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Dangers of artificial turf fields at SV schools

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Sonoma Valley Sun
The artificial turf fields at Adelle Harrison Middle School and Altimira Middle School (currently under construction) present a serious wildfire danger to our children, neighbors, and community.  Should the cork and plastic ignite, the plastic will produce thick toxic smoke presenting a lethal danger to people and and animals in the areas surrounding these schools.  I am not aware that there is any fire control system for either of these fields.  Each should have fire control systems installed as soon as possible.  We are already well into wildfire season, and it’s going to get worse.
Sonoma Valley High School is designated as an evacuation center during wildfires.  Until a fire control system is installed, the high school should not be considered a safe wildfire evacuation center, as it would be overwhelmed by toxic smoke from the Adelle Harrison field in a wind blowing to the northwest/west from Adelle’s field.  Specialized breathing apparatus other than an 95 mask would be needed to survive should the area be overwhelmed by the toxic smoke.
The fires should never have a chance to start.  Should this happen, precious firefighting resources would have to be diverted from protecting the city perimeters to dealing with a hazmat fire in the center of our community.
I trust that the school board will resolve this safety issue quickly and there will be no need for a formal complaint.
— Stewart Saunders, Sonoma


One thought on “Dangers of artificial turf fields at SV schools

  1. This is ridiculous. It’s fake grass, It’s short, it’s flat and a fire would be minimal. Like stomp it out. Look at the smoke from a car fire, a house fire, or even a dumpster fire, ALL have toxic smoke. We need to ban homes, cars, trash receptacles and all other material that could burn from or near schools.

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