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UCSC hosting police training simulators
House Hunters Hostel available
Fire Slug t-shirts go on sale at fire station
Draft on housing access to be posted before fall public forum
August 19, 2002
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Firefighters get help battling grass fire
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| Firefighters put out a fire on August 9 that quickly blackened a hillside near the UCSC Farm's Life Lab. Photo: Louise Donahue |
Quick thinking by passersby kept a grass fire from getting out of hand
along a campus bikepath on campus Friday, August 9.
A bicyclist riding on the bikepath near the Farm's Life Lab reported
a small grass fire Friday afternoon, and stopped at a nearby building
to alert the UCSC Fire Department.
In the meantime, the Farm's garden manager, Christof Bernau, also spotted
the fire, and he and other staffers grabbed garden hoses and rushed to
the scene, slowing the fire considerably.
The heat wave had prompted Bernau, who usually doesn't leave work during
lunch, to take a swim in the ocean during his lunch break. He discovered
the fire as he was walking back to work.
"We're very fortunate the people from the Farm were here,"
said fire captain Don Brookes. Brookes said the fire grew to about 70
yards by 10 yards in about five minutes. Firefighters quickly extinguished
the blaze. Its cause was not determined.
Fire chief Charles Hernandez said the fire served as a reminder for people to heed the "fire danger" signs posted on campus. Smokers should be sure to discard cigarettes in proper containers, and not throw them out of cars or onto campus grounds, he said. Campfires and bonfires are not permitted anywhere on campus, he noted, and those planning cookouts must contact the Fire Department to approve the locations and prevent unnecessary smoke investigation calls.
House Hunters Hostel available
Students who have been admitted to UCSC and are looking for a place to live may take advantage of the University Town Center House Hunters Hostel in downtown Santa Cruz.
Costing $20 per night, double occupancy, the units include a refrigerator, microwave and range, but no oven. Students should bring a sleeping bag, pillow and towel. Check-in is between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Room 405. Those arriving in the evening should make prior arrangements via e-mail or by calling (831) 429-7100 during office hours.
Reservations are encouraged, and photo identification is required at check-in. There is a five-night maximum stay. The hostel is available through September 4.
UCSC hosting police training simulators
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| Driving simulators are used both to teach the safest driving techniques and to practice unusual maneuvers, such as a police chase. Photo: Louise Donahue |
Police officers from UCSC and throughout Santa Cruz County are getting
valuable training in handling situations ranging from police chases to
armed robbers--all from the safety of two mobile training simulators.
The simulator training, hosted by the UCSC Police Department and set
up near police headquarters at H Barn, allows officers to spend half a
day on driving techniques and half a day on scenarios potentially involving
use of force.
Funding for the simulators comes from the California Commission on Peace
Officer Standards and Training, with the course work developed by the
South Bay Regional Public Safety Training consortium. (UCSC Police sergeant
Robert Jones is one of the instructors.) The sophisticated mobile units
are the only ones in the state that go to where the officers are, saving
departments considerable travel time.
Efforts to make the experiences as realistic as possible are apparent, especially in the use-of-force simulator. Officers' "shots" from a computer-connected mock gun are tracked by computer to see if they hit the intended target. And if an officer is shot at by an on-screen suspect and fails to take cover, plastic pellets come flying out toward his or her ankles and feet as a not-so-gentle reminder. The training, which also includes lectures, began July 10 and will continue until August 28.
Sammy Slug has a new t-shirt, and it's available at the UCSC fire station. The navy blue Fire Slug t-shirts sport a logo created by fire captain Paul Babb, and are being sold to raise money for the UC Fire Fighters Association.
The 100-percent cotton shirts are available in small, medium, large, extra-large, and extra-extra-large. The XXL shirts sell for $18; the rest cost $17. Checks should be made payable to the "UC Fire Fighters Association."
Shirts are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except during the lunch hour,
Monday through Friday. Call (831) 459-2339 to arrange sales at other times.
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Parking lot closes to make way for Engineering Building
Preparation work for the new UCSC Engineering Building has prompted the closing of Lot 139, the lot behind Baskin Engineering Building. The lot is expected to remain closed, with the contractor likely to break ground on the new building this month. New handicapped spaces are available for those who require them. There are also some spaces reserved for university and service vehicles. Others should park in the Core West Parking Structure or Lot 150, which is also known as the North Perimeter Lot. Guests to the campus may use pay station spaces at the parking structure. Construction update story
For more information, visit the Transportation and Parking Services web site and the Physical Planning and Construction web site.
Draft on housing policies to be posted before fall public forum
The committee looking at policies for university-owned housing for faculty and staff plans to have a draft recommendation ready two weeks before the next public forum, tentatively scheduled for mid-September. That draft will be posted on the Campus Welfare Committee web site.
The Campus Welfare Committee is meeting throughout the summer and plans
to make a recommendation in early October to John Simpson, campus provost
and executive vice chancellor. Simpson had initially directed the committee
to make a recommendation on housing by June 15, but the committee requested
more time to gather information and receive input from the campus community,
said Assistant Chancellor Leslie Sunell, the committee chair. A campus
forum on housing was held May 20. Several suggestions for determining
who should receive priority for housing were discussed.
In August, the Campus Welfare Committee will receive the results of an independent survey of demand for university-sponsored housing among faculty and staff. The committee is now working on a concept paper to be used in further discussion with the campus community in the fall. (See related Currents stories.)
