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CNN Live Today

Interview With Roseanne Seymour

Aired October 24, 2003 - 11:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go back to southern California and the wildfires there. These live pictures coming in from KTLA. A number of evacuation taking place. The Santa Anna winds fueling the fires, as well, making the job very difficult for fire fighters.
And on the subject of evacuations, not just homes but schools as well. We have on the phone with us right now Roseanne Seymour. She's a teacher at a school in Fontana, California. And, Roseanne, I understand you're helping to evacuate some of the children?

ROSEANNE SEYMOUR, TEACHER: Yes, I'm a teacher here. The whole Fontana school district is being evacuated. We are in the cafeteria hoping to get everyone's parents so we can get them home and safe.

KAGAN: Tell us what school you work for.

SEYMOUR: I work for Mango Elementary School.

KAGAN: Is that K through sixth?

SEYMOUR: Yes.

KAGAN: How many kids actually came to school today?

SEYMOUR: I'm not sure. Out of my class I only had five kids show up.

KAGAN: A lot of parents kept their kids home or left the area I would imagine.

SEYMOUR: Yes, most of them we got in time before the school opened. Our school is not run by buses, it's mainly parents driving or walking to school. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) most of them to stay with their parents (UNINTELLIGIBLE) were able to get home unless they got dropped off for breakfast at 7:20.

KAGAN: Meanwhile you have some kids there.

SEYMOUR: Yes.

KAGAN: Everyone is in the cafeteria.

SEYMOUR: Yes.

KAGAN: And now what do you do?

SEYMOUR: Now we are contacting parents, babysitters, trying to get them home. We have maybe about 50 students left right now, out of 800, that is great. So, we're getting there.

KAGAN: Good. You're making some progress there. The mood of the students? Are they concerned?

SEYMOUR: They have been concerned all week because they have been smelling the smoke and ashes have been on cars when they wake up in the morning. However they're still in a pretty happy mood, glowing mood because they know they're not in trouble. Their houses are not in trouble.

KAGAN: Everyone is doing OK so far. Roseanne, And what grade do you teach?

SEYMOUR: I teach second grade.

KAGAN: How do you talk to second graders about something as scary like this?

SEYMOUR: Oh, my goodness, it's very hard. You have to be on the positive side, and just make -- let them know we will do whatever we can to make them safe. Then they get through it. As long as they know you are there to protect them, they're happy, they're fine.

KAGAN: What about where your school is, how close would you say you are to any flames at this point?

SEYMOUR: We're pretty far distance. We're -- I'm bad with estimations. But we are about a good ways.

KAGAN: OK.

SEYMOUR: A few miles away.

KAGAN: OK. It's a matter of concerning time for the community. Better the kids are home with the families and especially if those families need to move on out to protect their homes.

SEYMOUR: Exactly. And the homes down here in Fontana are not really concerned about them. They're more concerned about the smoke, all the smoke in the area.

KAGAN: Absolutely. You have important work to do today. That's getting your students reunited with families. We'll let you go. Appreciate your time. Roseanne Seymour, a teacher in Fontana trying to reunite students with their families.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 24, 2003 - 11:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go back to southern California and the wildfires there. These live pictures coming in from KTLA. A number of evacuation taking place. The Santa Anna winds fueling the fires, as well, making the job very difficult for fire fighters.
And on the subject of evacuations, not just homes but schools as well. We have on the phone with us right now Roseanne Seymour. She's a teacher at a school in Fontana, California. And, Roseanne, I understand you're helping to evacuate some of the children?

ROSEANNE SEYMOUR, TEACHER: Yes, I'm a teacher here. The whole Fontana school district is being evacuated. We are in the cafeteria hoping to get everyone's parents so we can get them home and safe.

KAGAN: Tell us what school you work for.

SEYMOUR: I work for Mango Elementary School.

KAGAN: Is that K through sixth?

SEYMOUR: Yes.

KAGAN: How many kids actually came to school today?

SEYMOUR: I'm not sure. Out of my class I only had five kids show up.

KAGAN: A lot of parents kept their kids home or left the area I would imagine.

SEYMOUR: Yes, most of them we got in time before the school opened. Our school is not run by buses, it's mainly parents driving or walking to school. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) most of them to stay with their parents (UNINTELLIGIBLE) were able to get home unless they got dropped off for breakfast at 7:20.

KAGAN: Meanwhile you have some kids there.

SEYMOUR: Yes.

KAGAN: Everyone is in the cafeteria.

SEYMOUR: Yes.

KAGAN: And now what do you do?

SEYMOUR: Now we are contacting parents, babysitters, trying to get them home. We have maybe about 50 students left right now, out of 800, that is great. So, we're getting there.

KAGAN: Good. You're making some progress there. The mood of the students? Are they concerned?

SEYMOUR: They have been concerned all week because they have been smelling the smoke and ashes have been on cars when they wake up in the morning. However they're still in a pretty happy mood, glowing mood because they know they're not in trouble. Their houses are not in trouble.

KAGAN: Everyone is doing OK so far. Roseanne, And what grade do you teach?

SEYMOUR: I teach second grade.

KAGAN: How do you talk to second graders about something as scary like this?

SEYMOUR: Oh, my goodness, it's very hard. You have to be on the positive side, and just make -- let them know we will do whatever we can to make them safe. Then they get through it. As long as they know you are there to protect them, they're happy, they're fine.

KAGAN: What about where your school is, how close would you say you are to any flames at this point?

SEYMOUR: We're pretty far distance. We're -- I'm bad with estimations. But we are about a good ways.

KAGAN: OK.

SEYMOUR: A few miles away.

KAGAN: OK. It's a matter of concerning time for the community. Better the kids are home with the families and especially if those families need to move on out to protect their homes.

SEYMOUR: Exactly. And the homes down here in Fontana are not really concerned about them. They're more concerned about the smoke, all the smoke in the area.

KAGAN: Absolutely. You have important work to do today. That's getting your students reunited with families. We'll let you go. Appreciate your time. Roseanne Seymour, a teacher in Fontana trying to reunite students with their families.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com