and creating a family communication and evacuation plan.. App users,, with the tap of a finger,, can check off eac

During an emergency staying informed is important. The following information will help you stay up to date on what is happening. Emergency Radio Stations The following radio stations broadcast emergency information: KCBS - AM 740 KGO - AM 810 KLIV - AM 1590 KQED - FM 88.5 KSOL - FM 98.9 (Spanish) KSJX - AM 1500 (Vietnamese) AlertSCC Push Notifications Register your mobile phone for emergency notifications through the Alert Santa Clara County (SCC) system. AlertSCC is a

Secure your space by identifying hazards and securing moveable items. Earthquake shaking can move almost anything, even large or heavy items. Imagine your home or workplace being picked up and shaken sideways – what would be thrown around? How can you prevent it? START NOW by moving furniture such as bookcases away from beds, sofas, or other places where people sit, sleep, or spend a lot of time. Move heavy objects to lower shelves. Then continue your “hazard hunt” to help id

While it's not comfortable to acknowledge, terrorism is a real threat to our communities. During any type of terrorist attack your first priority should be to evacuate the area as quickly as possible. If evacuation is not an option, you need to arm yourself and prepare to fight. During an attack of any kind (bioterrorism, active gunman, bombing) focus on evacuating yourself and those in need first. Keep your eyes open for any suspicious objects and stay away from them. Us

Power Outages This page provides basic safety tips and how to what to do before, during and after a power outage. PG&E provides power to most of San Jose, if you believe the power has gone out you can verify the outage and report it on their website: https://m.pge.com/#outages Before a Power Outage Build or restock your emergency preparedness kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, and first aid supplies. Make sure you have alternative charging methods for your phone o

Snowstorms & Extreme Cold This page explains what actions to take when you receive a winter weather storm alert from the National Weather Service for your local area and what to do before, during, and after a snowstorm or extreme cold. Know your risk What A winter storm occurs when there is significant precipitation and the temperature is low enough that precipitation forms as sleet or snow, or when rain turns to ice. A winter storm can range from freezing rain and ice, to mo

Wildfires This page explains what actions to take if you receive a fire weather watch alert from the National Weather Service for your local area and what to do before, during, and after a wildfire. Know your risk Wildfires can occur anywhere and can destroy homes, businesses, infrastructure, natural resources, and agriculture. For more information, download the How to Prepare for a Wildfire guide, which provides the basics of wildfires, explains how to protect yourself and y

Floods This page explains what actions to take when you receive a flood watch or warning alert from the National Weather Service for your local area and what to do before, during, and after a flood. Know your Risk What Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain or snowmelt, coastal storms a

Extreme Heat This page explains what actions you can take when the weather is extremely hot and how to understand heat alerts from the National Weather Service that you could receive in your local area. Heat kills by pushing the human body beyond its limits. In extreme heat and high humidity, evaporation is slowed and the body must work extra hard to maintain a normal temperature. Before Extreme Heat To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family comm

Earthquakes This page describes what to do before, during, and, after an earthquake. Know your risk What An earthquake is the sudden, rapid shaking of the earth, caused by the breaking and shifting of subterranean rock as it releases strain that has accumulated over a long time. Initial mild shaking may strengthen and become extremely violent within seconds. Additional earthquakes, called aftershocks, may follow the initial earthquake. Most are smaller than the initial earthq