Public hearing focuses on communication between schools and parents during emergencies

Wednesday morning, two State Senate Committees joined forces and held a meeting about school safety.  During the meeting, testimony was given on school emergency plans, security measures, and school-to-parent communication during an emergency.

Members of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and the Education Committee listened to testimony from Emergency Management Personnel, State Police, Safe Schools Committees and various superintendents from around the state.

Officials talked about their opinions and stories of experience about what needs to happen to keep children safer on school property.

State Senator Shirly Kitchen with Philadelphia County says the hearing is only the first of many more to come.  She says so far it appears communication among responding agencies need to improve during an emergency.  "If some agency is not there, and if the protocal isn't in place to pull everyone as to who will communicate with who.  That seemed to be a big part of the message today."

Senator Kitchen says it's also important to define roles prior to an emergency.  "It seems we should have tighter coordination for the agencies."

Wednesday's hearing brought members of school districts and emergency responders together in an effort to find ways to keep children safer.