District officials at Broadalbin-Perth are working with local fire departments and law enforcement agencies to enforce existing parking regulations on campus in an effort to ensure emergency vehicles have clear access to the school buildings whenever they might be needed.
“We’ve heard from both the Perth and Broadalbin-Kennyetto fire departments that they have concerns about the frequency and number of vehicles that are illegally parking in fire lanes at our schools,” said Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tomlinson. “Although parents and other visitors might see it as simply more convenient to park in these lanes to be closer to the building, the reality is that illegally parked vehicles present a real safety concern for our students and all of the adults who work in our schools.”
Tomlinson says that vehicles parked in fire lanes make it impossible for large emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances, to access the schools during emergencies. “And this isn’t just an issue during the school day – we host many events on weekends and during evening hours, and it’s important that all groups who use our buildings are safe and accessible by emergency services,” he said.
Tomlinson says that, starting immediately, law enforcement officers will issue tickets to vehicles parked illegally at district schools. He says that the simplest thing parents and visitors can do to avoid a ticket is to always park in a legal parking space, and to always use designated student pick-up and drop-off lanes.