[DPSDist] News From Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety

The month of March is dedicated to promotion of the Red Cross and the services it provides. Although the Red Cross is synonymous with helping those in need, the exact mission of the organization may not be universally known. Thus, we thought it would be important to list it here:

American Red Cross Mission

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, to provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

In this age of instant and widespread communication, we seem to be regularly reminded of how fragile life can be and how quickly disaster can strike. Emergencies seem to be more frequent and larger in scale. However, one thing that seems to be constant is the presence of the Red Cross in the response and aftermath of a disaster. This does not happen by chance, but rather through a dedicated group of everyday citizens who give of themselves to help those in need. Their "giving" comes in many fashions, such as blood donations, volunteer service and/or giving through monetary donations. Whatever the fashion, it is the sense of giving which provide relief and comfort during some of the most difficult times.

Please join us in sharing the information about the Red Cross and thanking those who have given of themselves to this great organization.

http://www.redcross.org/

http://www.redcrossbayarea.org/

http://www.siliconvalley-redcross.org/

Chief Grgurina

(408) 730-7140,
TDD (408) 730-7501

or email to: pubsfty@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us

March is National Red Cross Month

Red Cross Month

March is Red Cross Month, a time to remind everyone of the work of the American Red Cross in communities across the country and around the globe - and how we depend on public support to help people in need.

The American Red Cross was created in 1881 by Clara Barton and officially chartered by Congress in 1900 to provide national and international relief during disasters, and to give relief to the military and serve as a means of communication between members of the Armed Forces and their families.

From the beginning, people in this country have volunteered and donated funds to support the Red Cross in its mission to provide relief to victims of disaster and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the first Red Cross Month in support of Red Cross fundraising efforts to respond to needs brought on by World War II. Since that time, every president, including President Obama, has designated March as Red Cross Month.

Today, the American Red Cross responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year, providing shelter, food, emotional support and other necessities to those affected. Through a worldwide network, the American Red Cross provides 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families - in war zones, military hospitals and on military installations around the world. Red Cross Blood Services collects and distributes more than 40 percent of this country's blood supply. And, more than 9 million people across the United States receive American Red Cross training in first aid, water safety and other skills every year.

Thanks to the generous support of people in this country, the American Red Cross is able to mobilize to help people in need. The Red Cross is not a government agency, but relies on donations of time, money and blood to do its work.

Your generosity helps provide life-changing and often lifesaving services down the street, across the country and around the world. Show your support during Red Cross Month because moments of hope are made possible by people like you.

To learn more about Red Cross, please click here.

Emergency Notification Resources

Do you know how to get emergency warnings sent to your cell phone, mobile device, email, or landline? Do you know where to tune on your AM radio to hear specific information about event of importance in Sunnyvale?

Two resources are available to you as a Sunnyvale resident.

AlertSCC - Santa Clara County's Emergency Alert Notification System

The City of Sunnyvale participates with other cities in Santa Clara County in the confidential and free AlertSCC notification service. This service provides users with information and instructions in the time of an emergency on situations such as:

Flooding, wildfires and subsequent evacuations
Public safety incidents, including crimes that immediately affect your neighborhood
Post-disaster information about shelters, transportation, or supplies

This notification resource helps to supplement the other sources of information such as radio and television. Alerts are sent to any number of devices, e-mail addresses or landlines that you register. Your personal information is kept confidential by the County and not shared with any private company.

Please sign up today by going to the AlertSCC website: http://www.alertscc.com/index.html

Alert 1680 AM - Sunnyvale's Emergency Radio Station

There is a new radio station on the AM dial here in Sunnyvale, but you won't be able to hear your favorite top-40 song on this station. Instead, you will hear important safety information during local, regional or national emergencies. Alert 1680 is now in operation at 1680 AM on your radio dial. This radio station is the brainchild of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety's Office of Emergency Services and the Sunnyvale Amateur Radio Emergency Service. Funding for the system was made possible through a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Alert 1680 will broadcast weather information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 24-hours a day. If important information needs to be broadcast to the residents in the community, Public Safety staff can quickly access the radio system and either broadcast live or schedule pre-recorded information segments.

You will soon see signs around the community designed to heighten awareness to Alert 1680 AM. Alert 1680 is part of the City's overall public notification system during emergencies, which includes Alert 1680, the news media, the City's website, cable television and the County's SCCAlert notification system.

The City encourages you to sign up for AlertSCC as well as to set your AM Radio preset to 1680 AM. Both of these resources will be important sources of information for you in time of an emergency.

Grant Funded Fire Training Simulator Obtained by Public Safety

During the first week of February, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, along with the San Jose Fire Department, Milpitas Fire Department, and the Santa Clara County Fire Department, received hands-on training on the new Fireblast 451 Fire Training Simulator. The Fire Simulator was purchased using 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grant monies and San Jose Fire Department Joint Apprentice Sub-committee funding.

The Fire Simulator is a stand-alone trailer that has a propane-powered fire simulator system. The Fire Simulator provides a controlled environment in which firefighters practice their skills. The trailer contains a variety of set-up options including vertical ventilation props, staircases, stove and sofa fire appliances, a ceiling flashover simulator, and other user-configured options that give instructors the tools necessary to create realistic training environments.

This shared mobile resource will benefit the Santa Clara County as a whole by allowing firefighters to conduct live burn training and improve the skill sets of each department that participates. This training trailer provides a "green" option for live fire training in that the normal products of combustion created by burning of wood products are not released into the atmosphere.

Winter Safety Spotlight: Carbon Monoxide

Each year in America, more than 150 people die from accidental non-fire-related Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning associated with consumer products. These products include faulty, improperly used or incorrectly vented fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces.

The U.S. Fire Administration would like you to know that there are simple steps you can take to protect yourself from deadly carbon monoxide fumes. Please read and follow the safety tips contained in the link below.

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure.

Where does carbon monoxide come from?

CO gas can come from several sources: gas-fired appliances, charcoal grills, wood-burning furnaces or fireplaces and motor vehicles.

Who is at risk?

Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning. Medical experts believe that unborn babies, infants, children, senior citizens and people with heart or lung problems are at even greater risk for CO poisoning.

What Actions Do I Take if My Carbon Monoxide Alarm Goes Off?

What you need to do if your carbon monoxide alarm goes off depends on whether anyone is feeling ill or not.

If no one is feeling ill:

1. Silence the alarm.

2. Turn off all appliances and sources of combustion (i.e. furnace and fireplace).

3. Ventilate the house with fresh air by opening doors and windows.

4. Call a qualified professional to investigate the source of the possible CO buildup.

If illness is a factor:

1. Evacuate all occupants immediately.

2. Determine how many occupants are ill and determine their symptoms.

3. Call your local emergency number and when relaying information to the dispatcher,

the number of people feeling ill.

4. Do not re-enter the home without the approval of a fire department representative.

5. Call a qualified professional to repair the source of the CO.

Protect Yourself and Your Family from CO Poisoning

Install at least one carbon monoxide alarm with an audible warning signal near the sleeping areas and outside individual bedrooms. Make sure the alarm has been evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Carbon monoxide alarms measure levels of CO over time and are designed to sound an alarm before an average, healthy adult would experience symptoms. It is very possible that you may not be experiencing symptoms when you hear the alarm. This does not mean that CO is not present.
Have a qualified professional check all fuel burning appliances, furnaces, venting and chimney systems at least once a year.
Never use your range or oven to help heat your home and never use a charcoal grill or hibachi in your home or garage.
Never keep a car running in a garage. Even if the garage doors are open, normal circulation will not provide enough fresh air to reliably prevent a dangerous buildup of CO.
When purchasing an existing home, have a qualified technician evaluate the integrity of the heating and cooking systems, as well as the sealed spaces between the garage and house. The presence of a carbon monoxide alarm in your home can save your life in the event of CO buildup.

Community Outreach - Special Olympics Tip a Cop @ Coco's

A fundraising event benefiting Special Olympics Northern California

Co-sponsored by Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Breakfast 7:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Join us at:

Coco's Bakery Restaurant

1206 Oakmead Parkway

Be seated and served by

Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers

Tip-a-Cop brings together local law enforcement personnel and Special Olympics athletes for a day of food, fun and awareness. Every year, law enforcement officers volunteer as celebrity wait staff, helping to deliver food and refill drinks, all for "tips" for Special Olympics! This fun event raises money to help provide local athletes with FREE year-round training and competition in 19 sports.

Be a Hero!

Together We Can Make a Difference

For more information, please call Sunnyvale Public Safety (408)730-7140

or visit Special Olympics at www.sonc.org
Your tax deductible donation supports Special Olympics Northern California

Canine Teddy

In February, Lt. Robert Sorci lost his retired canine partner Teddy to cancer. Teddy was the Department's and City's first cross-trained explosive detection canine. Teddy and Lt. Sorci set the standard for the current explosive detection canine teams. Whenever the President or another dignitary was in the area, he was a favorite of the Secret Service - not just any canine is used by the Secret Service! In addition to his explosive detection work, he was also successful in locating and capturing numerous dangerous suspects.

Teddy served the officers and citizens of Sunnyvale for six years. He kept officers and citizens safe during the years after 9/11. Teddy will be missed by all. Our thoughts and prayers are with Lt. Sorci and his family.

Change Your Clock/Change Your Battery

Batteries in a smoke alarm should be changed at least twice a year, even if they are hardwired into the electrical. A good time to remember to check your smoke alarm and change the batteries is when you change your clocks twice a year as daylight saving time begins and ends.

Letter of Thanks

We, at Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., would like to express thanks to the Sunnyvale Fire Department, especially Officer Fekete and Officer Gantt, for the fire prevention presentation and fire extinguisher training. The employees really enjoyed the visit and find the presentation very informative.

Also, thank you Zorie for all your help in setting up the visit.

Much appreciation,

Trang Phung

Quality & Regulatory Specialist - Digital Pathology

Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.

a member of the Roche Group

919 Hermosa Ct.

Sunnyvale, CA 94085

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