General Preparedness
Are You Prepared?
- 72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist
- Emergency Preparedness Tips
- Family Communication Plan
- 211 Santa Clara County
Disaster Distress - Mental Health Information
When disaster strikes, often people react with increased anxiety, worry, and anger. With support from community and family, most of us bounce back. However, some may need extra assistance to cope with unfolding events and uncertainties.
For additional information and resources related to disaster behavioral health visit SAMHSA.
Emergency Preparedness Information for Older Americans and Special Needs
Each person's needs and abilities are unique, but every individual can take important steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies and put plans in place. By evaluating your own personal needs and making an emergency plan, you can be better prepared for any situation. A commitment to planning today will help you prepare for any emergency situation. Preparing makes sense. Get ready now.
Older Americans and Special Needs Emergency Preparedness Plan
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Santa Clara County Local Planning Team with representatives from the Town of Los Gatos identified 25 possible hazard threats within the county boundary. Santa Clara County’s Office of Emergency Services is collaborating with the incorporated cities to update the countywide local hazard mitigation plan. This plan outlines mechanisms for increasing our community’s resiliency to natural hazard events.
Hazard “mitigation” is defined as "sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from natural, human-caused, and technological hazards and their effects."
The local hazard mitigation plan will be an annex to the regional plan titled "Taming Natural Disasters: Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area".
Pet Prepared – Caring for your Pets in the Event of a Disaster
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
If you are like millions of animal owners nationwide, your pet is an important member of your household. Unfortunately, animals are also affected by disaster.
The likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency depends largely on emergency planning done today. Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, you will need to make plans in advance for your pets. Keep in mind that what's best for you is typically what's best for your animals.
Make a back-up emergency plan in case you can't care for your animals yourself. Develop a buddy system with neighbors, friends and relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so. Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to make it on your own for at least three days, maybe longer.