KPBS News: Public Safety

San Diegans Urged To Prepare For Dangerous Wildfire Season

Susan Murphy — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:17:08 -0700

California’s wildfire season is off to an early and dangerous start. Firefighters have already battled 1,600 wildfires throughout the state, which is 500 more fires compared to the same period last year and 85 percent more fires than in an average year.

Massive Tornado Hits Oklahoma, At Least 24 Killed

Associated Press — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:45:40 -0700

A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow as children and teachers huddled against winds up to 200 mph.

Arrest Made In Killing Of Southern California Army Veteran (Video)

Beth Ford Roth — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:32:14 -0700

Maribel Ramos had served in the Army for eight years and was just weeks away from earning her degree at Cal State Fullerton when she went missing earlier this month. Her body was discovered late last week, and now her roommate has been arrested for her murder.

Emergency And School Officials Conduct School Shooting Drill In Poway

City News Service — Mon, 20 May 2013 06:16:06 -0700

The sounds of gunfire will ring out today at Abraxas High School in Poway as sheriff's deputies, firefighters, school officials and teenage volunteers conduct a drill designed to simulate a school shooting.

Roundtable: Cancer in Jail; Sea Wall Lawsuits; Frogs With Fungus; Mice With Alzheimer's; Undocumented Millions

Pat Finn, Mark Sauer — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:25:30 -0700

A woman dying in Las Colinas jail would be released if she were in prison. Homeowners atop the Solana Beach bluffs may sue the city. The decision to import African Clawed Frogs decades ago having dire consequences now. The landscape of undocumented immigrants in California and the nation is complex.

San Diego Youth And Their Parents Invited To Get First-Hand Look At Juvenile Hall

Susan Murphy — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:03:00 -0700

The San Diego public is invited on Saturday, May 18 for a behind-the-scenes look at the Kearny Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility.

Scandal Prompts Hagel To Order Rescreening Of Military Sexual Assault Responders

Beth Ford Roth — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:31:12 -0700

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered all military sexual assault responders and military recruiters be retrained, re-credentialed, and rescreened - his response to news that the Army is investigating a sergeant who was a sexual assault prevention and response coordinator at Fort Hood for sexual abuse.

Grand Jury Report: San Diego Needs To Be More Bike-Friendly

Tarryn Mento — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:36:53 -0700

Whether you're an expert or occasional rider, you might have thoughts about how San Diego measures up as a bicycle-friendly city. So does the San Diego County Grand Jury.

Two Children Drown In Swimming Pool

10News — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:02:53 -0700

Two unattended La Mesa children drown in residential swimming pool.

Feds Prepare For Tough Fire Season

Laurel Morales — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:45:01 -0700

Federal officials are preparing for the worst this fire season. Severe drought conditions and beetle ravaged trees throughout the west combined with reduced firefighting budgets do not bode well for the coming weeks.

Adapting To The New Reality Of Increased Wildfire Danger

Megan Burke, Maureen Cavanaugh — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:17:28 -0700

Governor Jerry Brown is warning Californians that climate change will make wildfires more frequent and dangerous. We'll assess what the governor means about adapting to this new reality.

Official: Body Found Near Tourmaline Surfing Park Is Missing Surfer

10News — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:49:22 -0700

A 42-year-old San Diego man who disappeared while surfing near Pacific Beach likely drowned and a shark may have attacked his body after death, a lifeguard official said Thursday.

Zahau Family Files Suit Seeking Homicide Evidence

City News Service — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:22:09 -0700

Family of Rebecca Zahau Files Lawsuit Seeking Evidence That She Was Victim of Homicide, Not Suicide

Wildfire Awareness Week Comes With Dire Warnings For San Diego

Megan Burke, Maureen Cavanaugh — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:30:00 -0700

Dire predictions are being made by state officials about this year's fire season. Cal Fire in San Diego went to peak staffing this week, a month ahead of schedule, to prepare for a dangerous fire season.

Sequestration Will Hurt Firefighting Ability, Says California National Guard (Video)

Beth Ford Roth — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:02:08 -0700

The California National Guard has played a key role in fighting the fires burning throughout the state. But Major General David Baldwin says the Guard's ability to fight future fires will be hampered by sequestration cuts.

Steinberg: Addressing Mental Health Can Reduce Prison Overcrowding

Ben Adler, Capital Public Radio — Wed, 08 May 2013 06:00:00 -0700

California Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg is proposing several measures intended to increase crisis access to mental health services.

$35M Baggage Screening System Ready At San Diego Airport

Dwane Brown — Tue, 07 May 2013 18:32:25 -0700

Terminal 2 at San Diego International Airport is now fully equipped with a new state-of-the-art baggage system designed to get your luggage to and from the plane faster than ever.

Report: Military Sexual Assaults Up 35 Percent Since 2010 (Video)

Beth Ford Roth — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:28:15 -0700

A new Pentagon report shows sexual assault in the military has jumped 35 percent since 2010. The news comes one day after the Air Force announced the official in charge of its sexual assault prevention program was arrested for sexual battery.

CAL FIRE Says Dry Conditions Have Caused Early Fire Season

Amy Quinton, Capital Public Radio — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:00:00 -0700

CAL FIRE is warning that a dangerous wildfire season has already started in California. So far more than 40,000 acres have burned statewide.

Fire Officials Urge Fire Season Preparedness

Dwane Brown — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:05:59 -0700

San Diego Fire Department officials are warning homeowners to prepare for what could be a difficult fire season.