San Antonio volunteer stresses importance of safety after tragic parking incident

SAN ANTONIO – Frank Trevino is a parks manager in San Antonio.

“I volunteer for the city of San Antonio,” says Trevino.

He is one of the volunteers who travel around and help law enforcement ensure safety in the parks.

“We ride the trails with the park police and the trail stewards,” Trevino said. “So we have a whole bunch of people out there trying to keep things safe. There are some situations that arise and that's very unfortunate, very unfortunate.”

One of those unfortunate situations occurred on Monday when 63-year-old mother Stacey Dramiga was found dead in DeFoste Park on the east side.

In a statement Wednesday, San Antonio Park Police said the trails are monitored by ATV and bicycle patrols 16 hours a day.

But “currently, officers are responsible for patrolling approximately 100 miles of the designated trail,” they wrote.

This makes it difficult for them to be everywhere, all the time.

Folders like Trevino help – but personal safety measures are still strongly recommended.

“So they're safe. They're very safe. There are a lot of people using these trails,” Trevino said. “It's safe to be alone. But you have to take precautions at all times.”

The Park Police have provided this list of precautions you can take to ensure your safety along the trail.

Tips for safety on hiking trails

Below are the recommended tips that users should follow when using the Howard Peak Trail System or other trails in COSA Park:

Please follow trail curfew regulations. These are for safety reasons as lighting is restricted after sunset (trails are officially closed from sunset to sunrise).

Do not stray from the marked paved paths as there are many inaccessible areas that may pose a safety risk to users if they become lost or require emergency services. (Regulation 22-26.1)

Before you hike or bike, familiarize yourself with the map and trail markers. They will indicate your location to emergency responders while on the paved portion of the trail system. Trail markers will have “911 Locator” written in red at the top followed by the mileage, for example, “*SNC 3.0” for “Salado North Central, 3.0 miles.”

Let someone know your estimated time of arrival and return from your trip to a trail system, including the trailhead you plan to start from. That way, someone will be aware if you do not return by a certain time.

Pay close attention to the situation (this can be affected by wearing noise-cancelling headphones or playing loud music on the trail. If you use earbuds, use only one.)

Many mobile phones and watches now have safety features that connect to emergency services and location services in the event of an emergency or a fall. Familiarize yourself with these features.

It is advisable to travel in pairs or groups (create or join a walking, jogging or cycling group). This will allow you to enjoy the walks more by being aware of the situation. We strongly advise against traveling alone.

Start your hike at least half an hour after sunrise and end it half an hour before sunset so you have better visibility while using the trail.

Bring enough water for the entire time you are on the trail (about half a liter per hour on the trail). Plan to bring more water if temperatures rise above 32°C.

Be sure to carry necessary safety items such as a phone, medication, inhalers, sunscreen, first aid kit, hiking map (printed or electronic) and whistle.

As always, if you see something, say so. Be a good witness and if you are unsure of where you are, use landmarks you can see that will help emergency responders locate you (bridges, towers, signposts, etc.).

The telephone numbers are 210-207-7273 (non-emergency)

911 for any emergency.”