WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1983
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+INFORMATION PROVIDED WAS NOT COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH TO WARRANT A CHANGE IN THE DECISION WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED AT 6 AM, WHEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN WOULD BE EXPECTED TO BE PREPARING TO LEAVE HOME FOR MORNING SESSION SCHOOLS. AT 6.25 AM A FURTHER CHECK DID NOT INDICATE ANY WIDE-SPREAD FLOODING OR DAMAGE.+
MR HAYE SAID THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN MASSIVE DELUGE SOON AFTERWARDS, WITH FLOODING AND SERIOUS TRAFFIC CONGESTION. AS A RESULT, A DECISION WAS REACHED TO CLOSE ALL SCHOOLS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY DESPITE A LULL IN THE WEATHER. THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT AT 10.20 AM TO THIS EFFECT.
HE SAID IT WAS EASY TO BE WISE AFTER AN EVENT, BUT GIVEN THE SAME SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE SAME INFORMATION, THE DECISION TO OPEN SCHOOLS THAT MORNING, TRUSTING PARENTS TO USE THE IR DISCRETION AND SCHOOLS TO BEHAVE RESPONSIBLY, WOULD AGAIN HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
+REGRETTABLY MANY PARENTS DID NOT USE THEIR DISCRETION AND SOME SCHOOLS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE SENT CHILDREN INTO THE STORM WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHELTERING THEM, HE NOTED.
MR HAYE SAID A QUICK REVIEW OF STANDING ARRANGEMENTS HAD PERSUADED HIM THAT MOST OF THEM SHOULD REMAIN BUT THAT GREATER EFFORTS MUST BE MADE TO SECURE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE OF LOCAL WEATHER, ROAD AND TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS TO PERMIT SAFER DECISIONS.
THIS WOULD MEAN DELAYING PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM 6 AM TO 6.15 AM ON MORNINGS IN QUESTION TO CATCH EARLY SCHOOL USERS, AND FROM 10.30 AM TO 11 AM TO COVER ALL-DAY AND AFTERNOON SCHOOLS.
HE SAID IT WILL INVOLVE REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS BY RADIO AND TELEVISION WITH INSISTENT UNDERLINING OF THE DUTIES OF PARENTS AND SCHOOL AUTHORITIES TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN.
IT WILL ALSO MEAN FRESH DIRECTIVES TO SCHOOLS TO EMPHASISE THE OBVIOUS NEED FOR GREAT CARE IN AN EMERGENCY SUCH AS THAT OF FRIDAY, JUNE 17.+
MR HAYE ADDED THAT THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS HAD PERMITTED THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS ON JUNE 18 AND THEIR OPENING ON JUNE 20. +NATURALLY, THESE DECISIONS DID NOT ATTRACT COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA, HE CONCLUDED.
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