Staying Out Means Staying Alive!

Students at Walnut Creek Intermediate School joined forces with the County Flood Control District recently to spread the word about Creek and Channel Safety. Dubbed the StayOut, StayAlive! campaign, the outreach effort engaged the schools’ Leadership and Art classes in teaching others about the dangers of local creeks and waterways.

Swift-water Rescuers from the local Fire Protection District Station visited the campus to tell the students how dangerous fast-moving stormwater can be, and to demonstrate how hard it is to pull someone out of a flood channel. Local elected officials came out in a show of support for this important effort, including representatives from U.S. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier’s office, County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff’s office, and Walnut Creek Mayor Loella Haskew. Tim Jensen from the County Flood Control District joined the officials in awarding prizes to the winners of the Art classes’ StayOut, StayAlive! poster contest. Winning posters will be hung around the county in high-visibility locations near District flood control channels. Students also decorated the campus bridges, played Trivia to learn about the benefits and dangers of creeks and flood channels, got StayOut, StayAlive! wristbands, and heard morning announcements related to the campaign.

The District’s Tim Jensen pointed out that Walnut Creek Intermediate School is a perfect platform from which to share the StayOut, StayAlive! message. The school is bisected by a flood control channel which the kids cross daily via two foot bridges. Furthermore, two former students from the school perished in a flood channel rafting accident several years back, so the community is keenly aware of the reality of which the campaign speaks. Flood control channels crisscross the entire region, and several pass near schools. Because these channels collect run-off from small creeks, some of which are on private property, there are dozens of potential access points. The District has done extensive safety stenciling, signage and fencing to dissuade people from entering the waterways and to forewarn them of the dangers. The StayOut, StayAlive! schools outreach campaign helps spread this message each year at the onset of the rainy season by sending safety information to each school in the County and holding special events such as the one held at Walnut Creek Intermediate School.