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Last Thursday, the Bay Area Network hosted a tour of special districts for local legislative staff. Although, CSDA has organized tours for Capitol staff and Legislative staff in other parts of the state, this is the first time a tour has been hosted for Bay Area District staff members. In attendance were staff from the offices of Senator Beall, Senator Hill, Senator Wieckowski, Assemblymember Berman, Assemblymember Chu and Assemblymember Berman. The tour was designed as an opportunity to grow relationships between state and special district representatives, to better serve our shared constituents. Attendees learned how special districts operate, essential services they provide and how they maintain their infrastructure.

The special districts who hosted legislative staff at their facilities, each of whom went above and beyond their hosting duties, include, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Saratoga Fire Protection District and El Camino Healthcare District. Board Members and personnel from each of these districts spent time organizing speakers, hands on activities and educational material to be presented to attendees and we cannot thank them enough for all their hard work and dedication. We also learned from these districts about the innovations, collaborations and commitment they have to provide the best level of service to their residents and the community-at-large.

Here are just of few of the many highlights:

The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority was the first location on our tour and we stopped at the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve, where we could do a little hiking while we learned about preservation efforts.

Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Executive Director Andrea Mackenzie and External Affairs Manager Marc Landgraf explained to us about the many benefits open space infrastructure provides to a community, as well as the many collaborations that make open space possible.

At the second stop on our tour, the Saratoga Fire Protection District hosts talked about their efforts at fire prevention through their partnership with the Fire Safe Council. Fire fighters were also on hand to provide a tour of the station and demonstration techniques for their equipment. In the picture below, staff were shown how to quickly put on and take off a fire suit.

In the photo below, attendees were shown the devices used by hazmat teams to monitor different types of gases. Special thanks go to Board President Joseph Long and Business Manager Trina Whitley for putting together a wonderful tour and presentation.

Our third and final stop on the tour was the El Camino Healthcare District. Brenda Taussig, Director of Government and Community Affairs, guided an educational briefing on the many district programs and partnerships, including a unique collaboration that led to Pulse Point, an app that allows trained individuals to save lives in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. Here, an instructor is demonstrating how to use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) on someone who is in sudden cardiac arrest.

Legislative staff also got to tour parts of the El Camino Hospital and see firsthand some of the new technology that allows doctors and nurses to administer patient care more effectively and efficiently.

Thank you once again to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Saratoga Fire Protection District and the El Camino Healthcare District for all of your work in providing such a fun, interactive and education opportunity for legislative district staff. I don’t think it was an experience any of us will soon forget!

Feel free to contact me with any questions at colleenh@csda.net or 530-902-3932.

The “View from the Road” is a weekly blog post from CSDA’s Public Affairs Field Coordinators. The posts will rotate among the four Field Coordinators each week.