Parents urge clearer emergency communications after elementary boiler-room fire
Summary
A parent-led East Haven School Safety Coalition asked the district for clearer, timely instructions for guardians after a recent boiler-room fire and an ensuing independent parent investigation. They requested a meeting with the superintendent's office to co-develop an emergency communications guide.
Danielle Blackstone, a parent and representative of a newly formed East Haven School Safety Coalition, told the Board of Education the group is seeking clearer, more timely communication to parents following a boiler-room fire at a district elementary school on Jan. 15.
Blackstone said the coalition has attempted to contact the superintendents office and that some parentswritten concerns have gone unanswered. She described the catalyst for the groups formation as the Jan. 15 boiler-room fire at Momoguan School and an independent investigation conducted by concerned parents.
The coalition asked the district to provide a parent-facing emergency response guide outlining who parents should contact, what to expect during an incident, and clear instructions on what guardians should and should not attempt during school emergencies. Blackstone said parents understand that schools have custody of children during the day and that emergency-response roles rest with trained officials, but they need timely, specific guidance so families do not become alarmed or inundate the district with multiple calls.
Blackstone acknowledged that some district staff were responsive during the incident, singling out Captain Mergo and RJ for responsiveness, but said parents would prefer a single point of contact or a clear communication pathway so they do not have to call multiple people to get information.
Board members responded that the district has an existing safety committee and agreed to ensure appropriate staff are looped in. A board member asked staff to include interested board members in the safety-committee distribution list for future quarterly meetings attended by police, fire, school resource officers and building principals.
Blackstone provided the board with contact information and said the coalition would continue to pursue collaborative work with the superintendents office to improve communications.
