Santa Clara County Local News: Public Safety


All Local Public Safety News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained

What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.

Image caption: Many of Robert Kerbeck’s neighbors in Malibu Park lost their homes in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which left behind lots where only chimneys still stood.
Give Your Home a Fighting Chance in a Wildfire

California wildfires are becoming larger, more frequent and more ferocious. ‘Malibu Burning’ author Robert Kerbeck shares simple steps you can take to protect your home.

Image caption: With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork

Fires, floods, earthquakes—California’s got it all. And CERT volunteers are ready to step in.

Image caption: Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners

As California insurance companies have revoked the fire policies of thousands of homeowners, the state has taken steps to get them covered again.

Image caption: Though it’s the most famous, the San Andreas Fault is just one of more than 500 active faults in California.
Battening Down for the Big One

Making it through the earthquake is the easy part. The hard part is surviving in the chaos that follows.

Image caption: Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era

The climate change era has created a whole new set of terms for a wide variety of storms and other weather phenomena. Here are some of the most important.

Image caption:
How Not to Feel the Burn

California residents can turn to these public and private entities to help prepare for wildfires and protect their property.

Image caption: There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained

Community service districts can do most anything a city government can do. Here’s how they work and how to start one.

Image caption: Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population

The pesky mosquito can be deadly as well as annoying. Here’s how local governments in California have been waging war on mosquitoes for more than a century.

Image caption: California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained

California will soon add a new emergency hotline service with the number 988. Here’s the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.

Image caption: States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained

Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health, even to suspend laws and commandeer private property. Here’s why, and how it works.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/18/2025
Evacuating the Tahoe basin in summer could take 14 hours, and 99% of properties are at risk — yet new resorts are being built in high-danger fire areas.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/18/2025
After the Trump administration threw out policies dating back to 2011 limiting immigration arrests at “sensitive locations,” California colleges and universities are providing resources to support students, but can’t stop immigration enforcement from entering public spaces. Some advocates say more must be done.

California Local Pin Marker From Palo Alto Online...

03/13/2025
Read on to learn why environmentalists and nearby residents are concerned that rapid development in the Ravenswood Business District in Palo Alto will fail to properly address contamination in known toxic sites.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/13/2025
California public health officials are closely monitoring two residents who recently tested positive for measles. Officials are on high alert given ongoing measles outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico and abroad.

San Jose Inside logo From San Jose Inside...

03/12/2025
Image for display with article titled SJ Mayor Mahan Says Despite Sluggish Economy, City Can Reduce Homelessness and Be Safer, Cleaner

Last year’s initial budget projection featured an estimated $53 million shortfall. The new budget projection unveiled by Maguire this week showed a projected $46 million shortfall, the equivalent of about 3% of the city’s $1.6 billion spending plan.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

03/11/2025
California Assembly Bill 247 would significantly raise the hourly wage of inmate firefighters. Read on to learn more.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

03/10/2025
Image for display with article titled San Jose Mayor Wants Pay Raises Tied to Performance

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said he wants to see measurable improvements in homelessness and public safety before doling out pay raises for top city officials.

California Local Pin Marker From Milpitas Beat...

03/08/2025
The City of Milpitas has been granted nearly $5 million by the federal government for traffic and pedestrian safety improvements. Read on to learn more.

California Local Pin Marker From Palo Alto Online...

03/08/2025
Read on for details about efforts underway by the City of Pal Alto to expand, and pay for, its existing safe parking facility to accommodate additional vehicles.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/06/2025
Five years ago, as COVID-19 hit the state, legislators cancelled a hearing to discuss a state audit that found the state’s office of emergency services and at least three California counties weren’t prepared to help vulnerable people during natural disasters.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

03/05/2025
Image for display with article titled Cupertino to Protect Cyclists on Stevens Creek Boulevard

One of Cupertino’s most dangerous roads will soon become safer for cyclists.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

02/27/2025
Image for display with article titled State Gun Group May Sue Santa Clara County Over License Fees

A statewide gun rights group is gearing up to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against Santa Clara County over price hikes for concealed carry weapons licenses.

California Local Pin Marker From Mountain View Voice...

02/27/2025
Not currently known as a safe route, Mountain View is considering adding bike lanes to Moffett Boulevard. Read on for details.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

02/27/2025
The governor has proposed spending climate bond money dedicated to wildfire mitigation in various ways. Some lawmakers think a focused strategy would be more effective.

California Local Pin Marker From Daily Post...

02/26/2025
Concerned about response times, the Palo Alto City Council is working to add a fire engine and staffing to the Mitchell Park fire station. Read on for details.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

02/26/2025
Each year, legislation aimed at better wildfire mitigation fails – often due to cost or conflict with environmental regulations.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

02/22/2025
A new bill by a Bay Area state senator aims to create a special fund to help clean up so-called forever chemicals in California’s water supply. Senate Bill 454 was introduced by Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, on February 18 and, if passed by the state Legislature and signed by the governor, would create the PFAS Mitigation Fund.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

02/22/2025
THE RECENT SPREAD of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles has underscored the importance of Watch Duty, the wildfire mapping app that provides early warning of fires and tracks their spread. And it is also casting a spotlight on the work of two volunteers, Danilla Sands of Mendocino County and Sara Paul of Sonoma County, both of whom play critical roles in ensuring the app has the latest fire information.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

02/21/2025
Image for display with article titled Sunnyvale Searches for Solution to Paramedic Shortage

Sunnyvale public safety officers are optimistic a new study will find solutions to the city’s lack of paramedics.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

02/18/2025
Image for display with article titled San Jose Teachers Prioritize Safety in Contract Negotiations

A teachers union is joining parents in demanding San Jose's largest school district makes schools safer.