Each year, more than 4,000 Americans die and more than 25,000 are injured in fires, many of which could be prevented. Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.6 billion annually.

To protect yourself, it is important to understand the basic characteristics of fire. Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames.

Heat and smoke from fire can be more dangerous than the flames. Inhaling the super-hot air can sear your lungs. Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. Instead of being awakened by a fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep. Asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a three-to-one ratio.

For more information, please click here. 

Halloween is a fun time for all kids, but for parents, it can be a time of concern - concern for children's safety. To make Halloween a treat for all kids, follow these safety tips:

• Make sure that costumes are flame-retardant so little kids aren't in danger near any open flames or other fire hazards.
• Keep the Halloween costumes short enough to prevent tripping or falling.
• Instead of wearing a mask, try make-up instead. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable and, more importantly, they can obstruct a child's vision - a dangerous thing when kids are crossing streets and going up and down steps.
• Make sure kids wear light colors or put reflective tape on their costumes.
• Trick-or-treaters always should be in groups so they aren't bothered by older kids or adults. Parents should accompany young children.
• Make sure older kids trick-or-treat with friends. Together, map out a safe route so parents know where they'll be. Tell them to stop only at familiar homes where the outside lights are on.
• If it's dark when the kids start to trick-or-treat, make sure someone has a flashlight and pick well-lighted streets.
• Make sure kids know not to enter strange houses or strangers' cars, and not to stop and talk to strangers on the street.
• Kids need to know not to eat their treats until they get home where the parents can check all treats in a well- lighted place. Eat only unopened candies and other treats that are in their original wrappers. Parents should inspect all fruit and homemade goodies for anything suspicious.
• Parents and kids may want to consider having a Halloween costume party to avoid "Trick or Treating" troubles.

The community is invited to attend the 13th Annual Family Fun Night at Columbia Neighborhood Center (CNC). This is a free family event and will take place in the CNC gym on Wednesday, October 26 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

There will be many interactive games and activities for youth of all ages to explore. The theme of this event is Halloween and safety. Halloween costumes are optional and youth can get tips and reminders from Department of Public Safety staff on how to have a safe and fun Halloween while earning prizes. A free light snack will be provided to children.  Columbia Middle School will offer Haunted House tours and snacks as a school leadership program fundraiser.

The event is made possible through collaboration among the Department of Library and Community Services and the Department of Public Safety. The event is also supported by several community partners that include Columbia Middle School, First 5 Santa Clara County, Santa Clara County Center for Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention and the Health Trust.

For more information about FFN, please contact Columbia Neighborhood Center at 408-523-8150 or visit:  http://CNC.inSunnyvale.com 

The Public Safety Traffic Safety Unit has been focusing on "Hot Spot" enforcement, which was modeled after D.D.A.C.T.S (Data Driven Approach to Crime and Traffic Safety).  As part of this process, officers monitor and analyze traffic accidents and crime trends to determine where to conduct traffic enforcement to produce the greatest long term impact. A benefit of this model is it incorporates various City departments and units within Public Safety.  In particular, it utilizes the Traffic Motorcycle Unit and Patrol to focus enforcement in small geographical areas, with "zero tolerance" for violations.  Listed below is the breakdown of the 81 citations written at each Hot Spot detail this fiscal year.

7/13/2011         El Camino/Mathilda                                                      10

8/2/2011           Central Expressway                                                     12

8/17/2011         El Camino/Mathilda                                                        7

8/30/2011         Lawrence/Tasman                                                          9

9/6/2011           El Camino/Fair Oaks                                                    15

9/7/2011           Fremont High School (Ped/Veh Enforcement)                 28

In addition to the hot spot enforcement, the Traffic Safety Unit has made juvenile, pedestrian and bicycle safety a number one priority.  You will see Traffic Safety Officers at various schools every morning and afternoon.  You may also notice more pedestrian and bicycle safety enforcement along El Camino Real during the lunch hour.  If you have any questions, please call the Traffic Safety Unit at 730-7109.   

On Wednesday, September 21, Environmental Services Department (ESD) staff in collaboration with staff from Department of Public Safety (DPS) hosted a Mercury Fever Thermometer Exchange and pharmaceutical take back event at the Sunnyvale Senior Center. The event was very successful with over 103 pounds of unneeded medications/supplements and 57 mercury-containing thermometers collected from residents during the two and a half hour event. The items collected will be properly disposed of, which assures these pollutants do not end up in our waterways.  

Those participating stated several times how grateful they were for the service being offered at the Senior Center. One said, "I didn't have to worry about driving somewhere else and since I knew where this was. It made things so painless!" ESD and DPS plan to continue offering this service at least once a year at the Senior Center.

Heart of the Valley has been providing services for seniors in Santa Clara County for 23 years at little or no cost. In addition to shopping, handyman services, escorted transportation, running errands, and home visits, they also pick up and dispose of pharmaceuticals that are no longer needed.

Heart of the Valley coordinated their first pick-up in Sunnyvale with the assistance of Public Safety, as a sworn officer is required to accept and properly process the drugs. A total of five residences were visited and the citizens were very grateful that such a service was provided in their community. DPS anticipates continuing with this project on a quarterly basis.

On October 1 the Boxing Club hosted the first ever "Knock Out Litter in Sunnyvale" event. They partnered with Sunnyvale Department of Environmental Services staff, in cooperation with Department of Public Safety's Community Safety Services staff and the Neighborhood Enhancement Action Team (NEAT) to clean up litter in four North Sunnyvale neighborhoods - San Miguel School, Columbia Middle School, Orchard Gardens Park and the area around the Gateway Center at Mathilda Ave/Maude Ave.

More than 100 people helped collect more than 1,650 pounds of trash in a 3.5 square mile area. In addition, volunteers planted a beautiful flower garden at the entrance of the Boxing Club's home at the Gateway Center.