San Bruno school tear gas incident raises concern for safety protocol

The site has held similar training sessions for more than 20 years, according to the Sheriff’s Office. This was the first time an incident like this has occurred.  

In a community report provided to the school 10 days after the incident, the Sheriff’s Office said windy conditions and clear skies were identified as a possible cause for how the chemical traveled to the elementary campus.   

“Usually conditions are less windy and foggy, so the water droplets from the fog weigh down the CS gas, which could explain why this exposure was an unprecedented event,” the report said.

The update summarized concerns raised by parents in attendance at a community meeting May 28. Recommendations from the community included hosting training on days when children were not in school and to use the notification system to inform locals when training occurs. 

Many parents also shared their children experience symptoms consistent with what the Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health consider symptoms related to CS gas exposure. 

The CDC says potential symptoms include burning sensations in the eyes, nose and throat, chest tightness, nausea, as well as skin rashes. 

Matthew Duffy, superintendent of San Bruno Park School District, said he would put together a survey and send out to parents to gather symptom information and timelines to get a better understanding of where the agent was experienced and its aftereffects. 

The canisters of tear gas used in a training exercise at a San Bruno Jail property that sickened nearby children on May 21 were “old,” according to the report. 

“We are reviewing the training plan submitted and will receive a completed Training Activity Report from the training participants next week,” it said. 

The Sheriff’s Office has halted all chemical training exercises while it reviews best practices. 

“We want to assure San Bruno residents that we are committed to thoroughly reviewing our training protocols to prevent any future incidents that could compromise the well-being of our community members, especially our children,” the report said. 

San Mateo County Health and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District are conducting investigations into the incident.

“While there are no indications of any lingering environmental hazards at the site or in the surrounding area, the investigation will determine if all reporting requirements to the appropriate agencies were followed subsequent to the incident and whether appropriate contingency plans were in place to mitigate any release,” County Health spokesperson Preston Merchant said in a statement. 

According to the report, Duffy said he would be applying pressure on Sheriff’s Office to cease training sessions at the San Bruno Jail site permanently. 

The Sheriff’s Office asks anyone who experienced symptoms of exposure in the community surrounding the elementary school to contact sfso.sbincidentmay21@sfgov.org to get a full picture of impact.