California weather continues to shift into colder winters and hotter summers. With this uprising of weather polarisation, new questions arise concerning how schools should prepare for environmental disasters.
“We have prepared our drills earlier in the year, to see what we needed to change, and what we were missing when it came to a fire emergency,” said Vikash Desai, the assistant principal.
Along with the more extreme temperatures comes the lack of moisture in the atmosphere. In dry California, residents suffer from a lack of rain.
Unfortunately, a dryer atmosphere then contributes to the rising number of catastrophic wildfires that have raged across California’s dry landscapes.
“In the face of increasing wildfire risks and changing weather conditions, we are maintaining up-to-date plans to enhance our readiness and ability to respond quickly and efficiently to fire emergencies,” said Darrin Jindra, the executive director of safety and student services.
The September Airport Fire in Orange, Riverside County last year and even the ongoing Palisades Fire in Los Angeles serves as threats toward the safety of Capistrano Unified students. With the increased risks of wildfires in the ever-drying environment, the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) is taking additional measures to counteract the danger.
“On top of the rosters for teachers’ classes, there are also rosters for neighboring classes so that all students and staff know where to evacuate,” said Desai.
Furthermore, CUSD continues to make changes toward evacuation centers, and places to meet in the event of a fire.
“We are continually updating and reviewing safety plans. Evacuation routes, rally points, and reunification locations are examined periodically to ensure all sites are prepared for fire emergencies,” said Jindra.
The best way for SJHHS to be prepared is by knowing the status of the environment around them. CUSD is utilizing fire apps to track existing and potential fires that may encroach toward school.
“There’s a new app called ‘Watch Duty’ and if there’s a fire nearby, we are alerted immediately and can decide what to do from there,” said Desai.
The threat of a fire concerns the lives of students and community members around us. Aside from the standard fire and disaster preparation drills, our school district is also making changes to staff duties in the case of a fire emergency.
“One of the changes we made were the roles and responsibilities of teachers during a fire. We have assigned assembly, search and rescue, and first aid teams made up of teachers,” said Desai.
To further reinforce safety measures, CUSD is also preparing staff to take initiative in the case that emergency responders are not able to come to school immediately.
On top of training staff for fire emergencies, CUSD informs teachers on new updates and evacuation plans to make sure they are fully prepared.
“Staff can also review the safety plans and procedures so that they are well informed and confident in responding to a fire,” said Jindra.
In the face of a heated battle, CUSD is taking extensive measures to prepare against the growing wildfire concerns.
