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.

During the summer of 2020, three people lit 5 separate grass fires in the Santa Teresa foothills, which included 3 grass fires off Graystone Lane. These 5 fires combined to create one large fire totaling approx. 150 acres. This large fire prompted fire officials to order an evacuation of the Graystone Lane area.

Members of AVPSN arrived at Graystone Lane to assist neighbors with evacuations. During the evacuations an 85 year old AVPSN member reached out via the radio, with concerns of embers and ashes landing on her wood shake roof. This announcement prompted members of AVPSN to go to her home, ladder her roof and use a garden hose to wet it down to keep embers from igniting it.
During this emergency, AVPSN enacted NET Control to advise all members of the status of the fire, evacuation orders, location of shelters and to be alert to embers floating over the Almaden Valley.

Thank you AVPSN for providing this valuable service to the residents of 95120.

I also highly recommend everyone in our community to join this group. I want to thank Trent, Steve, Phil, Dave and team for running avpsn and providing this great service to members of our community.

To share my experience, in late 2019 when we had multiple PG&E PSPS power outages, we did not have power at our home for 3 days. All modes of communication were down at home- no internet, no service on our AT&T and Verizon cell phones, no TV and dark nights. The only tool that was working to contact anyone to request for any help in case of emergency was this 2-way radio network and all the volunteers of the avpsn group. During those days, Trent and team were giving regular frequent updates on the radio with helpful information like how to prepare, survive the situation, local updates and checking if anyone needs help. Also during the last fire season , when there were multiple sporadic fires in our neighborhood areas like Graystone hills, Quicksilver, Mockingbird, Calero et al, we were getting timely updates from Trent and team over the radio network. The daily check in that happens at 7:45pm every evening is very helpful is creating a small town community feeling among the residents of this beautiful Almaden valley. I encourage everyone to become a member of the avpsn group.

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.