Marin County Family Behind Gate Safety Reforms Launches National School Safety Campaign

MARIN COUNTY, CA — The Marin County family whose advocacy helped strengthen national gate safety standards has launched a new campaign encouraging schools across the country to conduct regular, comprehensive safety assessments.

Ready, Set, Safe!, founded by Dayna and Eric Quanbeck, unveiled its "Every School Assessed" campaign Monday along with a free online toolkit designed to help parents and school leaders identify potential safety hazards before children are injured.

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The campaign builds on the family's yearslong advocacy following the 2019 death of their 7-year-old son, Alex, who was killed when a heavy school gate collapsed on him during recess at a Marin County school. Their work recently helped lead to new gate safety requirements that will be incorporated into the 2027 International Building Code.

Rather than focusing on a single hazard, the new initiative encourages schools to regularly assess campuses for a wide range of safety risks.

"Our work to improve gate safety continues, but we've learned that gates are only one example of the hidden hazards that can exist where children learn and play," said Eric Quanbeck. "Regular, comprehensive school safety assessments help identify risks before someone gets hurt. That's the kind of prevention every child deserves."

According to Ready, Set, Safe!, more than 55 million children attend nearly 130,000 K-12 schools nationwide, yet there is no consistent national expectation that schools conduct comprehensive safety assessments or track student injuries. The organization cited research from the American Academy of Pediatrics, estimating that 10 to 25 percent of childhood injuries occur at school.

The campaign's toolkit includes frequently asked questions, a customizable letter for school administrators, a campus walk-through checklist and guidance for parents on discussing school safety with educators.

"Every day, millions of parents trust that schools are doing everything possible to keep children safe," Executive Director Samantha Lasky said. "Our goal is to make comprehensive school safety assessments the expectation — not the exception."

The toolkit is available at Ready, Set, Safe!'s website.