Yolo 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: Yolo County faces significant flooding risk, particularly the city of West Sacramento, located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps

When disaster strikes, you’ll need to have these information resources available on your smartphone.

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.

West Sacramento Sun logo From West Sacramento Sun...

12/10/2024
Image for display with article titled West Sac Engine 45 Pushed in for Duty

In a tradition that harkens back to the days of horse-drawn apparatus, the West Sacramento Fire Department returned one of its engines to service with a “push-in” ceremony Thursday morning, Dec. 5.

California Local Pin Marker From CapPublicRadio...

12/04/2024
Learn more about the expanding recall of raw milk products following detection of bird flu in tested samples.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

11/19/2024
Bird flu has been spreading among dairy workers in California’s Central Valley, jumping from cows to people. A new suspected case in the Bay Area came from an unknown source.

California Local Pin Marker From CapPublicRadio...

11/15/2024
Get the details of the Sacramento City Council consideration of a Pedestrian Safety State of Emergency declaration and the increasing pedestrian and cyclist fatalities behind it.

California Local Pin Marker From Davis Enterprise...

11/14/2024
Learn more about the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services launch of the 'Yolo Ready' program with a mission of increasing neighborhood resilience and disaster preparedness.

West Sacramento News Ledger logo From West Sacramento News Ledger...

11/12/2024
Image for display with article titled Yolo County Upgrades to a New Evacuation System

Yolo County is introducing a new evacuation notification platform that went live on Nov. 7 called Genasys Protect EVAC.

California Local Pin Marker From Daily Democrat...

11/12/2024
Learn more about where in the Winters area mountain lions have been sighted, and advice for residents from the Winters Police.

California Local Pin Marker From Daily Democrat...

11/07/2024
Learn more about the new Yolo County evacuation alert system and take steps to protect yourself and your family against fires and floods.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

11/01/2024
The invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitos have been detected in more areas of Santa Clara County, prompting officials to hold meetings to discuss their response to the threat posed by the species. 

California Local Pin Marker From CapPublicRadio...

10/15/2024
In their October 15 meeting, a committee of the Sacramento City Council considered proposals for a "harm reduction fee" for local registered gun owners.

West Sacramento News Ledger logo From West Sacramento News Ledger...

10/02/2024
Image for display with article titled Stay Healthy This Fall: Join Yolo County’s Free Flu Vaccine Clinics

As flu season approaches, the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is encouraging all residents to stay current with their vaccinations. Original article published at West Sacramento News-Ledger

West Sacramento News Ledger logo From West Sacramento News Ledger...

09/24/2024
Image for display with article titled Yolo County Launches New Alert Yolo Emergency Notification System

The Yolo County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is launching Alert Yolo, a state-of-the-art, county-wide emergency notification system.

West Sacramento News Ledger logo From West Sacramento News Ledger...

09/24/2024
Image for display with article titled Safer Streets With State Grant

A nearly half-million-dollar state grant will help keep guns off the streets in West Sacramento.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

09/19/2024
At a CalMatters event, California’s insurance commissioner says the changes he’s making will help homeowners and business owners. One idea: A state grant for those who spend money to protect their property from wildfires.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Angeles Times...

09/11/2024
H5N1 bird flu has been reported in three California dairy herds.

West Sacramento News Ledger logo From West Sacramento News Ledger...

09/04/2024
Image for display with article titled West Nile Virus Risk Continues

While Labor Day is the last holiday of the summer, mosquito activity and the risk of West Nile virus continue for all area residents.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

09/04/2024
Inland communities with big population booms will experience the most extreme heat days under climate change projections. The combination puts more people at risk — and many cities are unprepared.

California Local Pin Marker From Davis Enterprise...

09/03/2024
On August 3, Davis firefighters were dispatched to two separate fires at homeless encampments.
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