Emergency Plan

The most helpful parental responses to a school emergency are to remain calm and wait for accurate information to be sent by phone, text or email through the Option C parent alert system. We understand it is a natural instinct for parents to want to rush to their children. It is important for you to understand that, during such an event, Sacred Heart School and emergency responders from Zone 4 have made preparations to deal with these incidents. Your cooperation in an emergency is essential to the safe and swift resolution of the incident.

Please do not call the school. It is essential to keep phone lines open so school officials can make outgoing emergency calls. If students are ill or injured, the parents of those students will be notified first.

Please do not go to the school. Past school emergencies have shown that one of our greatest challenges is how to manage the number of parents and concerned citizens rushing to the scene to "help." By doing so, parents can inadvertently create traffic jams that may block emergency responders from getting to the scene or leaving if necessary to transport injured students or staff to emergency medical facilities.

Parents should:

• Remain calm, follow procedures, and cooperate with school and public safety officials,
• Remain close to the phone listed as your emergency contact number. Communication will be updated as the incident unfolds.
• Tune in to KDKA, WPXI, WTAE television and radio stations for emergency information.
• Understand that emergency pickup procedures are different than routine pickup procedures. In the event you are notified to pick up your children at school or at a designated family reunification site, bring your photo ID. If you must send someone else to pick up your child, be sure it is someone who is listed on Family Data Sheet as an authorized individual and that they are in possession of their photo ID. Your children will not be released to anyone who is unauthorized or who cannot provide appropriate identification.
• Follow emergency procedures. If you are asked to pick up your children, you should follow the checkout procedure established for emergencies. The following reunification plan was developed to ensure the safety Of students and it is vital that the procedure be followed.
  • Several reunification sites have been planned and depending on the nature of the emergency. You will be informed as to where to pick up your children.
  • Be patient. It is essential that the family reunification procedure be carried out in an orderly manner so we can protect and account for all of our students.
  • Follow the directives of the emergency responders at the reunification site.

Recovery After a Crisis

The school officials understand that a traumatic event in a school or in the community can have an emotional impact on students and staff. A trained team of counselors, social workers, and psychologists will respond to the school during and after a critical incident to provide assistance. The intervention team helps those affected cope with the aftermath of the incident.

For Additional Information

• For information about the Safety & Crisis Plan for Sacred Heart School, contact the school administrator.
• Sacred Heart "Visitor Policy" 

An excellent website on emergency readiness is www.ready.gov.