ANNUAL CAR SHOW COMING TO ALVISO ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND |
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The 15th Annual Santos Family Car Show will be on Saturday, Sept. 4 along first street and surrounding areas in Alviso from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
The car show is an Alviso tradition that attracts visitors from all over the Bay Area and beyond to admire the extensive array classic cars, trucks and hot rods. Tunes from the ‘50s set the tone during this festive day that will also include raffle prizes and vendors.
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This year’s event will also include a mobile COVID-19 vaccination Clinic on Hoppe Street from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in case you have yet to receive your vaccine.
I invite you to join me in attending this wonderful event. Enjoy the classic cars, discover the Alviso marina, patronize local businesses and experience what this historic part of San Jose has to offer
Sincerely,
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PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUTOFFS (PSPS)
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Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) have begun in California again this year as a result of high fire danger across the state. As you may remember from last year, PG&E pre-emptively shuts off power in areas that are experiencing extreme fire risk. There is advanced notice given for these events, to ensure your contact information is updated with PG&E in the case a PSPS is issued. Information on outages is available on the PG&E website.
Additionally, wildlife smoke exposure has continued to impact air quality in the Santa Clara Valley. Please monitor air quality reports and reduce your exposure as much as possible. When levels are unhealthy it is best to take precautions such as wearing a KN95 or N95 mask when outdoors, avoiding strenuous exercise and making sure that your air filters are regularly changed to reduce indoor air pollution. You can find more tips on how to avoid exposure by visiting this website.
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District 4 has quite a few communities that have heightened risk for wildfires - it's important that you maintain your property to ensure that in the case that a fire breaks out, firefighters are able to defend it.
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Our thoughts are with many communities across California who have lost their homes, been evacuated and are under severe stress as a result of these wildfires. San Jose Fire Department has been supporting various wildfire responses across the state fulfilling multiple mutual aid requests. Together we are stronger. |
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Corey Condren joined the San Jose Fire Department in 2014 and is currently the Firefighter/Paramedic on Engine 2. Prior to joining SJFD, she was a paramedic for AMR/RM for 4 years. She holds a BA in Political Science from Cal Poly SLO and is currently working on her Master’s degree in Public Policy. When not at the station, she is also involved in the San Jose Fire Explorer Program, SJFD recruitment, and multiple charity fundraising events.
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Where did you grow up?
I was born here in Santa Clara, at the old Kaiser, but lived in to Colorado when I was 5 and then Illinois, Utah and when it was time to decide which University to attend, I came back to California at 17 and attended Cal Poly, SLO. I also spent some time abroad, playing sports and going to school in Europe.
Did you plan on becoming a firefighter?
I never in a million years would have told you "firefighter" as my career of choice... right up until it fell in my lap. When deciding what I wanted to do with my future, I knew I wanted to help people. Since I had no hidden superhero powers that I could use to save the world... I thought a career in law and government would be for me. I went to Cal Poly and graduated with a degree in Political Science, International Relations. After graduating, I moved to Washington, DC and was able to work on "The HIll" as a Staffer for Congressman Dennis Cardoza.
This experience really opened my eyes to all the work and sacrifice that goes into public service in the administrative and legislative levels... and I knew it wasn't for me. I am much too impatient and need to get my hands dirty. I was proud to work on public policy that made California constituents' lives better, but I found that I felt the most joy when I was volunteering with humanitarian and disaster relief organizations on my days off.
It was shortly after I came back that I met some local firefighters. They invited me to visit the firehouse and get a feel for what they do. I fell in love with the job immediately. I immediately dropped my Grad School program and enrolled in EMT school. I worked on a 911 ambulance for about a year before I then went on to Paramedic school. After gaining years of experience working as a paramedic on a 911 ambulance in Santa Clara County, I found my true calling of being a Firefighter/Paramedic with the San Jose Fire Department. I was 31 years old when I was hired. My long and winding road of wanting to work in public service led me to the best job in the whole world, and I wouldn't change a thing.
As a female firefighter, what have you learned that would increase the amount of women in firefighting?
I think the biggest deterrent to women joining the fire service is fear and intimidation from inaccurate gender norms. Before I became a firefighter, I had met 1-2 women in the fire service. I had never considered it as a career because it had never been presented to me, as a child through any of my experiences. It has traditionally been seen as a "man's job". The profession is extremely physical, and it isn't for everyone. In order to be successful, you need to have a strong athletic ability.
I created the San Jose Firefighter's Women's Bootcamp in 2018 in the hopes of giving women interested in joining the fire service some idea of the tasks they would be called upon to perform, allowing them to determine whether they could in fact do the job. It is a tough workout, where you will do many of the same skills we do on a daily basis in the San Jose Fire Department Academy. Once women get past the fear of the unknown as far as the physical intimidation, it is my hope we will see an increase in applications from women.
What lessons did we learn from the SCU-Complex fires last year?
Living in the 10th largest city in the country can give citizens of San Jose (and surrounding jurisdictions) a sense of security in regards to wildfire. We saw in 2020 that that isn't the case, these fires can happen anywhere and at any time. We saw with the SCU-Complex fires how quickly a major incident or fire can have a direct impact in San Jose, and the importance of our mutual aid system. We cannot fight a fire of that magnitude on a local level, which is why we have agreements with outside fire organizations throughout the State (such as Cal-Fire).
Fire Department staffing levels in San Jose are well below national standards for the size and population of our City. As such, we rely on help from our brothers and sisters in other fire departments more than most when large events occur. Nothing showed this more than the initial response to the SCU-complex fires. From a firefighter point of view, the main takeaway from last wildland season is that increasing fire department staffing in San Jose needs to be made a priority, especially as call volume and incident size continue to increase.
If you could share just one tip to stay safe during this fire season what would it be?
Prepare for the worst, I know that sounds very doom and gloom. Before you do something, imagine the worst case and prepare for it. Try to mitigate the issues before they occur. Taking a few extra steps to ensure safety will make your life easier in the long run, especially if an emergency should happen. For example:
- Working on your house or car
- Do it in the morning, before winds pick up.
- If you live in the hills:
- Clear your property.
- Going camping:
- Ensure your campfires are contained and easily extinguishable.
- In your home:
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working.
- Extinguishers are easily accessible in your home and car.
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CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES VACCINE REQUIREMENT |
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After months of progress in fighting the pandemic, COVID-19 is once again surging in Santa Clara County, with 245 patients hospitalized as of August 25 and cases continuing to rise. The surge is particularly dangerous for unvaccinated residents; according to the California Department of Health, 95% of COVID hospitalizations and deaths are among the unvaccinated, and the CDC estimates that unvaccinated Americans are 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID than those who have gotten the vaccine. The science is unequivocal: the only way to fight this surge, save lives, and protect the health of our community is to get more people vaccinated and prevent the spread of COVID variants. |
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As part of this effort, on Tuesday the Council passed an ordinance requiring residents who are attending large events in City-owned facilities to show proof of vaccination. I want to be clear that this ordinance does not mandate vaccination for San Jose residents, and the proof of vaccination requirement does not apply to all gatherings or events: it applies exclusively to events with more than 50 people in venues run by the city, like the SAP Center or the McEnery Convention Center. Showing proof of vaccination at city facilities is as simple as scanning a QR code at the door, and it will help prevent infections, hospitalizations, and deaths by reducing the risk of super-spreader events in our city. Children under 12 years old are exempt from the requirement. |
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We can get this pandemic under control and stop the spread of COVID—but only if we listen to the science and the data available to us. With studies showing that the vaccine is highly effective against COVID, and that the risk of serious side effects is less than 1%, it’s clear that the best way to keep our community safe is to get vaccinated. To learn more about the vaccine and how to get vaccinated, visit https://covid19.sccgov.org/covid-19-vaccine-information. If you’ve already been vaccinated and would like to get a digital copy and QR code for your COVID-19 vaccination record, visit https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/.
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SANTA CLARA COUNTY LAUNCHES IN-HOME VACCINATION PROGRAM |
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The County of Santa Clara has launched a free In-Home Vaccination Program for individuals who are unable to leave their place of residence.
The longer you wait to get vaccinated, the greater the risk of contracting COVID-19, and infecting a friend, loved one, or coworker. To reduce wait time for all, individuals who are able to reach a county vaccination site with assistance are highly encouraged to make an appointment at sccfreevax.org. The county offers drive-through vaccination services at Emmanuel Baptist Church. Individuals who need help with transportation may call 408-809-2124 to schedule free VTA Paratransit rides to and from vaccination sites. All county vaccine clinics provide accommodations for physical disabilities or sensory and behavioral challenges. Please see below for a summary of available accommodations by site.
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Individuals with health insurance are also invited to check with their health insurance provider about in-home vaccination coverage, as some do offer this service.
For a patient to be eligible to receive home-based vaccination under the County of Santa Clara’s Program, the patient must be “confined to the home” (homebound) under the definition used by the federal Medicare program. A person is considered “confined to the home” if BOTH of the criteria below are met:
- The patient generally cannot leave his or her home because of a medical condition or disability; AND
- When he or she does leave home, it requires a considerable and taxing effort and assistance.
Individuals or their caregiver, healthcare provider, family member, or friend may submit a request here to begin the process.
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Need help with your homework? The Alviso Branch of the San Jose Public Library is currently offering free, small group (2 students to 1 tutor) virtual appointments with a qualified tutor for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.
The tutoring takes place online through Zoom. Please register for only one appointment per child per day. The Zoom link and password will be sent soon after registration in the confirmation email.
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MONDAYS, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
TUESDAYS, 2:30-5:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAYS, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
SATURDAYS, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
This program will be held virtually via Zoom beginning 8/23/2021. Once in-person programming resumes, a hybrid program will be offered.
Alviso Branch Library
(408) 808-3052
To arrange an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act for library-sponsored events, please call 408-808-3052 at least three business days prior to the event.
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THE SAN JOSE PUBLIC LIBRARY RESILIENCE CORPS IS HIRING
Be a part of the first Resilience Corps San Jose cohort! You will be paid a living wage, gain first-hand experience in the expanded learning field, receive professional development, and meet other passionate education professionals!
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They are looking for professional, reliable, and passionate people who want to gain experience in the expanded learning field working with students in grades K-8. Commitment for the duration of the program academic year is preferred
Corps Associates will serve part-time for one academic year at a local, San Jose expanded learning organization. Financial compensation, training, and professional development opportunities for the Resilience Corps Associates will be provided and coordinated by the San Jose Public Library Foundation.
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GARDNER HEALTH VACCINATION CLINIC
Beginning July 1st Gardner Health Services' COVID-19 vaccine and testing will move from the Mexican Heritage Plaza to our CompreCare Health Center down the street at 3030 Alum Rock Ave. San Jose, CA 95127 or if you live in District 4 feel free to visit the Alviso Health Center. Walk-ins welcomed. For more info call us at 408-457-7100.
COVID-19 VACCINE AT NORTH EAST MEDICAL SERVICES
North East Medical Services (NEMS), a community health clinic located at 1870 Lundy Avenue, is offering COVID-19 vaccines to anyone 12 years and older in the community Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00. Individuals 18 years old or older can register online. Individuals younger than 18 years old can register at the kiosk or call to schedule an appointment at 415-213-1971, but will need to have their parent/guardian accompany them to the clinic when they receive their vaccine.
Step 1:
New patients will need to register first and can do so by:
- Using our online registration portal (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese)
- https://signup.nems.org/patient-enrollment/
- Dropping by our clinic in-person to register in-person at one of our kiosks;
- Please call our COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Line at 415-213-1971 if you have any questions.
Step 2:
- Using our online appointment portal (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese)
- https://signup.nems.org/covid-19-vaccine/
- If you registered with the on-site kiosk, our staff can help you make an appointment.
- Same day appointments are available, but supply may be limited.
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