Public Safety Emergency Response EXERCISE - Saturday, September 13
In order for a community to be pro-active with regard to emergency responses to major incidents, it is necessary to conduct exercises in order to evaluate the state of preparedness. The City of Winchester’s Department of Emergency Management, in cooperation with other City Departments, conducts various exercises on a routine basis. The exercises are based upon the vulnerabilities of the community and the likelihood of the various events occurring.
The City normally focuses on three types of exercises: Table Top, Functional and Full Scale. The Table Top format is predominantly conducted in a seminar format and a low stress environment. The Functional exercise is normally conducted unannounced and calls for the participants to walk through actions that may be implemented during the scenario. The Full Scale exercise provides the opportunity for participating agencies to actually perform the task necessary to mitigate and control the event depicted in the scenario. The Full Scale event is a high stress, hands on type of exercise that attempts to present realistic circumstances that would occur during an incident of this nature. Regardless of which exercise format that is utilized each is concluded with an evaluation to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the actions implemented. The evaluation provides an "After Action Report" from which modifications to plans, policies and procedures are considered.
On Saturday, September 13 between 9:00 a.m. and noon, the City will conduct a Full Scale Emergency Response Exercise. The exercise will involve personnel, equipment and facilities from the Winchester Public Schools, Police, Fire & Rescue, Emergency Communications, Public Information, Emergency Management and the Winchester Medical Center.
The neighborhoods in which the exercise will be conducted are to be notified this week prior to the exercise utilizing the “City Watch Reverse Calling System”.
2008 Gala to Benefit JHHS
Winchester Public Schools will host a Fall Gala Benefit for John Handley High School on Saturday, September 20 from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.
The black tie optional gala, the third held to benefit the JHHS Capital Campaign, will take place at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley at Glen Burnie, 901 Amherst Street. Live music will be provided by FAB, formerly known as Fat Ammon’s Band. Other activities for the evening include a silent auction and raffle.
Tickets are $75 per person or $125 per couple. Fifty dollars per couple is tax deductible. For more information on purchasing tickets for the Gala or making a donation to the capital campaign for JHHS, call the WPS Central Administrative Office at 667-4253.
Renovation and restoration of John Handley High School is estimated at $63.9 million, with approximately $7 million in additional funding needed to complete additional work not in the original scope of the project. Winchester City Council has committed $50 million in city bonds to renewing the school. The remainder of the funds will come from Historic Tax credits and fundraising.
This past spring, the project received an additional boost when the Garden Club of Virginia committed to carrying out a three-phase renovation of the school’s grounds.
City Fire Station Receives Lifesaving Camera from 500 For Life
The City of Winchester is now safer thanks to a generous donation from 500 For Life and the Virginia division of The Shopping Center Group. These organizations presented the South End Fire Company with a thermal imaging camera to be housed with Engine Company Five of The Winchester Fire & Rescue in Frederick County.
“Thermal imagers have quickly become one of the most important pieces of equipment for any fire department,” explains Frank Buonanotte, founder, 500 For Life. “This equipment saves the lives of victims and firefighters. Studies have shown that when thermal imagers are used, the time required for a successful rescue drops by 75%. When you consider that each year fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters, this equipment will undoubtedly result in lives saved,” continues Buonanotte.
Thermal imaging cameras utilize advanced, heat-sensing technology so that firefighters can see in a fire. Firefighters use thermal imagers to see through fire and smoke, enabling them to find victims faster, identify the source of the fire earlier and detect structural dangers sooner.
Town Run Drainage/Flooding Update
The City of Winchester in partnership with Capitol Services, of Richmond, Virginia, completed the removal of the debris from the storm pipe on Braddock Street on Thursday, September 4. The storm pipe was completely cleaned out in time for the rain Winchester received on Saturday and everything is back to normal.
The City of Winchester sincerely thanks you for your patience during the cleaning.
Transit Changes - Request for Public Comment
The City's Transit Department will soon be unveiling not only a new look for the transit buses but changes to the way the bus system is operated. In addition, the main bus stop on Cameron Street (across from City Hall) will be relocated to Boscawen Street. The on-street parking will be removed to allow for two-way traffic and the buses. Metered parking will replace the bus stop on Cameron Street.
You can view the plans and voice your opinions concerning the following:
- New bus routes
- New hours of operation
- New fare schedule
- New bus stop locations throughout the city
To submit comments, please use one of these options:
• In person: Transit Office in City Yards, 301 East Cork Street
• By Email: wintran@ci.winchester.va.us
• By Fax: (540) 662-4626
• By Mail: City of Winchester Transit, 301 East Cork Street, Winchester, VA 22601
The comment period closes at 5:00 p.m. on October 13, 2008.
Winchester Fire and Rescue Personnel Raise Thousands for MDA
Fire and Rescue personnel collected a little over $14,543 for MDA over the Labor Day Holiday weekend. Thanks to the Fire and Rescue members and the Winchester community for your contributions to this worthy cause.
Free Green Workshops for the Public
 The City of Winchester is committed to Going Green. Every step taken to reduce our carbon footprint is a step in the right direction. One way you can help is to learn more about going green at home. Below is a list of workshops offered by the City of Winchester to get you thinking about living green. Each workshop will cover a different group of topics. There are many opportunities to fit your schedule. Mix it up and find the combination that works for you. Attending all four workshops is highly recommended to get the complete going green experience.
101-1 General Overview of Solid Waste, Energy Waste/Efficiency, Water and
Soil Waste/Efficiency
101-2 Solid Waste - food, gardening, buying local, composting, containers
and paper, reduce/reuse/recycle of containers, lawn, grasscycling,
clothing, appliances, construction/demolition debris
101-3 Energy Waste/Efficiency - basics for efficiency, appliances/Energy
Star vs. energy thieves, solar and wind energy, fuel economy
101-4 Soil and Water Waste/Efficiency - Chemical-free gardening,
composting, rain barrels/rain gardens, home water use/leaks, water
conservation, water reuse, grey water recycling, household hazard
waste conservation, homemade environmentally safe cleaning supplies,
vermiposting
Schedule: Time:
Wednesdays October 1-22 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Mondays November 3-24
Thursdays January 8-29
Tuesdays February3-24
Refuse and Recycling Services
The City of Winchester Public Works Refuse and Recycling Division provides curbside collection of recycling, yard waste, and refuse.
COLLECTION TIME
Place ALL materials curbside no later than 7:30 a.m. on the day of collection, but not before 6:00 p.m. the night before. Please remove containers from curbside the same day.
TRASH CONTAINERS
A maximum of THREE 45 gallon containers of household trash will be collected by the City per residence. Those that exceed this limitation must arrange privately for other means of collection and disposal.
A “container” is a sealed bag OR a can that meets City Code (45 gallon capacity or less, usable handles, no more than 75 lbs. when loaded, otherwise able to be safely emptied). Oversized, overweight, or overloaded containers will not be collected. Please do not use cardboard boxes as containers for refuse.
Citizen Satisfaction Survey Results Are In
During the summer of 2008, ETC Institute administered a DirectionFinder® survey for the City of Winchester. The purpose of the survey was to assess citizen satisfaction with the delivery of major city services as part of the City’s on-going effort to identify and respond to the needs and concerns of residents.
Major Findings:
1. Overall Services (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Quality of public safety services (85%)
- Quality of wastewater utility services (78%)
- Quality of parks and recreation services (77%)
- Quality of water utilities (76%).
Residents were least satisfied with the management of traffic flow on City streets (33%).
2. Quality of Life in the City
- Very Satisfied/Satisfied (79%)
- Neutral (15%)
- Dissatisfied (6%)
Eighty-one percent (81%) of residents felt Winchester was an “excellent” or
“good” place to live; 13% were neutral and only 6% felt it was a “poor” place to live.
3. Parks and Recreation services (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Maintenance of City parks (80%)
- Number of parks (66%)
- Availability of information about programs (63%)
- Quality of youth recreation programs (62%)
Residents were least satisfied with walking and biking trails in the City (40%).
4. Public Safety (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Quality of fire services (89%)
- Quality of emergency medical services (88%)
- How quickly fire and emergency medical service personnel respond to emergencies (88%).
Residents were least satisfied with the City’s efforts to reduce gang related activity (55%).
5. Perceptions of Safety in Winchester (Very Safe/Safe)
- Felt most safe walking in their neighborhood during the day (92%)
- Walking in their neighborhood at night (55%).
Residents felt most unsafe (a combined percentage of “very unsafe” and “unsafe” responses) in City Parks (35%).
6. City Maintenance services (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Snow removal on City streets (70%)
- Condition of street signs and traffic signals (69%)
- Condition of neighborhood streets (68%).
Residents were least satisfied with the condition of sidewalks (43%).
7. City Communication services (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Availability of information about City services and activities (59%)
- Quality of the City’s website (54%)
- Timeliness of information provided by the City (53%).
Residents were least satisfied with the public’s ability to be involved in local decisions (31%).
8. Code Enforcement (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Enforcement of sign regulations (49%)
- Enforcement of the clean up of litter and debris on private property (44%). Residents were least satisfied with the enforcement of overcrowding regulations (27%).
9 Utility Services (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Curbside recycling services (87%)
- Residential trash collection services (86%).
Residents were least satisfied with bulky item pick up and removal services (46%).
10. City Customer Service (Very Satisfied/Satisfied)
- Accuracy of the information and assistance given (72%)
- How quickly staff responded to residents’ requests (67%).
Areas that respondents indentified as high priority and needing more emphasis are (in order of importance):
OVERALL
1. Management of traffic flow
2. Maintenance of streets
3. Effectiveness of City government communication
PARKS & RECREATION
1. Walking and biking trails
PUBLIC SAFETY
1. Efforts to reduce gang related activity
2. Efforts to prevent crime
3. Visibility to police in neighborhoods
4. Amount of street lighting
CITY MAINTENANCE
1. Condition of sidewalks
CODES & ORDINANCES
1. Enforcing overcrowding regulation
2. Enforcing the clean up of litter and debris
UTILITY SERVICES
1. Bulky item pick up/removal services
2. Household hazardous waste disposal
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