Back to School Traffic Safety

School starts for NISD students tomorrow. Be on the lookout for the several buses that will arrive in the neighborhood beginning at about 6:50 through 8:15 for morning pick-ups and then from about 3:10 to 4:45 for afternoon drop-offs.

School bus traffic laws and safety reminders, courtesy of Texas A&M:

• Watch out for young pedestrians
• Slow down where children congregate at bus stops
• Be alert for late-arriving children
• Stop when school bus stop sign is extended and flashing lights are activated
• Do not proceed until the bus resumes motion, the bus driver signals to proceed, or visual signals are no longer actuated

See NISD's Buses and Boundaries Information System to determine when buses will be on your block.

July 2009 Safety Committee Report

Downed Stop Sign Posted
The stop sign at Canterview and Finesilver was knocked down 1-2 July and has since been re-posted.

Cellular on Patrol
Volunteers conducted weekly neighborhood watch patrols. No suspicious activity was observed; however, some grateful residents were reminded to close garage doors.

One patrol sighted a few teenagers jogging and walking well after the city's new curfew, 11:00 pm.

Blue Armor Patrol Summary
Security officers continued random daily patrols of FSR -- monitoring traffic, raising awareness to property vulnerabilities, and patrolling the park on foot. Overnight patrol coverage was increased in response to previously reported vehicle burglaries.

During July officers also cited vehicles for illegal parking and improper storage.

SAPD Responses
Police responded to 12 calls for service to FSR during July compared to 15 calls during July last year. The monthly average for 2008 was 14 responses.

Two vehicle burglaries were noted, one on Edgecreek and the other on Twinpost. The reports were taken 7 and 29 July respectively. No details are available as of this post.

There were five burglar alarms, two disturbances, and two "miscellaneous" calls. Also, a suspicious vehicle was reported on Ferris Creek at around 11:00 pm on 10 July.

SAPD logged four calls to the Greenbriar neighborhood near Nichols ES, all of them burglar alarms.

Greenbriar, with about 1/4 the number of homes of Finesilver Ranch is the closest gated community and, presumably, has similar demographics for crime reporting comparison purposes.

Sex Offender Watch
No registered sex offenders live in Finesilver Ranch as of this post.

SAFD Responses
There were no fire/ EMS calls to FSR.

Follow FSRsafety on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FSRsafety
The Safety Committee joined the social networking scene on Twitter, an Internet application that offers text message broadcasts. Residents may now receive time sensitive announcements of neighborhood safety and crime prevention concerns via text message through this free service.

Since implementation last month, FSRsafety has "tweeted" on suspicious activity and relevant safety and news headlines.

Subscribe to the FSR Safety Committee Blog and follow on Twitter for updates throughout the month.

Drought Increases Brush Fire Danger

San Antonio firefighters responded to a brush fire adjacent to the culvert at Braun Rd between Knighthood and Camino Villa, Monday, 10 August. No structures were threatened.

The incident alerts Finesilver Ranch residents to the increased danger of brush fires due to the severe drought conditions, which despite this evening's thunderstorms are forecast to persist at least through summer.

Homeowners whose properties abut the drainage easements should be especially alert to brush fire vulnerabilities. In response to fires elsewhere in the city earlier this year, Fire Chief Hood "stressed the need for fire safety and awareness, including cutting away brush from wooden fences and structures..."

Most easements surrounding FSR are maintained by the city. If you notice a fire danger, report it to city officials by dialing 311.