From wildfire safety to e-bike use, emergency preparedness and education about online and stranger dangers, a wide variety of issues were discussed by experts during the first of four Poway Unified safety summits planned for this school year.
Education leaders joined first responders for the Sept. 28 roundtable on school and student safety with community members.
About 50 in-person attendees and 500 online listened to the panelists during the nearly two-hour roundtable at the Poway Unified School District office.
The school and student safety presentation was the first in a quarterly series of Poway Unified Safety Summits. This will continue with social media and online safety on December 5; substance abuse and addiction on March 14; and student well-being and mental health on May 23.
Poway Fire Chief Jeff Chumbley spoke about preparing and protecting against fires and disasters, a timely intervention since the 2003 Cedar Fire and the 2007 Witch Creek Fire both produced in October.
“Twenty years ago when the Cedar Fire happened, I was told it was a quarry fire and it wouldn’t happen again,” Chumbley said. “Then the Witch Creek Fire happened. We know the dangers of wildfires and other disasters.
Chumbley stressed the need for families to prepare for any type of disaster and related incidents, such as power outages and lack of water. He said they need to plan ahead and practice emergency response scenarios.
“When a disaster strikes, it’s not the time to go to the grocery store to stock up on supplies because that creates frustration, anxiety and panic,” Chumbley said.
Emergency kits can be assembled in advance with essentials such as food and water, clothing, medicine and glasses, baby diapers and formula, and emergency care items. pet care, he explained.
Chumbley also suggested identifying local and out-of-state contacts for emergency communications, planning to evacuate or shelter in place and being prepared to use resources in online, on the radio and on cell phones to stay up to date with emergency news. In some emergency situations, parents are advised not to block roads around schools with their cars, which would impede emergency vehicle access, Chumbley said.
“Schools have contingency plans,” he said. “Ask your kids what it is. If they don’t know, they can ask their teacher. I assure you that schools have a plan and their goal is to keep children safe.
San Diego County Sheriff’s Capt. Nancy Blanco said law enforcement is systematically trained with uniform strategies for a consistent response. Patrol deputies respond to fires, even small brush fires, and an incident commander oversees the distribution of accurate information, Blanco said.
![School and Student Safety Summit panelists shared information on how to prepare for emergencies and stay safe.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f0c4afe/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x1904+0+0/resize/1200x567!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F93%2Fb8%2F7b73d3b74cd3b4470ffcd0ee20a4%2Fcopy-audience.jpg)
School and Student Safety Summit panelists shared information on how to prepare for emergencies and stay safe.
(Courtesy of Poway Unified School District)
E-bikes were the focus of Greg Mizel, associate superintendent of student support services at Poway Unified.
“How many of you have seen someone riding these bikes and it caused you to pause and worry or have you witnessed near misses?” Mizel asked the attendees. “How often will a child be lucky? »
San Diego Police Officer David Valdez said e-bikers must follow the same rules of the road as cars, obeying speed limits and wearing properly fastened helmets.
San Diego County Deputy Sheriff Marshall Abbott said some e-bikes can travel up to 28 mph. The bikes are divided into three classes and a driver’s license is required to ride the Class 3 bikes. A program is being developed to ensure young people know how to ride these types of bikes safely and are aware of the rules of the road, he said.
When a participant asked what to do if someone behaves dangerously on an e-bike, Abbott suggested calling the Sheriff’s Department’s non-emergency line, or even 911 for dangerous situations, to have a patrol deputy enforces the rules in a school zone. .
On the subject of child predators, Mizel said several times a year the school district becomes aware of incidents in which an adult may put a student in danger. But PUSD has spent millions of dollars to improve campus security with improved fencing and gates, outdoor lighting and cameras, and is equipped with emergency supplies such as stop-bleed kits, horns of bull and caution tape, Mizel said.
Abbott suggested parents educate their children that people can harm them. He suggested that families have a unique password they can use to identify if, for example, an adult needs to pick up a child from school.
“Think of ‘stranger danger,’” Abbott said. “If something doesn’t feel right, follow your intuition. Try to instill this in your children. Make it known that they can yell and scream if they have to.
Incidents can be reported to law enforcement, who can canvass the area, check security cameras and publicize dangers to the public, Abbott said.
Panelists gave similar advice about online threats. They recommended that parents talk to their children about the risks of using electronic devices and cell phones. Parents should also know who their children are hanging out with and where they are, they said. Parents have the right to take possession of devices and phones if necessary until their child turns 18, they added.
In the event of a school emergency, Poway Unified Emergency Planning and Prevention Coordinator Cindy Hicks assured the audience that the district was prepared through options-based response training developed in coordination with the San Diego County Office of Education and law enforcement officials.
Everyone involved, from campus security officers to first responders to the FBI, will all be on the same page and receive the same type of training, Hicks said. Different responses are practiced and used depending on the type of incident that occurs, she said.
“We train to confront the threat and bring your babies home safely,” Blanco said.
First responders are often parents themselves and want schools to be a safe place, Abbott added.
“The No. 1 priority is the preservation of life,” he said. “When I go to school, they are my children. I feel responsible for them. I love seeing children grow and thrive.