I woke up at 7:30am and discovered my wife was missing. My camera showed her walking out the front door at 6:40am. After doing a quick search of the neighborhood, I returned home and called 911. While waiting for the police to arrive, I picked up my AVPSN radio, announced that my wife was missing and requested help searching for her.

Before the police even arrived, there were many members on the radio organizing search teams and driving the neighborhood streets. When two police officers arrived, they quickly assessed the situation and called in extra units, walked the neighborhood, and knocked on doors.

During the next 6 hours there were more than 50 AVPSN members and neighbors searching. Members and park rangers were on foot searching the trails and creeks. One AVPSN member took the initiative to post a picture on Nextdoor with a request for urgent be-on-the-lookout. A few minutes later a person called to say they had saw a woman matching the picture walking on Almaden Expressway about 8:00am. Then a member called a business on the expressway and asked them to review their cameras. The cameras confirmed my wife was near Lake Almaden, over 3 miles from home.

The police and all the AVSPN members relocated the search to the Almaden Lake area. One member searched the lavatories in the park. Then spotted two porta-potties outside. No one was in the first porta-potty but the second one was locked from the inside. The member contacted a police officer, they opened the locked door and found my wife, safe but very agitated.  Finding her after 7 hours was a great relief.

Thank you to all the AVPSN members who keep their radios ON and heard my request for help. I am incredibly grateful for your quick response and persistent help in finding my wife. This incident confirms the value of AVPSN and its mission of Neighbors helping Neighbors. It makes me extremely proud to be a member of AVPSN.

Recently, while preparing dinner, a fire started in and under my BBQ.  Fortunately, I had a fire extinguisher handy and discharged it on the fire. The fire seemed to be extinguished but then started up again.  I needed help.

 Using my Baofeng 888 handheld radio, I transmitted an emergency request for help.  Immediately, a retired Almaden Valley fire captain responded to my house and helped me make sure the fire was out and showed me how to monitor the situation to make sure it didn’t restart.  I’m very grateful for AVPSN and my neighbors.

Editor's Note:
For two nights after this fire, there were lengthy discussions on the nightly AVPSN radio network check-in. Participants shared lessons learned,  the importance of having at least one fire extinguisher in the home, checking regularly to make sure it is charged, checking the expiration date, how to dispose of an old extinguisher or get it recharged.

While relaxing in my home, I heard a unidentified noise in another room. I went to investigate and saw a person in my back yard taking the screen off a window to my bedroom. He was about to break the window when he spotted me watching him through the patio sliding glass door. Immediately, he raced out of the backyard and I saw him run down the street. First, I called 911. Twelve minutes later the police arrived. In the meantime, I used my Baofeng 888 hand held radio to transmit a "Be on the Lookout" message to all my neighbors. Since the burglar was gone, I didn't need immediate assistance. However, with mutliple neighbors on the lookout they could provide valuable information on the location and direction of travel for the police.

During this incident (and for several hours) the adrenalin was pulsing in my system and my responses were on automatic. That evening during the 7:45 AVPSN radio network check-in, I asked the group if there was anything I should have done different. A lengthy discussion in sued covering all the do's and don'ts, options, and recommendation like put a lock on the gates, and don't leave bricks near the windows. I'm grateful for the feedback and I'm sure that the other members on the net also learned from the discussion.

Thank you AVPSN!

The communication AVPSN provides is essential. We learn new tools each evening. We discuss our neighborhood crime and safety. We learn to protect our family and property.  We learn fire safety and emergency preparation. Most recently half of Almaden Valley lost power. I had power but no landline, cell or internet which meant I could not call 911. So it was critical that I had an AVPSN battery operated radio which could be used to request help or relay a 911 call for me. They kept me updated on current weather and local emergency news. AVPSN was many neighbors only news source during the power outage. Thank you for being there 24/7.