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Santa Cruz County Public Safety Overview



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Ready is a national public service campaign designed to educate families and children on being prepared for emergencies. Participants learn how to respond and mitigate emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters.

California Local Pin Marker Local Public Safety Digest

CA Indoor Heat Rule Put on Fast Track

07/25/2024

After years of delay, a new California regulation to protect indoor workers from extreme heat is now in effect.

COVID Surging in Santa Cruz County

07/24/2024

Santa Cruz County Health officials report that COVID numbers in the county remain high.

California Local Pin Marker Recent Articles

Los Gatan logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz Mountains Wildfire Extinguished

A fire that grew to a half-acre in the Santa Cruz Mountains was extinguished quickly Friday morning before it could threaten the nearby communities of Boulder Creek and Brookdale, authorities said.

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Firewise Festival at Roaring Camp Connects Residents for Fire Safety

The Forest Lakes Neighborhood Firewise and Safety Association presented a showing of “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” on June 26 at the Scotts Valley Community Theater.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz County Voters Asked to Fund More Forest Management, Environmental Projects

Santa Cruz County voters on Nov. 5 will consider a parcel tax for county, city and nonprofit projects to help reduce the risks of wildfires, floods and other catastrophes fueled by climate change. Charred hills are shown near Davenport after …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Solo-Vehicle Crash Into Power Pole on Highway 9 Causes Outage and Closure

Traffic on state Highway 9, north of Boulder Creek, in Santa Cruz County, was reopened to one-way traffic on July 4 after the highway was briefly closed because of a traffic collision that set a power pole ablaze, causing a …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Gas Pipeline Rupture Stalls City

Riverside Drive was closed to traffic and two homes were evacuated Wednesday afternoon between Union  Street and Marchant Street after construction crews ruptured a natural gas line.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Clara, Santa Cruz Counties Report Measles Exposure

Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties may have been exposed to measles in recent days after an infected person from outside the region visited, according to public health officials.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Watsonville Firefighters Quickly Quell Fire

A fast moving brush fire charged up a steep hillside on South Green Valley Rd. Near Melwood Way Friday just past noon. Watsonville Fire Capt. Corey Div. Chief said the blaze torched about 75 feet of a 6 foot wood …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Boulder Creek Fire Siren to Sound Weekly Starting July 2

For years, the motto of the Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (BCFPD) has been, “Yours when the siren sounds.” Now, residents of Boulder Creek can expect to hear that siren a little more regularly.

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Surfnet Awarded $10M State Grant to Deliver Fiber Broadband to Rural Region

Surfnet Communications Inc., a leading internet service provider for underserved Central Coast communities, has been awarded $10 million by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for its new initiative to extend high-speed, fiber broadband services to rural communities in Santa …

San Lorenzo Valley Post logo LOCAL NEWS
Wildfire Season Resources

Wildfire season is upon us and fires are up 9%. Cal Fire reports that "acres burned have skyrocketed by 1,462% (from 5,747 to 89,784 acres) compared to the same period last year (Jan 1 – Jun 19). 95% of these …

Featured

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.
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.
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
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
How Not to Feel the Burn
These groups help residents preserve their property, health and life.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
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 easy—the hard part comes later.
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
Wildfires are larger, more frequent, and more ferocious—so be prepared.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork
With CERT training, ordinary civilians can play critical roles in protecting their communities.
Members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service hone their skills at various local events.
Listening Skills
With the CZU fires in mind, volunteers in the Santa Cruz Mountains are taking emergency communications into their own hands.
Workers clean up after flooding in Capitola Village.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps
Keep these online resources handy in case of floods, fires, quakes and other disasters
View of the flooded San Lorenzo River Park Benchlands in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Eve 2022.
Communicating During Disaster and Crisis
Recent lessons learned over days of local disaster.
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