MERCED – On September 27, 2023, BJ Jones, president, and Jose Sanabria, vice president (OSFM) of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Services Association (FMESA) attended an inaugural safety conference at UC Merced, a conference designed to bring together the community and public safety partners in an effort to improve campus safety and build a culture of preparedness.

The Safety Conference hosted subject matter experts in their field to address current topics and practical solutions such as reporting concerning behavior, threat assessment, emergency management, artificial intelligence, amber alerts, event planning, human trafficking and active shooter trends.

FMESA was proud to be a co-sponsor of the event and had items available for those who strolled through the exhibit hall.  In addition to staffing FMESA’s table at the exhibit hall, Jones also represented Cal OES Law Enforcement and attended various presentations throughout the day.

“It is important for us to be supportive of our communities as we all focus on public safety and emergency preparedness,” said Jones.  “Knowledge, knowing when to act on that knowledge, and being ready to handle what may unfold unexpectedly in front of us, can absolutely be lifesaving.  We are happy to have attended, co-sponsored, and thank UC Merced for hosting this community event.”