By Town Crier Staff Report

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed Oct. 16 to increase the county’s emergency preparedness budget by $5 million for the purchase of emergency preparedness equipment and training and pharmaceuticals to be used in the event of terrorist attacks on Silicon Valley.

Supervisors said the county needed to be in a greater state of readiness.

The new funds will allow the sheriff, the district attorney, county fire, public health officer and the office of emergency services to purchase additional personal protection equipment, chemical and biological detection and decontamination equipment, and to conduct expanded training for treating victims of terrorist attacks.

“The most effective weapon against terrorism is preparedness and planning,” said Board Chairman Jim Beall.

In addition, the county Office of Emergency Services opened its command center last week in a partial activation, readying its public safety services for potential emergencies. Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is also on high alert.

In a memo to the board, Beall and County Executive Richard Wittenberg said the fact that Santa Clara County is known throughout the world as “Silicon Valley” makes it a high-profile area that warrants placing emergency preparedness at a higher priority. This state of readiness and alert for the county will be needed now and for some time in the future, according to the memo.

The board made the approved funds available immediately.