In a large-scale disaster — such as a wildfire, earthquake, or major storm — emergency services may be delayed or overwhelmed. To strengthen neighborhood resilience, the Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD) supports two complementary community programs: WPV-Ready and WPV-CERT (Community Emergency Response Team).

Together, these programs help residents prepare at the Home, Neighborhood, and Community levels.

WPV-Ready: Neighborhood-Level Emergency Preparedness

WPV-Ready is the neighborhood preparedness program serving the Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD), which includes the Town of Portola Valley, the Town of Woodside, and nearby unincorporated communities of San Mateo County.
WPV-Ready focuses on helping neighbors organize, communicate, and coordinate before, during, and after emergencies.

What WPV-Ready Provides:

• Practical guidance on home and neighborhood preparedness
• Neighborhood organization support through Ready Nodes (formerly Hubs)
• Training on emergency communication tools
• Support for evacuation readiness, wildfire preparedness, and situational awareness
• Community education events, workshops, and volunteer opportunities

The goal of WPV-Ready is simple: Help every household become more prepared while building strong, connected neighborhoods that can support one another when disaster strikes.

Learn more at https://wpv-ready.org

WPV-CERT: Community Emergency Response Team

WPV-CERT is the FEMA-recognized CERT program serving the Woodside Fire Protection District. CERT volunteers receive hands-on training from fire district personnel in:

• Disaster medical skills
• Fire suppression basics
• Light search and rescue
• Incident organization and communication
• Disaster psychology
• Team deployment and structure

After completing CERT training, volunteers can assist the community and support first responders when needed. WPV-CERT members:

• Support neighborhood response
• Assist WFPD, and the Town of Portola Valley, during planned events and emergencies
• Participate in drills, skills days, and advanced training
• Strengthen community resilience alongside WPV-Ready

No prior experience is required — just a willingness to learn and help others.

Learn more at https://wpv-cert.org

How WPV-Ready and WPV-CERT Work Together

Both programs strengthen the overall resilience of Portola Valley and the greater WFPD service area.

The WFPD has been divided into 25 divisions, nine of which are in Portola Valley.  Several of the divisions are further subdivided into areas. Links to the divisions and volunteer leaders are listed below. These locations have communication radios, first aid kits, and trained volunteers to help neighbors in an emergency.

• Alpine Hills
• Blue Oaks
• Brookside
• Ladera
• Los Trancos
• PV Ranch
• Sequoias
• Vista Verde
•  Westridge
• Woodside Highlands

Report to your area or division leader if the following emergency circumstances apply:

• Your phones do not work, or
• You cannot get through to 911, or
• 911 says they have no help to send.

The division and area leaders will have radio contact with the Town's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located at the Town Center, which will, in turn, will have radio contact with the County and State.