Emegency Response Exercise

Emergency Response Training Exercise

On Friday, November 8, 2002, the San Diego City Schools Transportation Department, in cooperation with San Diego Police Department, San Diego Fire Department, and California Highway Patrol conducted an emergency exercise at the intersection of Jamacha Road and Cardiff Street on the vacant city-owned lot on the southwest corner. The purpose of this exercise was to ensure that local emergency services and school district staff would be prepared to cope with an actual emergency if one should occur.

Using a bus that had previously been in an accident, a simulated school bus collision was staged. The collision scenario involved placing a school bus on its side and blocking the emergency exit with another vehicle. A group of students from the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) portrayed victims on the bus. The "injured" riders were extricated from the school bus, triaged, and transported to a simulated hospital or parental reunification center.

In preparation for this emergency drill, the students from SCPA researched various medical conditions and "acted" accordingly. Five makeup artists from SCPA assisted in creating realistic injuries.

San Diego City Schools Transportation Department transports more than 22,300 students each day and has an impeccable safety record. The department maintains more than 1,000 vehicles including 500+ school buses and travels more than 11.5 million miles each year.