September is National Preparedness Month….ARE YOU READY?
The Ready Campaign’s websites (ready.gov and listo.gov)
and toll-free numbers (1-800-BE-READY and 1-888-SE-LISTO) provide free
emergency preparedness information and resources available in English
and Spanish.
Earthquake Preparedness
Please download and print this Red Cross Earthquake Safety Checklist. An additional resource is this Earthquake Safety Guide.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE LETTER AND GUIDELINES
Contains important information on what you and your children should do in a school emergency. Please click here to download and print. Or read below.
Emergency Response Booklet
Family Emergency Response Booklet is for you to download and keep as a resource.
Emergency Response and Guidelines
To keep the public updated and informed, Pittsfield Public Schools would like to make families aware that,
should an emergency or disaster situation ever arise in our area while
school is in session, the Pittsfield Public Schools have made
preparations to respond effectively. The safety of our families' children, our staff, and our schools will always be our highest
priority. All of the plans we have made address, in a prudent manner, how to respond to
various situations and provide direction and guidelines to schools about how to implement instructions they receive during an
emergency, from not only the school system but also appropriate local, state, and
federal agencies.
In the event of an emergency situation at your school, in Pittsfield, and/or in one of the areas adjacent to it, local and
state agencies will provide direction and consultation to the school
system. During any emergency, each school's Incident Commander will
direct the school building in the implementation of one of the following
procedures:
- Lockdown: This response secures all students and adults in the
school building and requires the locking of all doors and windows.
- Shelter-in-Place: This response secures all students and adults in
the school building and requires the locking of all doors and windows also, but students and
staff can move in and out of rooms as necessary (use restroom, visit
nurse, get supplies, etc.). In this type of response, students and staff may be moved to a central location in the building for a weather emergency.
- Evacuation: The Pittsfield Public Schools has a detailed evacuation
plan for every school in the event that it is necessary to move children from the school building. Students will be relocated to a safe
and secure location. In the event that students need to be relocated off school property, each school site has an off-site relocation.
Parents will be notified of each school’s reunification site. The reunification site is the only location from
which parents will be able to pick up their children.
Please keep in mind that no student is released to any
individual who is not specifically listed on the student’s emergency
form, including an older sibling. All adults must show photo I.D. when
picking up a student. Please remember to update students' schools if there are changes in students' emergency contact information.
Families' cooperation is necessary in any emergency. We ask that families follow the following guidelines:
- Give the most accurate, up-to-date health and emergency information to your children's school office(s) immediately.
- Do not telephone the school. Telephone lines may be needed for emergency communication.
- Do not go to your children's school(s). Emergency Services vehicles and
personnel may need access to the school’s campus. You will be notified
where and when to pick up your children, as soon as possible.
- Turn to local radio (89.7FM, 100.1FM, 1420 AM, 1340 AM) and
television stations (PCTV Channels) and/or the Pittsfield Public Schools
website (www.pittsfield.net)—or any other local television or radio
station. When we are able, we will issue a ConnectEd call to keep you informed, as well.
- Impress upon your children the need for them to follow the directions of all school personnel in times of an emergency.
Parents and guardians should become familiar with the Pittsfield Public Schools Emergency Management Plan. We ask that families be patient and understanding with the
student release process. Parents should discuss these matters with their immediate
family. Planning ahead will help alleviate concern during
emergencies.
If you would like further information on Pittsfield
Public Schools’ Emergency Management Plan, “Family Emergency Response Booklets” are available to you. To obtain a copy, click on the link above on this page, or contact the school.
Once again, we want to assure the public that, in cooperation with local
agencies, we are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of
students, staff, and community. Certainly in times like these we must all work
together and depend upon one another in order to keep everyone out of harm's way.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Printable copy to download and keep (English and Español)
1. How will I be notified about emergency situations, procedures, and directives? The
District has the responsibility to notify parents about emergency
situations at your child’s school as soon as it is practicable. The
following methods of communication have been established and may be used
to notify parents about emergency situations:
- Parent Information Centers (your school's reunification site)
- Local radio stations, local
cable TV and PCTV channels, and the district website at www.pittsfield.net may be used to
communicate accurate information—or any other local television or radio station, and/or…
- Parent letters and memos may be sent home with students to provide information
about an emergency event, services available during off-school hours,
and directions about the next day
2. May my child use a cell phone to contact me in an emergency situation? We require that all student cell phones be turned off/not used
during emergency situations. This is especially important during
lockdowns, lockouts, bomb threats, building evacuations, and emergency
sheltering situations.
3. Why might students be evacuated from schools? Evacuation
is the emergency response procedure used to ensure the safety of
students when the building has been threatened (bomb threat) or
compromised, or when critical systems have been damaged or present an
immediate danger. This includes fire, toxic spills, flood,
natural disasters, and potential acts of terrorism. The purpose of the
evacuation is to first immediately remove students and staff from harm's way, then to reunite students with parents in the most
effective way possible.
4. Why can’t I go to the school and pick up my child? In
the event of an emergency situation while your child is in school, your
child is the responsibility of the school. School and emergency
personnel will be working together to ensure the safety of students and school
personnel. Your presence would not allow emergency responders and
school personnel to do what is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and
staff. Further, interference with personnel or procedures during an emergency
response will result in legal consequences.
Reunification Sites 2015-2016
Parents and guardians will reunite with students following a school evacuation at the following locations. (All locations are in Pittsfield.)
SCHOOL |
REUNIFICATION SITE |
Adult Learning Center |
Crowne Plaza Hotel
1 West Street |
Allendale Elementary School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
Somerset Avenue |
Capeless Elementary School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
Pecks Road |
Conte Community School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
West Housatonic Street |
Crosby Elementary School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
West Housatonic Street |
Egremont Elementary School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
8 Holmes Road |
Morningside Community School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
Pecks Road |
Stearns Elementary School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
West Housatonic Street |
Williams Elementary School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
8 Holmes Road |
Herberg Middle School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
8 Holmes Road |
Reid Middle School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
Pecks Road |
Pittsfield High School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
8 Holmes Road |
Taconic High School |
Pittsfield Fire Department
West Housatonic Street |