Vaccines are not just for children. Immunizations are needed throughout your adult life to help you stay healthy. That's because immunity from childhood diseases may wear off over time, and you may also be at risk for other vaccine preventable diseases.

Getting ready for college or your future career means making sure you are up to date on all doses of the recommended vaccines both to protect yourself and others around you. Because some diseases can spread quickly in settings like college dorms and classrooms, many colleges and universities have vaccination requirements for school entry. (read more) 

Adults Need Vaccines Too!

All adults should get vaccines to protect their health. Even healthy adults can become seriously ill, and can pass certain illnesses on to others. Immunization is especially important for adults 60 years of age and older, and for those who have a chronic condition such as asthma, COPD, diabetes or heart disease.

Immunization is also important for anyone who is in close contact with the very young, the very old, people with weakened immune systems, and those who cannot be vaccinated.

All adults should get:

*Influenza (flu) vaccine: Each year to protect against the seasonal flu.

*Td or Tdap: Every adult should get the Tdap vaccine once if they did not receive it as an adolescent to prot ect against pertussis (whooping cough), and then a Td (tetanus, diphtheria) booster shot every 10 years. In addition, women are also recommended to get the Tdap vaccine each time they are pregnant, preferably at 27 through 36 weeks.

The need for other adult vaccines such as shingles, pneumococcal, hepatitis, HPV, depends on one's age, occupation, travel, health status, and other risk factors.

Content from National Public Health Information   

This summer, Sunnyvale's Community Services Division and the Department of Public Safety worked together to create a week-long Summer of Service Kids' Camp. This was the first time these two City departments collaborated in this manner. Twelve Sunnyvale youth learned about traffic safety and fire safety. In addition, the kids were tasked with presenting two Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on juvenile traffic safety.

By wearing Fatal Vision Goggles that distort the wearer's vision, the kids learned how being impaired can affect their coordination and balance. They had the opportunity to drive a golf cart through a cone pattern with and without the goggles and they also attempted to navigate the cone patterns while texting to demonstrate how dangerous distracted driving can be.  

The kids learned fire safety by working on family disaster plans and practicing how to put out a fire using a fire extinguisher. With the help of a fog machine, they learned why crawling low to the floor is so important in fire conditions and they found out how difficult it can be to perform a search and rescue operation to locate a mannequin infant in a smoky room.

In their "down time," the kids formed two teams to work on their PSAs. Both groups thought bicycle helmet safety was an important topic to present. One group tackled peer pressure in their message and the other group stressed the importance of being safe in the present in order to plan for the future. All the kids' hard work and efforts were rewarded at the end of the week with a day at the Sunnyvale Ropes Course and a BBQ lunch. The kids had a great time raising their confidence levels and experiencing team building exercises.

Robert McClure is a 2005 Cupertino High School graduate and a 2012 graduate of Taft College. Prior to attending Taft, he went to DeAnza College for two years. Robert participated in high school and college track - the 10K, 5K, 3K and 1500 meter. At Taft College he ran the Best Buddies Club with 63 members.

He has been involved with Special Olympics for 18 years, participating in the 1500 meter, 400 meter and running long jump. His longest jump was 4.95 meters. His goal is to clear five meters. Robert also coaches track and softball for Special Olympics.

Robert works in facilities maintenance at a chiropractic office and lives in San Jose with his roommate,Thomas Wolk. In his spare time,  he enjoys going to the mall and watching his favorite sports teams - the San Francisco and San Jose Giants, the San Jose Sharks, the Saber Cats, the 49ers and the Denver Broncos. He also enjoys going to concerts - next up is Lady Gaga at the HP Pavilion! He likes to cook and bake - his two specialties are chili cheese dog casserole and chocolate cake. Yum!

Meet Robert and other Special Olympics superstars at the next Sunnyvale Tip at Cop at Firehouse Grill. For more information about Sunnyvale Public Safety's Law Enforcement Torch Special Olympics Campaign visit TorchRunEvents.inSunnyvale.com 

On July 18, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Explorer Post traveled to Ripon for a three day event at the 4th Annual Central Valley Explorer Competition. There were more than 300 Explorers and 32 different teams competing from numerous police and sheriff agencies, with seven CHP Explorer Posts, and four different U.S. Border Patrol teams. Their hard work and preparation paid off and the Explorers came back with several awards and lifelong memories of a successful team in action.

Explorers Tyler Tramontana and Adum Hull took 1st place in a Traffic Stop Scenario where the Explorers had to maintain officer safety throughout the stop while completing a citation without making any mistakes.  

Explorers Adam Hull, Carlo Merino, and Yuri Takaku, took 3rd place in the Hostage Negotiations Team (HNT) Scenario where the Explorers responded to a barricaded suicidal subject. The Explorers were graded on the effectiveness of establishing contact with the subject, the manner in which they respond to her demands and their success in satisfactorily resolving the incident within the allotted time.  

Nicholas Moore-Nieland, Adum Hull, took 3rd place in a Suspicious Person Scenario where they were expected to safely make contact with the subject, properly search and establish probable cause to make an arrest.

Thank you to those who attended the competition during the three day event as I know the explorers enjoyed the support and motivation you provided. The Explorers have worked extremely hard over the past year and the efforts should be commended. We want to thank you for your continued support of the Explorers through their fund raising efforts and the donation made from the PSOA. Both the fundraising and financial donations covered the cost to attend the competition. The Explorers look forward to continued success and representing the City of Sunnyvale in future events.

Thirty-eight years ago, PSO Charles Fraker became the third Public Safety Officer killed in the line of duty. In his memory, all City flags were flown at half-staff on Friday, August 1 and all officers wore black ribbons on their badges.

On Sunday afternoon, August 1, 1976, PSO Fraker was working patrol when a structure fire was broadcast at 301 Acalanes. This location is a multi-unit apartment complex and the fire was in an upstairs bedroom of one of the apartments. PSO Fraker responded and arrived at the scene before the fire apparatus. He immediately exited his patrol car and went to the involved apartment. When the fire apparatus arrived, a pre-connect line was advanced from the rig into the apartment by Officer Fraker and another officer. The small fire in the bedroom flashed over and Officer Fraker suffered fatal injuries from the flashover.

Officer Fraker was 25 years old and had been on the department for two years. His wife and two daughters survived him.