Congratulations to those who have successfully completed the Basic Law Enforcement Academy! It is an incredible achievement. Westside Story News wishes all the graduates well as they embark on their careers. Congratulations Class of 23!

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— In 2023, the San Bernardino County Library celebrated four distinguished National Association of Counties (NACo) awards for outstanding service to both its staff as well as the general public. Unsurprisingly, the library attributed its drive to the principals outlined in San Bernardino County’s Countywide Vision, a guiding light for its policies, practices, and protocol: CAO Vision – San Bernardino CountyWide Vision (sbcounty.gov).

First, the library received an award for its unique interviewing structure. During the transition into post-pandemic realities, the San Bernardino County Library, as with many employers, saw an increase in the number of vacancies due to resignations, retirements, and other life changes. With retention in mind, the library worked to fill vacancies of varying capacities throughout its 32 library branch locations and administration office. In the past, the library would schedule first interviews on one day, and second or final interviews on a separate day. This scheduling process often led to second interviews that were scheduled one to two weeks following the first interview, at times resulting in losing candidates to other employers. The additional time for the second interview would also delay the completion of onboarding paperwork, background checks, and fingerprinting, which caused the hiring process to be slow and prolonged.

Additionally, the extended interview and onboarding process deterred quality candidates who sought to begin work immediately. To remain competitive with other organizations and move to hire within a shorter timeframe, the San Bernardino County Library implemented a new process of conducting second interviews on the same day as first interviews. The new procedure resulted in the hiring process (application to onboarding) taking two to three months, whereas in the past the process could take four to six months. The implementation of this process has resulted in the hiring of higher quality candidates due to the library’s ability to compete with private sector hiring timelines.

In addition, the library received a NACo award for its orientation program, entitled “Introduction to Library Basics (ILB).” ILB is a training program that focuses on library expectations, operations, and most importantly, customer service. This program offers an additional layer of training to new hires that reinforces what they learn at their training branches. Introduction to Library Basics sets a foundation for new hires to learn County culture, also equipping them with the tools they need to be successful County Library employees.

Moreover, the library received an award for the launch of its Leadership Training Program, a 4-week certificate program which further enhances the knowledge, skills, and abilities of all library staff, both part-time and full-time. Not only does this Leadership Training Program inspire future leaders and boost team morale, it also aligns with part of San Bernardino County’s overarching vision, particularly envisioning “a vibrant economy with a skilled workforce that attracts employers who seize the opportunities presented by the county’s unique advantages and provide the jobs that create countywide prosperity.” Alyssa Lovell, librarian II and Leadership Training alumna, remarked on her experience, “It was great to interact with other library staff, not only learning valuable tips to grow as a manager, but engaging with staff from other branches who have diverse leadership experiences to share.”

Lastly, the library received an award for its implementation of Beanstack, a mobile and web application used to track reading programs for all ages. Since the San Bernardino County Library offered several “Read for Rewards” programs, such as the Summer Reading Program and In-N-Out Cover-to-Cover Program, the utilization of a mobile and web application such as Beanstack is a convenient, easy-to-use way for families to participate, increasing literacy throughout San Bernardino County. With the support of this mobile application, the San Bernardino County Library System circulated over 4 million print and digital items in 2022-2023. Adelia Laguerta, a patron at the Big Bear Lake Branch Library, thanked the staff for its user-friendly interface: “I’m 72 years old and came from the Philippines in the ‘70s. I usually do not feel comfortable with computers, but the staff helped me to become more confident with using technology, including this app. Now, when I bring my grandchildren to the library, I can help them track their reading and earn prizes. I’m a fun Lola!”

Undoubtedly, the San Bernardino County Library continues to provide exemplary services to the community by prioritizing good customer service to both internal and external customers—that is, its staff and patrons. Because the team of over 250 employees continues to collaborate to improve the organization, notable services and projects continue to support over 4 million items circulated and over 150,000 library program attendees. With four new NACo awards to add to their accolades, the San Bernardino County Library is confident that they will continue to epitomize the County’s newest Opportunity Campaign: Opportunity – Welcome to San Bernardino County (sbcounty.gov).

By Sonya Muhammad

On Saturday, July 22, 2023, family, and friends of the late Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D., are hosting a celebration of life, at the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, located at 3933 Mission Inn Blvd., Riverside, CA., 92501. The event will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dr. Bailey transitioned to a beautiful place in time on April 7, 2023.

Dr. Bailey earned the respect and admiration from people all over the world and from many walks of life.  He worked tirelessly and dedicated years of studying, researching, writing, and speaking to the purpose of rescuing African American youths from the negative and life debilitating traps inserted into the social engineering of our society. His work and teachings also offered those given any divine role in a child’s life, the opportunity to reconfigure their hearts and minds, thus reconfiguring their thinking, feelings, and behaviors.  Some think of this reconfiguration as a mandate. A mandate that cannot be ignored or bypassed, when discussing the mental, physical, and spiritual escape from seen and unseen forces and strategies, designed to keep us individually and collectively, unbalanced and in a constant state of chaos, confusion, and fear.

With that said, one can imagine Dr. Bailey was frequently challenged by those with opposing views and beliefs. I personally can recall sitting directly across the table from him at a small dinner gathering about nine years ago. There were only five or six people at our table, and we were talking about a variety of topics, when Dr. Bailey addressed the small group and told us, “Everything you think you know about this world is a lie.” Our table became silent, and we each in our own way attempted to remain respectful and thoughtful as we tried to search each other’s reaction via our peripheral vision.

“I don’t remember which one of us was the first to respond, but I do remember the response was a question that represented the question in all of our minds. The question asked was, “Everything?!” Dr. Bailey replied, “Everything.”

Interestingly, no one at our table took offense, and this was probably because we were all in shock. Dr. Bailey sat confidently and comfortably with that kind, gentle, and knowing smile he exhibited many times, when he knew he had rattled your current belief systems. Eventually, one by one we made comments admitting we were aware of the fact that we had been lied to about a lot of things in the world, but EVERYTHING we have been told about the world is a lie? That can’t possibly be true. There was a brief discussion following, and as dinner ended and we each went our separate ways, I am certain not one of us could forget the word, EVERYTHING. And to be quite honest, I never forgot. And in addition to that, I now agree with him.

Dr. Bailey continued to meet with our small group at the 777 Community Warehouse in San Bernardino, where he spoke to us weekly about certain historical writings, findings, and evidence that had been hidden or purposefully eliminated from mainstream academia and accompanying texts at every level. For those who were open and willing to receive, this was an opportunity to expand our thinking to a more critical phase, where making sense out of things that did not make any sense, did not make any sense anymore. And where realizing and admitting we don’t know that we don’t know there is anything to know, is an important and humbling step to surrendering to ancient truths.

Dr. Bailey also spoke to us on the importance of having compassion for one another, learning how to honor and respect the dignity of another person, and discovering there is a deeper, more expansive love that we can experience for ourselves and give to others. However, this love is far beyond the illusionary and artificially orchestrated love that the film, TV, and music industries portray and have relentlessly embedded into the psyche of the masses for many generations. More importantly, this love that Dr. Bailey introduced to us, is the key to navigating the uncharted waters of life that are currently in plain sight yet hidden from view. And as I understand it, knowledge is light, and it is this light of knowledge that leads us to higher understandings, and higher understandings lead us to that love that is God’s ultimate gift wrapped in the elegance of peace.

Please join us as we honor the extraordinary life and work of Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D.”

(CNBC)—- After failing to reach a contract resolution with the studio association, more than 11,000 film and television writers remain on strike. Of the many topics under consideration in this year’s Writers Guild of America contract discussions, one nascent technology has fueled dissent among the negotiators: artificial intelligence.

“I hope I’m wrong, but I do think that the use of AI is going to take over the entertainment industry,” said Justine Bateman, a member of the writers, directors and actors guilds. “And I think it’s going to be really bad.”

The implementation of generative AI could mean sweeping changes for the entertainment industry. Advocates for AI technology see it as a tool that will uplift content creators and break down the barriers to entry.

“It’s going to be very soon until we can literally just type in a prompt and see something as a consumer,” said AI filmmaker Caleb Ward. “And you don’t have to have any sort of skills as a visual effects artist or as someone in the entertainment industry.”

Since the last writers’ strike in 2007, widespread consumer adoption of video streaming has exemplified how novel technologies can upheave the entertainment industry. Now, however, the leaders in the streaming space are dealing with the ballooning costs of high-output, high-quality content.

“Today, the only one we know of that is cashflow positive is Netflix,” said Dan Rayburn, a streaming media analyst. “Every other company out there is losing money—Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, losing billions and billions and billions of dollars a year.”

As streaming companies scramble to save their bottom lines, content is being removed from platforms, cutting off creators from being compensated.

“Every time a content deal is done with a streaming platform or distribution, it has a direct impact on those who created the content — distributors, producers, writers, actors — because they’re getting royalties based on that,” said Rayburn.

As the entertainment industry faces another disruptive technology in the form of AI, the Writers Guild of America is demanding that regulatory standards around the technology ensure fair labor conditions and compensation for Hollywood professionals.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) is proud to announce the appointment of seven exceptional student leaders to serve as student school board members for the upcoming academic year. These students will play advisory roles and bring the important student perspective to the SBCUSD Board of Education, ensuring that the voices and interests of their fellow 47,000 students are heard and valued.

On July 11, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. at the Dr. Margaret Hill Community Room at the Board of Education Building, these newly appointed student school Board members will be officially sworn in during a special ceremony. Seven students will officially serve as student Board members. Two have been selected as alternates and will be called up to serve if one of the seven cannot.

This event marks an exciting milestone for these outstanding students and represents Superintendent Mauricio Arellano’s commitment to fostering student engagement and leadership in San Bernardino and Highland.

“Our students have a very important voice,” Arellano said. “Our Board of Education is committed to bringing students to the table so they can help shape the future of our school district and have a say in decisions that impact them.”

The following students have been selected as the newest additions to the San Bernardino City Unified School District’s Board of Education:
• Ana-Victoria Chavez , San Bernardino High School
• Camillia El-Zatmah, San Gorgonio High School
• Antonio Hernandez Nunez, Arroyo Valley High School
• Tatiana Ochoa, Cajon High School
• Jimena Preciado, San Gorgonio High School
• Daisy Rojo, Middle College High School
• Angenette Rosenbloom, Pacific High School
• Crystal Scott, Cajon High School
• Silvana Vazquez, San Gorgonio High School

These exceptional student leaders, who will serve one-year terms, are members of the Superintendent’s Leadership Advisory Council and have demonstrated exceptional dedication, academic achievements, and strong leadership qualities throughout their educational journey. They have been actively involved in various school activities, clubs, and organizations, and have shown a genuine commitment to serving their fellow students and advocating for positive change within the District and the community. Several of the new student Board members are active with the grassroots Inland Congregations United for Change.

The student school Board members will work closely with the Board of Education, attending meetings, providing valuable input on District policies, and representing the student body. Their unique perspectives and insights will help shape decisions and initiatives that directly impact the educational experiences of their peers, said SBCUSD Trustee Mikki Cichocki, who has led the effort to bring the valuable student voice to the governing board.

“We extend our warmest congratulations to the incoming student school board members,” Cichocki said. “Their selection is a testament to their exceptional abilities and commitment to serving our school community. We look forward to seeing them evolve as leaders and witnessing the positive impact these committed students will undoubtedly make.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD), in partnership with UCR School of Medicine and Well-One Health, is pleased to announce its commitment to student well-being by providing free sports physicals as part of its back-to-school preparation. SBCUSD recognizes the importance of ensuring that every student athlete has access to sports physicals and aims to support students in their academic journey with this initiative. Families can book an appointment at https://tinyurl.com/SBFCphysicals. No insurance or legal documentation is required.

The physicals will take place on Saturday, August 5, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church located at 1407 North Arrowhead Avenue in San Bernardino. All SBCUSD middle and high school students trying out for a school sport must have a  sports physical within the last year.

(SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN) —- Imagine being handcuffed in front of your neighbors and family for stealing watches. After spending hours behind bars, you learn that the facial recognition software state police used on footage from the store identified you as the thief. But you didn’t steal anything; the software pointed cops to the wrong guy.

Unfortunately, this is not a hypothetical. This happened three years ago to Robert Williams, a Black father in suburban Detroit. Sadly Williams’ story is not a one-off. In a recent case of mistaken identity, facial recognition technology led to the wrongful arrest of a Black Georgian for purse thefts in Louisiana.

Our research supports fears that facial recognition technology (FRT) can worsen racial inequities in policing. We found that law enforcement agencies that use automated facial recognition disproportionately arrest Black people. We believe this results from factors that include the lack of Black faces in the algorithms’ training data sets, a belief that these programs are infallible and a tendency of officers’ own biases to magnify these issues.

While no amount of improvement will eliminate the possibility of racial profiling, we understand the value of automating the time-consuming, manual face-matching process.

We also recognize the technology’s potential to improve public safety. However, considering the potential harms of this technology, enforceable safeguards are needed to prevent unconstitutional overreaches.

FRT is an artificial intelligence–powered technology that tries to confirm the identity of a person from an image. The algorithms used by law enforcement are typically developed by companies like Amazon, Clearview AI and Microsoft, which build their systems for different environments. Despite massive improvements in deep-learning techniques, federal testing shows that most facial recognition algorithms perform poorly at identifying people besides white men.

Civil rights advocates warn that the technology struggles to distinguish darker faces, which will likely lead to more racial profiling and more false arrests. Further, inaccurate identification increases the likelihood of missed arrests.

Still some government leaders, including New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, tout this technology’s ability to help solve crimes. Amid the growing staffing shortages facing police nationwide, some champion FRT as a much-needed police coverage amplifier that helps agencies do more with fewer officers. Such sentiments likely explain why more than one quarter of local and state police forces and almost half of federal law enforcement agencies regularly access facial recognition systems, despite their faults.

This widespread adoption poses a grave threat to our constitutional right against unlawful searches and seizures.

Recognizing the threat to our civil liberties, cities like San Francisco and Boston banned or restricted government use of this technology. At the federal level President Biden’s administration released the “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights” in 2022. While intended to incorporate practices that protect our civil rights in the design and use of AI technologies, the blueprint’s principles are nonbinding. In addition, earlier this year congressional Democrats reintroduced the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act. This bill would pause law enforcement’s use of FRT until policy makers can create regulations and standards that balance constitutional concerns and public safety.

The proposed AI bill of rights and the moratorium are necessary first steps in protecting citizens from AI and FRT. However, both efforts fall short. The blueprint doesn’t cover law enforcement’s use of AI, and the moratorium only limits the use of automated facial recognition by federal authorities—not local and state governments.

Yet as the debate heats up over facial recognition’s role in public safety, our research and others’ show how even with mistake-free software, this technology will likely contribute to inequitable law enforcement practices unless safeguards are put in place for nonfederal use too.

First, the concentration of police resources in many Black neighborhoods already results in disproportionate contact between Black residents and officers. With this backdrop, communities served by FRT-assisted police are more vulnerable to enforcement disparities, as the trustworthiness of algorithm-aided decisions is jeopardized by the demands and time constraints of police work, combined with an almost blind faith in AI that minimizes user discretion in decision-making.

Police typically use this technology in three ways: in-field queries to identify stopped or arrested persons, searches of video footage or real-time scans of people passing surveillance cameras. The police upload an image, and in a matter of seconds the software compares the image to numerous photos to generate a lineup of potential suspects.

Enforcement decisions ultimately lie with officers. However, people often believe that AI is infallible and don’t question the results. On top of this using automated tools is much easier than making comparisons with the naked eye.

AI-powered law enforcement aids also psychologically distance police officers from citizens. This removal from the decision-making process allows officers to separate themselves from their actions. Users also sometimes selectively follow computer-generated guidance, favoring advice that matches stereotypes, including those about Black criminality.

There’s no solid evidence that FRT improves crime control. Nonetheless, officials appear willing to tolerate these racialized biases as cities struggle to curb crime. This leaves people vulnerable to encroachments on their rights.

The time for blind acceptance of this technology has passed. Software companies and law enforcement must take immediate steps towards reducing the harms of this technology.

For companies, creating reliable facial recognition software begins with balanced representation among designers. In the U.S. most software developers are white men. Research shows the software is much better at identifying members of the programmer’s race. Experts attribute such findings largely to engineers’ unconscious transmittal of “own-race bias” into algorithms. 

Own-race bias creeps in as designers unconsciously focus on facial features familiar to them. The resulting algorithm is mainly tested on people of their race. As such many U.S.-made algorithms “learn” by looking at more white faces, which fails to help them recognize people of other races.

Using diverse training sets can help reduce bias in FRT performance. Algorithms learn to compare images by training with a set of photos. Disproportionate representation of white males in training images produces skewed algorithms because Black people are overrepresented in mugshot databases and other image repositories commonly used by law enforcement. Consequently AI is more likely to mark Black faces as criminal, leading to the targeting and arresting of innocent Black people.

We believe that the companies that make these products need to take staff and image diversity into account. However, this does not remove law enforcement’s responsibility. Police forces must critically examine their methods if we want to keep this technology from worsening racial disparities and leading to rights violations.

For police leaders, uniform similarity score minimums must be applied to matches. After the facial recognition software generates a lineup of potential suspects, it ranks candidates based on how similar the algorithm believes the images are. Currently departments regularly decide their own similarity score criteria, which some experts contend raises the chances for wrongful and missed arrests.

FRT’s adoption by law enforcement is inevitable, and we see its value. But if racial disparities already exist in enforcement outcomes, this technology will likely exacerbate inequities like those seen in traffic stops and arrests without adequate regulation and transparency.

Fundamentally police officers need more training on FRT’s pitfalls, human biases and historical discrimination. Beyond guiding officers who use this technology, police and prosecutors should also disclose that they used automated facial recognition when seeking a warrant.

Although FRT isn’t foolproof, following these guidelines will help defend against uses that drive unnecessary arrests.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- San Bernardino County has received $8 million through five lawmaker requests that were included in the recently passed 2023-24 state budget. This funding will help refurbish two behavioral health treatment centers in Fontana and Victorville and purchase two new mobile health clinics in Needles and Havasu Lake.

“This significant funding will help the County complete several important projects that address critical needs for our residents,” said Supervisor Dawn Rowe, Chair of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. “We are very grateful to our state lawmakers for supporting us. This influx of funding will help us substantially improve our public health, behavioral health, and other key County services.”

Many Californians continue to struggle with mental health challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For serious cases, such as for psychosis or self-endangerment, the County relies on crisis residential treatment facilities to provide critical mental health services. Assemblymember Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-San Bernardino) and State Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) each requested $2 million to refurbish important County crisis residential treatment centers in their districts, one in Fontana and the other in Victorville, respectively. This funding will install new commercial-grade appliances that can handle heavy use, purchase more durable cabinets and furniture, install small storage units for residents, and make overall improvements to the facility. This investment will enhance the durability and longevity of these facilities, enabling the County to continue to deliver high-quality, effective mental health services.

Health services in the isolated rural communities of Needles and Havasu Lake, located along the far eastern border of California, are often limited by great distances and lack of trained staff. State Sen. Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) championed a request for $1.5 million for the County to buy and outfit two mobile health clinics to permanently operate in these two small communities. These mobile health clinics would feature examination rooms, essential medical equipment, and a small educational space to assist a wide variety of residents with their medical needs. This funding will greatly improve regular access to quality health care in the region.

With help from two other local state lawmakers the County also secured funding to bolster future emergency response efforts. State Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Redlands) championed a budget request for $1.5 million for the communities of Forest Falls and Angelus Oaks while Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) obtained $1 million for equipment in Crestline. With this state funding, the County plans to purchase versatile front loaders that can clear debris during wildfires, landslides, floods, and avalanches, and remove snow. The County also plans to purchase additional “snow cats” – small, nimble tracked vehicles designed for travel over snow.  This new equipment will allow disaster response personnel to rapidly address emergencies in these key mountain areas.

“It is important not to wait until the last minute,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president of LaSalle Medical Associates. “As we get closer to August, more schools will be opening for a new year, and we will become even busier.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— Schools start their fall terms soon and that means it’s time to get your children’s annual checkup and vaccinations. From Covid to measles, it takes a concerted effort to prevent outbreaks and parents who care for their children and other people’s children need to make sure their kids’ vaccinations are up to date.

Some social media posts have claimed that vaccines can cause autism spectrum disorder. This is false. Studies either done by or funded by the Centers for Disease Control have found “…no link between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and ASD [Autism Spectrum Disorder] in children.”

The CDC goes on to say, “The COVID-19 vaccines for children have the same active ingredients as the vaccines given to adults. However, children receive a smaller and more age-appropriate dose that is right for them. The smaller doses were rigorously tested and found to create the needed immune response for each age group. Making it important for your child to get the vaccine made for their age group.”

Whether your child is starting kindergarten or is a senior in high school, visiting the pediatrician for immunizations should be an important part of back-to-school preparations. Many schools start in August, so it’s not too soon to make that appointment.

“It is important not to wait until the last minute,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga., president of LaSalle Medical Associates. “As we get closer to August, more schools will be opening for a new year, and we will become even busier.”

There are four vaccinations all kindergarteners must have before entering school for the first time, said Dr. Cheryl Emoto, medical director for LaSalle Medical Associates. And, as they grow older, children need additional immunizations.

“Children entering kindergarten should receive boosters for Tdap (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), polio, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and Varicella (chicken pox),” she said.

If parents have kept up with their child’s immunizations from birth, only booster immunizations for the above diseases are needed. However, they should have also received vaccinations for these and several other diseases prior to age 2, and as kindergarteners may need several doses of immunizations if not “caught up.”

When children turn 11, they can and should receive the meningitis vaccine for the first time, Dr. Emoto said. The Centers for Disease Control also recommends children this age receive another Tdap (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) booster, she noted.

Parents can schedule these vaccines shortly after the child’s 11^th birthday, but they can also be part of a back-to-school immunization routine for any student, even those over 18.

“Children older than 11 who have not received these vaccines should also come in to get them,” Dr. Emoto said. “And if you have a teenager who is enrolling in college, planning to live in a dormitory, and hasn’t been vaccinated for meningitis, Covid and other communicable diseases, they should be vaccinated now.”

Girls aged 9 and older, and young women up to age 26 who have not had a sexual encounter, can receive the vaccine against the human papilloma (HPV) virus. While giving this vaccine to girls in elementary school is not without controversy, many doctors, including those at LaSalle Medical Associates, are highly in favor.

“The HPV virus is the main cause of cervical cancer,” Emoto explained. “It is important that a girl receive three doses, which are given over a six-month period, before her first sexual encounter in order for the vaccine to be fully effective.”

One vaccination not available during the back-to-school season is the flu shot. Flu shots are given in the fall when the vaccine becomes available from manufacturers. The CDC also points out, “Hundreds of millions of Americans have safely received flu vaccines over the past 50 years, and there has been extensive research supporting the safety of flu vaccines.”

“We depend on when the vaccine is shipped,” Emoto said. “We may have flu vaccines in September this year, but in past years it wasn’t until October that we received the vaccine. Once we receive it, we encourage all children six months to 18 years to receive an annual flu vaccine.”

Children younger than 8 who are being immunized against flu for the first time receive a two-part vaccine, she said. The second dose is given four to six weeks after the first.

“Healthy children 2 years of age and older have the option of receiving the vaccination as a nasal spray instead of as an injection, Emoto said. The nasal spray is just as effective.”

LaSalle serves people covered by Medi-Cal, Medicare and Covered California. LaSalle staff have been trained to help people who come into a clinic without any insurance to get signed up for whatever coverage they qualify for.

LaSalle also accepts patients covered by Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP). LaSalle cares and it shows.

For clinic locations and more information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 890-0407 or go online to LaSalleMedical.com.

For additional information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 890-0407 or go online to lasallemedicalassociates.com.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- Summertime means sunny days and extra play time outdoors. The season also presents certain Summertime means sunny days and extra play time outdoors. The season also presents certain dangers to our most vulnerable age group – infants and toddlers. First 5 San Bernardino recognizes these potential hazards and is here as a resource to help stop dangerous situations before they even begin. Hot temperatures can burn, dehydrate and even be fatal. It is our job as parents and caretakers to be equipped with the knowledge to prevent a potentially dangerous situation while also recognizing the signs of heatstroke, dehydration, and sunburn.

“While summer is a time for fun and quality time for families, it is also easy to forget that the heat can affect our little ones faster and more intensely than it does us,” said First 5 San Bernardino Executive Director Karen Scott. “Knowing the signs of overheating and dehydrating, and understanding how to prevent them, can help avoid a dangerous medical situation.”

As part of the Kids Safe Summer campaign, First 5 San Bernardino has launched an informational Sun Safety web page to help parents and caretakers better understand how to prevent a potentially dangerous situation, while also recognizing the signs of heatstroke, dehydration and sunburn.

Most importantly, never leave a child in a car unattended, as cars can heat up to deadly temperatures as quickly as 10 minutes. While most people know to never leave their child in a car, most instances of children dying from heatstroke are because someone accidentally forgot to check the back seat. A great way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to set a reminder to always check the back seat, such as leaving a stuffed animal in your front seat while the child is in the car, then moving it to the back seat when they are out.

Heatstroke and heat exhaustion are more likely to occur in babies because their bodies are not yet fully developed. As a result, babies experience overheating three to five times faster than adults. Recognize the effects of extreme heat by being an active supervisor during play time outside.

Preventing skin damage begins with the understanding that young skin must be adequately covered. Protection can be sunscreen, loose-fitting clothing and/or providing shaded areas for children. For infants under six months old, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends they are kept out of the sun entirely.

Children can become dehydrated in as little as 30 minutes of play in the hot weather. Know the signs. Actively look for dry mouth, sunken eyes, decreased urine output, irritability, lethargy, and a lack of tears when crying.

For more information and resources on sun safety, visit First 5 San Bernardino on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @first5sanbernardino or on the website at first5sanbernardino.org. We hope you have a Kid Safe Summer!