"Partners In Safety" is a collaborative effort between the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, the City of Pleasanton's Police and Community Services Department, Easter Seals' Project Heritage and Valley Community Health Center's Senior Support Program. The role of the "Partners In Safety" program is to provide the essential link between the at-risk elderly and the opportunity for the elder to access available resources.

This program is a community outreach effort designed to assess if vulnerable older adults may need help but are unaware of available community resources. The "Partners In Safety" program is designed to train community members who come in contact with elders on a daily basis, especially those in crisis. This training enables the individual to identify elders who may be in trouble and provides a means for referring the elder to a local resource. To date the program continues to grow as the Dublin Police and Pleasanton Police officers have completed training. Livermore Police officers are scheduled for training in the near future.

When a senior's mobility or mental outlook is affected by limited resources and/or poor health, elders may find themselves in a declining situation. They often become more and more isolated, in danger of losing their independent lifestyle, and at risk of eventual institutionalization. "Partners In Safety" training is designed to help seniors maintain their independence and quality of life through community based organizations.

The future appears bright for this program as it is now being noticed and funded through grants such as the Alameda County Area Agency on Aging and the Nelcor Community Fund. The committee is busily working on authoring an article for publishing in the various agency trade magazines. The program has received inquiries from all over the country.

Program Elements include an annual Senior Safety Special Event Luncheon held in May, Police and Fire Emergency Responder Training, a Resident Emergency Information Form, and Public Presentation Programming. The focus for this year's Luncheon will be "Disaster Preparedness".

Anyone wishing additional information regarding the program are encouraged to contact the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department at (925) 454-2361.