HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The Putnam|Northern Westchester BOCES Regional Crisis Team (RCT) was established in 1999 after the tragic events at Columbine High School prompted us to take proactive measures to assist our component school districts should they need additional assistance in the aftermath of a serious crisis situation related to a national disaster, school violence or the death of a school community member.

The RCT, as it is organized today, consists of volunteers from various school districts and other community mental health agencies in the region. They are available to provide onsite support (consultation, counseling, etc.) and follow-up (debriefing, assessment, etc.) services after the occurrence of a serious school crisis.

Additionally, the Administrators Regional Crisis Team (ARCT) was established in 2015 by volunteer building and district level administrators in our region. The group serves as an arm of the RCT to share best practices in the areas of crisis prevention, intervention and response as well as expand available support specifically to school administrators in the region during crisis situations.

In the event that a school district experiences a serious crisis situation and needs to activate the RCT and/or the ARCT, please call or email Lynn Allen, [email protected] or Mike Sellet, [email protected] to request assistance from the RCT. Requests for assistance are best made by the superintendent or designee in consultation with the district's crisis team.

Email a brief description of the situation to Lynn or Mike (this information will be forwarded to RCT members when requesting their assistance). Include: the nature of the emergency, the school or schools needing assistance, the type of assistance desired (consultation or counseling - individual, group, classroom - for students, staff, and/or parents); the estimated number of RCT members desired. Also, identify the name, telephone number, and email address of the school district contact person(s) for RCT members to report to upon arrival and inform security personnel to expect members of the RCT.

OSHA has the following tips for dealing with snow.

It is important to make sure that powered equipment, such as snow blowers, are properly grounded to protect workers from electric shocks or electrocutions. When performing maintenance or cleaning, make sure the equipment is properly guarded and is disconnected from power sources.

Employers must evaluate snow removal tasks for hazards and plan how to do the work safely. Workers should be aware of the potential for unexpected hazards due to the weather conditions, for example, layers of ice can form as the temperature drops, making surfaces even more slippery. A surface that is weighed down by snow must be inspected by a competent person to determine if it is structurally safe for workers to access since it may be at risk of collapsing. Snow covered rooftops can hide hazards such as skylights that workers can fall through. Electrical hazards may also exist from overhead power lines or snow removal equipment.

To prevent slips, trips, and falls, employers should clear walking surfaces of snow and ice, and spread de-icer, as quickly as possible after a winter storm. In addition, the following precautions will help reduce the likelihood of injuries: