The Saratoga Woods Emergency Preparedness Team (SWEPT) was organized in 1996 to help our neighborhood be as prepared as possible for future area emergencies such as earthquakes, flooding and lengthy power outages. For the last few years, SWEPT has been without a leader and has languished.

Are you interested in volunteering for SWEPT?

At its peak, SWEPT had our neighborhood of approximately 400 homes divided into 33 areas of ten to fifteen homes with a volunteer block captain assigned to each. The block captains were responsible for getting to know their neighbors, their special needs, and being the focal point at a local level in the event of an emergency. The 33 block captains would coordinate their activities through the Executive Committee which would serve to coordinate our efforts with those of the Saratoga emergency agencies.

SWEPT maintained a database of resources available in the neighborhood and special medical or other requirements our neighbors may have. SWEPT urged all residents to fill out a questionnaire so that they were able to accurately utilize all neighborhood resources in the event of an emergency.

The questionnaire was considered confidential and responses were not disseminated outside the Executive Committee. In the event of a serious emergency, the provided information was planned to be made available to Saratoga emergency services personnel as needed to provide an effective response.

· House Numbers ·

There are many homes in Saratoga Woods which do not have any house number on the house (or garage or sign post). In most of those cases, there are house numbers painted on the curb, with varying levels of clarity. But, if there is a vehicle parked at that spot, the house number may be obscured.

Keep in mind than, in an emergency, the fire or police departments may have difficulty in finding your residence if the house number is missing or obscured. Try to have your house number visible in a prominent place such as next to the front door.