Members of the AMA School Safety Patrol team helps people cross the street at Dr. Ken Sauer School on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. (Photo Courtesy Chris Brown)

By Chris Brown

Safe crossings

AMA School Safety Patrollers back on the job for the new year

Aug 30, 2021 | 12:30 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – As students headed back to school for the first day of the new year, they were greeted by the familiar stop signs and yellow vests of the AMA School Safety Patrol.

Patrol teams were out working to ensure pedestrians and drivers have a safe return.

About 300 team members are at school crosswalks around the city helping students cross the street safely.

Patrol coordinator Allison Purcell-Pike says one of the biggest concerns, especially in the first few days, is congestion near schools.

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“With being a new school year parents want to drive their kids to school and we really encourage parents to park a block away or plan other routes for their students to get to school where they are walking and so that we can all take a part in reducing traffic at a school zone,” she says.

For drivers that are going near the schools, Purcell-Pike says they really need to pay attention.

“Drivers need to remember that they need to slow down, they need to be paying attentions and watching, so no distractions,” she says. “And as we saw this morning some of the drivers are trying to park in zones that they shouldn’t be parking in.”

For pedestrians, Purcell-Pike says they should make sure they’re crossing at crossing points and listening to patrollers. They also need to be paying attention.

“We know that drivers are often distracted and sometimes pedestrians are too,” she says. “Often students will have earbuds in or they’re playing a game on their phone and it’s really important that when they’re crossing they put those devices away and they’re paying attention. “

Purcell-Pike says patrollers have an excellent track record of keeping kids safe getting to and from school and are out every day whether it’s rain, sunny, hot days or snow.