Marianna Sousa demonstrates electrical safety.
From kitchen fires to downed power lines, community members learned essential safety skills at a Sacramento City College and Sacramento Voices Community Forum organized by Voices correspondent Marianna Sousa, with assistance from correspondent Kalaisha Totty.
The highly successful event was held Jan. 28 at the SCC Student Center.
“The issue of safety effects all of us, from babies to elders, even your pets,” Sousa told the audience.
Representatives from numerous public agencies and non-profit organizations made presentations at the five-hour forum, which attracted hundreds of students and members of the South Sacramento community.
Crewmen from SMUD explained how the community’s electricity grid can be controlled — or shut down in an emergency — by dispatchers at the agency’s headquarters.
SMUD crews explain power emergencies.
Sacramento City Fire safety officers described what happens when an electrical fire hides within walls before exploding to the surface, doubling in size each minute. Campus police explained their duties, and representatives of the disabled community described frustration over not having clear instructions and options during emergencies.
Student checks out Los Rios Police table.
Other presentations included water safety and life-saving practices, such as CPR.
“Our knowledge about what do to in an emergency is what will keep us safe,” Sousa said. “It’s all about being prepared.”
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