This Paso Robles group is hosting its first community safety event: ‘Help us save a life’
Local first responders and law enforcement officers will share their expertise at Downtown City Park in Paso Robles on Saturday at the inaugural Safetyfest, a community event focused on emergency, disaster and safety preparedness.
The event starts at 10:30 a.m. with presentations from Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin and San Luis Obispo County Supervisor John Peschong about the city and county’s safety priorities, according to a news release about the event.
Next come safety presentations from Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services, North SLO County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), PG&E and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, the release said.
“We really hope that people can show up for that,” Safetyfest organizer Mark Elterman said, noting that PG&E in particular will have important information to impart on community members.
Other event participants include the American Red Cross, Cal Fire, Tenet Health Central Coast, the Coast Guard and the National Guard, he said.
“Once we got a date for the park ... we really had everybody chipping in,” he said.
Safetyfest is organized by PasoSafe, a volunteer-based community initiative started by Elterman and Gina Grieb.
“Safetyfest reveals all four of these elements that PasoSafe is for: training, resources, philanthropy and outreach in everything related to safety and it’s all happening in one place,” Elterman said.
PasoSafe started two years ago at the start of the local COVID-19 pandemic when Elterman and Grieb teamed up with the Downtown Paso Robles Main Street Association to provide masks, hand sanitizer and other personal protective equipment to businesses, Elterman said.
Over time, “PasoSafe took on a much bigger community initiative purpose of everything related to safety,” Elterman said.
PasoSafe started preparing for Safetyfest a few months ago in anticipation of hosting the event next year.
Community interest was so strong, however, that organizers decided to host the event on Saturday to coincide with Trading Day, a family-friendly flea market, at Downtown City Park, he said.
“We really want everybody to come out and learn more about volunteering for community emergency response (CERT),” he said, “and also we want everybody to really take advantage of these resources that will help us save a life and maybe save your neighbor’s life.”
