Students perform a song during the Safety Town graduation ceremony. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Incoming kindergartners learned about fire safety during a visit by the Los Alamos Fire Department during Safety Town. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Bike safety was also on the agenda during Safety Town. Each student received a bike helmet donated by Century Bank. Kristy Ortega, Associate Broker, RE/MAX First, donated new bikes to the program this year. Photo Courtesy LAPS
LAPS NEWS RELEASE
Eighty-five incoming kindergartners successfully completed the Los Alamos County’s Child Safety Program Preschool Safety Training Course. Students were presented with Certificates of Completion by Los Alamos Police Department Chief Dino Sgambellone during a ceremony held at Barranca Mesa Elementary School last Friday. Safety Town is sponsored by Los Alamos Public Schools, Los Alamos County, and the Los Alamos Police Department. More than 675 children have attended Safety Town since the program was started in 2015 by Chief Sgambellone.
“This was the ninth year for Safety Town in Los Alamos,” said program coordinator and LAPS Preschool Director Gina Terrazas. “Every year the students and families look forward to this week. Thank you to our community partners that shared their expertise with the kids. Seeing the smiles on the faces of students and sharing in their excitement as they learned new things is what makes our job worthwhile.”
Students participated in a number of hands-on activities, crafts, interactions with safety personnel, and safety situations to prepare for potential hazards they may encounter at school, at home or in the community during the week. They also learned songs that reinforced what they learned, and sang during the graduation ceremony.
Each day of Safety Town focused on a different safety topic. The first day was all about water, animal and outdoor safety. Students learned how to wear life vests correctly and to only swim when an adult is present, as well as to always wear sunscreen when outside, drink lots of water and be safe on the trails. They were also taught about what to do if they encounter animals, who to call, and what are safe practices.
Fire Safety was the topic on Tuesday, with visits from the fire department and discussions about what is an emergency, when to call 911, what to do in the event of a fire, and the importance of knowing your address.
Kids learned about transportation safety on Wednesday, which included visits from the LAPS
and the Atomic City Transit. They listened to the bus safety rules, how to wait at the bus stops and how to use the cross walks. And they were able to ride the buses around the block.
On Thursday, students learned about gun safety, including what to do if you find a gun. They also met Los Alamos Police Det. Mike Weiss and his K9 partner Jaskey. Chief Sgambellone read two stories to students, and handed out books for students to take home.
Every day students had the chance to practice bike safety. Century Bank donated bike helmets to each child participating in Safety Town, and Kristy Ortega, Associate Broker, RE/MAXFirst, donated new bikes to the program.
Thank you to the LAPD School Resource Officers Sgt. Chris Ross, Cpl. Samantha Terrazas, Cpl. James Keane, Cpl. Joey Robinson and Cpl. Amos Smith and the LAPS staff members who helped to make the 2024 Safety Town a success, including teachers Tyler Dalmas, Secilli Keeler, Maria Fe West, Suzanna Silva and Nancy Vasquez, and educational assistants Paola Figueroa, Roberta Irwin. Marie Macinnes, Isabel Meana, Krista Oliver and Mary Yamada.