FROM THE FIRE CHIEF'S CORNER: BE FIRST CLASS

August 17, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - School has already or soon will be starting for many of our school districts. Our First Class should be “School Safety” says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

First Class: Did you know that It is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.  Did you know school buses use yellow flashing lights to alert motorists that they are preparing to stop to load or unload children. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign arm signals to motorists that the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off the bus.

The area 10 feet around a school bus is where children are in the most danger of being hit. Stop your car far enough from the bus to allow children the necessary space to safely enter and exit the bus. Be alert as children are unpredictable. Children walking to or from their bus are usually very comfortable with their surroundings. This makes them more likely to take risks, ignore hazards, or fail to look both ways when crossing the street.

Drivers should not block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn. Do not stop with a portion of your vehicle over the crosswalk. In a school zone when a warning flasher or flashers are blinking, you must stop to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a marked crosswalk or at an intersection with no marked crosswalk.

Take extra care to look out for children not only in school zones, but also in residential areas, playgrounds, and parks.

For additional information contact your local Police Department or visit: http://www.nsc.org/act/events/Pages/keep-children-safe-at-school.aspx

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

*Note: The information in this article was compiled from various sources. These suggestions are not a complete list of every preventative or loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace additional safety manuals or the advice of another qualified professional(s). We make no guarantee of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions made.