LAS VEGAS (FOX5) —Valley crossing guards are speaking out about the dangers they face protecting children in school zones after one of their colleagues was struck by a car in a hit-and-run incident last week.
All crossing guards interviewed said they have nearly been hit by cars while on duty. The guards, who work for All City Management Services, discussed their experiences during a recent interview. A supervisor talked about how crossing guards step into the street first to hold kids on the curb to make sure it’s safe to cross.
“If a car is coming, unfortunately, it’s going to be us, it’s not going to be them,” said Heather Topping, a crossing guard supervisor. “And this is why we do that hold, to make sure that the cross is secured, people are stopped, we’re seen, and that’s why we step out first.”
Training focuses on protecting children first
Topping, who has also worked as a crossing guard, explained the “second hold” technique used in training, where guards tell children to wait before crossing and ensure no one follows them off the curb immediately.
“Kids are like little ducklings, and they want to follow you right off the curb,” Topping said. “So, we do a second hold to make sure that nobody’s following.”
The crossing guards include retirees like Rosalind Collins, Regina Diamante and Kent Whipple. Whipple, a team leader, saw an advertisement for crossing guards on the news and decided to check it out.
“Next thing I knew I was on a corner working as a crossing guard,” Whipple said.
Common violations in school zones
The guards identified several problems they encounter regularly, including drivers parking on crosswalks.
“They park on our crosswalk. On the crosswalk,” said Heather Topping said. “The law is 20 feet.”
Crossing guard Rosalind Collins witnessed a fatal incident in a school zone before becoming a crossing guard, where a driver hit three children and killed one.
“So, I guess one car that must have not been familiar was in a hurry and he went around all the other cars, hit three children, killing the first child,” Collins said. “That was heartbreaking and devastating, and I’m right there.”
Crossing guards also say too many drivers make “U” turns in school zones, stop in the middle of the street to drop off kids and also drive in the bike lane, which means bikes, ebikes and escooters have no place to go.
“Here’s kids trying to cross in the middle of traffic,” said crossing guard Regina Diamante.
Guards hope drivers think about all the above and refrain from doing any of those things.
They also say kids need to get off their bikes and scooters before crossing the street in a crosswalk and say they need to slow down. They also say many students are not wearing helmets and see kids wearing headphones while on these e-devices.
Hiring process addresses job dangers
Sergio Mayoral, a manager with All City Management Services, said the company screens potential guards about their comfort level with the job’s risks.
“One of the things we ask them during the interview process is if they’re afraid of cars,” Mayoral said. “Because if you’re afraid of cars, that’s a lot of times a disqualifier.”
Mayoral said candidates must meet two criteria: “You’ve got to like kids, and you’ve got to love to make sure you take care of kids.”
Support for injured colleague
The crossing guard who was struck last week suffered leg injuries and was released from the hospital the same day. His colleagues expressed support for his recovery.
“My heart goes out to him and speedy recovery,” said crossing guard Regina Diamante.
“The first thing he said was, I’m glad it was me, not those kids,” Mayoral said. “This gentleman was more about taking care of these kids. And I guarantee you, he didn’t think twice about it.”
The injured crossing guard plans to return to work once he recovers. Police have not located the driver, but witnesses provided a license plate number.
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