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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
June 10, 2008
Contact: Sarah Krauss
(212) 669-4193; (917) 541-0936
Release #:21-2008
Public Advocate Gotbaum Demands DOE Plan for Heat Emergencies
Supports UFT Call to Create Protocol to Protect Students and Staff
After two days of intense heat, with children across the city stuck in non-air conditioned classrooms, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum called on the Department of Education (DOE) to follow the lead of other school districts and implement an emergency heat plan.
Public Advocate Gotbaum said, "Students and staff must be protected from the dangerous conditions that result from excessive heat and humidity, but the DOE is acting like it’s any other mild spring day. They were clearly not prepared to deal with record-breaking June temperatures, and instead of reacting with a plan, the DOE is idling as kids and teachers sweat it out each day."
Schools districts in Philadelphia, Camden NJ, Manchester, NH, and the Hudson Valley Region, among others, have implemented an early dismissal due to the heat. One Nassau County school that began dismissing students at 10:15 this morning had to send three students and a staff member to a local hospital for heat-related treatment, according to recent news reports.
Gotbaum is calling on the DOE to immediately implement sound guidelines for heat-related hazardous conditions in NYC public schools, and include recommendations such as:
1) Schools without A/C must report classroom temperatures so the DOE can make proper assessments about the conditions;
2) In specific instances, and when possible, portable air conditioners should be considered for gyms and cafeterias, where several classes can be held at once; and
3) Guidelines for early dismissal should be made clear in the event that the DOE is unable to protect students from extreme heat, including a notification system for parents.
Public Advocate Gotbaum commended the UFT for taking the lead and taking action to address this problem.
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