Portola Valley Update December 4, 2025

This Week's Update

• Town Council Reorganization
• Lithium Battery causes Dorm Fire
• Online Registration for Community Classes Winter Session is now open!
• Winter Storm Preparedness and Sandbag Station
• Holiday Season Home Safety Tips
• Join Woodside Fire for Christmas at the Fire House
• County Leaders Call for Broader Participation in Emergency Preparedness Survey
• Every City in San Mateo County Joins the County's Lawsuit Against State of California to Recover $38 Million Funding Shortfall
• Upcoming Events

Town Council Reorganization

Lithium Battery causes Dorm Fire

Do you have a child who owns an e-bike, e-scooter or e-skateboard? Earlier this year, an e-skateboard ignited at 3:00 AM in a Stanford dorm, triggering the interior sprinklers and resulting in > $200,000 of damage. Fortunately, no one was injured.   Make sure you and your child know how to safely maintain the battery, and if they live elsewhere and could be held liable for such accidents, make sure they have renters’ insurance!  Download the NFPA Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Tip Sheet here.  MORE TIPS: Don’t overcharge the batteries; unplug when fully charged. Charge them on a hard surface, not on a bed or couch. Lithium batteries are now the #1 cause of residential fires; for decades it was kitchen fires. Recycle the batteries and don’t throw them in the wastebasket – lithium batteries are now the #1 cause of fires at CA waste facilities. We don’t need to be scared of lithium battery fires, but we need to be aware of and manage the risks.  

A Tip from the Wildfire Preparedness Committee.

Online Registration for Community Classes Winter Session is now open!

We have a great line-up of classes this quarter! Online registration for the Winter Session is now open, for more information regarding class offerings and how to register please click here, to find out more information! 

Town Sandbag Station and Winter Storm Preparedness

As the rainy season continues it is good to be prepared for winter storms. The town has resources to help. You can review the Winter Storm Preparedness page for tips on how you can protect your home. Click here to view the page.  The Town of Portola Valley provides a complimentary emergency supply of sandbags to help its residents protect property from flooding during the rainy season.  The self-serve sandbag station is located at Portola Valley Town Center along the southern driveway, across from the basketball courts.  The sandbag station is only for Portola Valley residents. The station is accessible daily and will remain available through the end of the rainy season. Learn more about the sandbag station here.  Emergency Contact Information  This is also an advisory to Town residents to please notify Town Staff if you see a downed tree, or other hazard, that blocks a trail or a roadway. During regular business hours, use PV Connect or call 650-851-1700 (8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday). On weekends or outside business hours, please call the County Dispatch at 650-363-4000, who will then alert Town staff, authorized members of the Public Works Committee, or the Fire Department. For additional important contact information, please visit the Town’s website. 

Holiday Season Home Safety Tips

As the December holidays are quickly approaching, holiday shopping, travel will be increasing. Here are some safety tips to help ensure residents and their homes are safe during the holiday season.     Residents are the extra "eyes and ears" for SMC Sheriff's Office. If you "see something, say something." Promptly report suspicious behavior or noise to 9-1-1 (or non-emergency 650-363-4911, ext. 1). Make home security a daily habit.    Away on a Trip  Alert your immediate neighbors about your absence and submit a house watch request with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. To schedule, call 650-363-4911, ext. 1 or file by online SMCSheriff.com>Services>Vacation House Checks. Ask neighbors to bring in your mail, packages, and garbage cans promptly.  For transport to the airport, use a trusted service or friend. Options such as Uber and Lyft may not be secure.  Be cautious about sharing your holiday travel plans publicly, especially on social media.    Homes  Lock all doors and windows, even when you are home. Make sure to keep all valuables out of your master bedroom and adjoining bedrooms. If you use a safe, do not keep it in the master bedroom.When you leave the house turn on the TV and or Radio, put interior lights on a timer. Use outdoor lighting with motion sensors.  Most home burglaries occur between 9 am and 3 pm during the work week when no one is home. Burglars will knock and, if someone answers, pretend to be looking for someone or say they must have the wrong address. They’ll watch a home for movement or noise. They’ll be on the lookout for neighbors who might see them. Use deadbolt locks and consider installing a security system that captures comings and goings and alerts you when someone comes to the door.  Alarm Systems   For systems connected to a service, such as ADT or Bay Alarm, set your alarm to go directly to 9-1-1 Dispatch instead of your mobile phone. The delay in checking with the homeowner to see if it’s a false alarm is enough for a burglar to easily get in and away. SMC Sheriff's Office direct deployment by 9-1-1 enables a prompt response. SMC Sheriff's Office does not charge for false alarms.  Vehicles  Remove garage remotes or spare house keys from a car you regularly park outside. Don’t label your residence as “Home” on your GPS. Always lock your car and remove all valuables.  Garage Doors  Close and lock your garage doors. An open door is a visual invitation to come in. Be sure to lock the connecting door from the garage to the house if you have one.  Deliveries and Packages  Avoid leaving packages visible on your porch. Request delivery services to leave items in secure locations. Installing a locking mailbox for incoming mail adds another layer of security. Collecting your mail promptly-- or asking a neighbor if you cannot -- is key  Door-to-Door Soliciting  If a solicitor comes to your door, ask them for their Town permit. If they do not have one, call the SMC Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number 650-363-4911, ext. 1, with a description of the person and vehicle. SMC Sheriff's Office will want to come out immediately to talk to them. For more information or to put your address on the Do-Not-Solicit list, see Soliciting in Portola Valley.  Partner with Your Neighbors  Let trusted neighbors know if you’ll be away and ask them to keep an eye on your property.  More Safety Information  Frequently asked questions, home security tips, and much more at Town Safety/Crime on the Town website. For crime statistics, see San Mateo County Sheriff | Portola Valley, CA . 

Join Woodside Fire for Christmas at the Firehouse

To read the December version of WFPD Public Education Newsletter click here.

County Leaders Call for Broader Participation in Emergency Preparedness Survey

San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David Canepa and Emergency Management Director Dr. Shruti Dhapodkar are urging residents to complete the County's Community Emergency Preparedness Survey before it closes. The anonymous survey will help guide how the County allocates emergency resources, communicates warnings and supports residents during disasters.   Early survey returns show alarmingly low participation in some of the county’s highest-risk areas. Daly City, with more than 100,000 residents and sitting atop the San Andreas Fault, has returned just 40 surveys. East Palo Alto — at risk from flooding from the Bay and local creeks — has returned 23. Coastside communities such as Pacifica and Half Moon Bay — which face tsunami threats, storm isolation and Highway 1 closures — also trail other parts of the county.  Officials say residents from these communities along with others urgently need to respond so emergency plans reflect their needs. "The communities that often face the greatest challenges in emergencies are the least represented in our data," Canepa said. "This survey is your seat at the table when decisions are made about how to protect your family and your neighborhood."    Use this link to complete the survey by December 7.    Click here to read the full news release issued by the Department of Emergency Management on December 1, 2025. 

Every City in San Mateo County Joins the County’s Lawsuit Against State of California

Redwood City, CA – In a powerful demonstration of unified local government support, all 20 cities in San Mateo County have joined a lawsuit originally filed in August 2025 by the County of San Mateo accusing the State of California of withholding nearly $38 million in funds legally owed to local governmental agencies.  These funds are shared annually by the County and all 20 cities providing critical dollars for programs and services that include health care, public safety, and affordable housing.  The lawsuit details that this year San Mateo County local governments received only $76.5 million of the $114.3 million owed under a state funding formula – a nearly $38 million gap. The State’s initial 2025 budget proposal excluded San Mateo County’s funding entirely, but successful lobbying by the County and its State Assembly and Senate members restored two-thirds of the total owed to support critical local services for this year only.  It is highly likely that the State budget will exclude the County and its cities once again next year.  “At a time when the County and our cities are working hard to sustain critical services while confronting ongoing fiscal challenges, it’s essential that the state maintain the local funding that nearly every other jurisdiction in California continues to receive,” said Supervisor Lisa Gauthier.  All 20 cities have joined the lawsuit, underscoring the magnitude of what is at risk to local government budgets if the current $38 million is not restored and a permanent solution negotiated.  Additionally, Mono County and Alpine County are dealing with similar challenges with the State of California and have joined the lawsuit.  Click here to read the full news release issued by the County Executive's Office on November 20,2025.