Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES recently distributed more than 1,500 gallons of hand sanitizer to public and private schools throughout the region at no charge.
BOCES received two pallets loaded with bottles of the “NYS Clean” alcohol-based hand sanitizer produced by New York state and distributed at no cost to local governments. The 4-gallon containers have been distributed to local school districts in the BOCES region, helping ensure that all public schools — as well as St. Francis de Sales in Herkimer, and Mohawk Valley Christian Academy in Little Falls — have a ready supply of hand sanitizer.
According to Adam Hutchinson, coordinator of Safety Services for Herkimer BOCES, this distribution is one way the BOCES is helping local schools coordinate through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hand sanitizer can be used right away to supply essential staff that are continuing to work in the school buildings at this time, Hutchinson said, or schools can plan to use their supply as they look toward re-opening their buildings to students in the months ahead.
“It’s one of the ways BOCES has been able to coordinate a uniform response across the districts,” Hutchinson noted. “Even though we’re not in session, and things are different than they normally would be, we still have these collaborative relationships that allow us to work together.”