Navigating any city requires specific safety precautions and practicing common sense, especially when it comes to the safety of your children. Located in Los Angeles, the University of Southern California is the heart of a leading metropolis. With about 3.8 million inhabitants, Los Angeles is one of the most populated urban cities in the world. While Los Angeles is above average in The Economist's Safe Cities Index, parents should still be aware of their environment and take extra precautions to ensure their children's safety.
The first step to keeping your children safe is to be aware of your environment. Make a mental note of the locations of blue-light phones and plan intelligent and varied routes. Don't walk alone at night and if you feel unsafe, use the blue-light phones located throughout the University Park campus. These phones are directly connected to the 24-hour communications center of the USC Department of Public Safety and can be used to report suspicious activities, request an escort, or report a crime.
Protecting your home for babies and children can help prevent accidents and injuries. Checking chemicals at home and making sure everything from pesticides to cleaning products is out of reach of little ones helps protect your child. And of course, adult supervision and teaching a child about safety early on can be the best defense against accidents. Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone has been director for the past 25 years and a member of the Los Angeles County Fire Department for 37 years. Prior to his executive appointment by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Deputy Fire Chief Marrone most recently served as acting assistant director of business operations and as interim fire chief.
Chief Marrone's strong career combines extensive experience in commercial and emergency operations with an extensive list of accomplishments and tasks, including leading and managing the Office of Leadership and Professional Standards, the Office of Special Services, the Office of Emergency Medical Services, the Office of Eastern Region Operations and the Office of Operations of the Central Region, in addition to special projects and business operations. Chief Marrone served on the Los Angeles County Emergency Preparedness Commission, the FIRESCOPE Working Group, the Legal Exposure Reduction Committee and the County Emergency Operations Center and as an incident commander in one of the Department's three incident management teams. He looks forward to collaborating with stakeholders to further improve emergency services while increasing diversity, equity and inclusion. Chief Robert Harris began his career at age 19 after being named a reserve firefighter in the Montebello City Fire Department. Over the years, Chief Harris has attended Dillard University (New Orleans), the University of Southern California, Long Beach Community College, and Compton Community College. He is currently a final year student at USC where he completed his degree in Fire and Emergency Management. For more than 28 years, Chief Harris has been a member of the Department's international urban search and rescue team.
He has traveled and conducted rescue efforts around the world. For more than four years, he served as program director of our elite rescue team and was the Department's main point of contact with our state, federal and international partners. Chief Harris has a true passion for mentoring others seeking a career in the fire service. He believes that by teaching children about safety early on they can be better prepared for any situation they may encounter.
