Disaster preparedness was front and center in Sacramento on Wednesday as California legislators considered a bill that would provide more money to schools for disaster planning, with support from the top school official in a Bay Area county that's all too familiar with fires and floods.
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Sonoma County Superintendent Steve Herrington testified in support of Assembly Bill 2814, which would make make $1 million worth of grants available for schools to develop disaster plans.
"It's become apparent to us that in many areas, not all entities are equally prepared to handle the challenges we face," Assemblymember Jim Wood, whose district includes part of Sonoma County, said on Wednesday.
Wood, whose district includes part of Sonoma County, said that many schools, especially small ones in rural areas, often don't have the time and resources to coordinate a disaster plan until it's too late.
"We plan for the fire drills, we've got 'duck and cover' for an earthquake, but not really prepared to handle some of the other kinds of challenges that we're facing," Wood said, noting that climate change has only made fires and floods more common in parts of the state.
Herrington said Sonoma County is the poster child for natural disaster. Fires, floods, bad air and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to more than 1,200 school days missed in the district since 2017.
"We've had more disasters in our county than any county of the 58," he said during Wednesday's hearing.
In most cases, Herrington said disaster plans aren't developed and distributed until after disaster strikes. He said much of the bill's focus centers on the response to fires and floods.
"The primary purpose is to get them home and safe first," Herrington said. "Then once established, we now have – based on COVID experience, we have multiple means by which we can continue instruction."
Herrington also spoke in support of Assembly Bill 2072. Woodland Hills Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel's proposal would require county education officials to create a plan so mental health professionals can be quickly deployed to schools that have experienced a natural disaster.
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