Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
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Public Safety wants residents to 'SNAP' By Jana Seshadri In order to prepare Sunnyvale residents for any type of emergency, the Office of Emergency Services at the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety is reevaluating Sunnyvale Neighborhoods Actively Prepare (SNAP), the city's emergency preparedness program. "We want to reacquaint people with the procedures," said Cherel Sampson, emergency planner. In addition to reviewing the procedures, Public Safety would also like to inform Sunnyvale residents that the city's approach to emergency preparedness is shifting from a neighborhood approach to a community approach, Sampson said. More than 60 people, including city officials, residents and volunteers, attended the May 30th meeting to kick off the new emergency preparedness procedure and training program. "It's more of a two-tier system now," Sampson explained. "More geographically based and in line with what other cities are doing." Public Safety's Office of Emergency Services developed the SNAP training program in 1988 with the intention of preparing Sunnyvale residents to safeguard their family and property during an emergency situation and to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours after a disaster. "Our program was very unique to Northern California," Sampson said. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake tested SNAP's effectiveness when Sunnyvale was impacted by problems such as gas leaks, power outages and separation of families. SNAP participants sprang into action and helped respond to neighborhood needs and concerns, Sampson said. With the new community approach, residents are encouraged to learn more about emergency preparedness. "Instead of people learning just one emergency function, we're encouraging people to go through all six training programs," Sampson said. The six components of the new training program include disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic first aid/CPR, START (simple treatment and rapid transport) triage, damage assessment and light search and rescue. Sampson said that SNAP does rebuild the spirit of neighborhoods. "People don't hide behind closed doors," Sampson said. "They get out and meet their neighbors and find out what's happening around them." With the country's current focus on homeland security, there is much more interest now in emergency preparedness than there ever has been before, she added. Although the new SNAP program will soon be in place, components of the old method are still very much relevant and necessary. "Some people might still be interested in hosting meetings in neighborhoods," Sampson said. "And they can still organize them and hold them." The six-week training course—which runs June 26 to Aug. 3—will be held at Public Safety on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Hands-on activities will enhance the skills for participants, Sampson said. At the end of the training program, there will be a mock drill, in which students will apply their newly acquired skills, she said. Except for the $25 fee charged for the basic first aid/CPR class conducted by the American Red Cross, all other classes are free of charge and open to all Sunnyvale residents. Public Safety encourages residents to complete the entire SNAP training course, even though the format allows for residents to take one or all of the classes. Classes are offered on a quarterly basis. More information about current lists of dates and locations can be obtained from the city's website at www.ci.sunnyvale.ca.us/public-safety/oes/ or by calling 408.730.7190. |
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