A small gas leak at Cortez Middle School prompted an emergency evacuation of students and staff Thursday afternoon ahead of a parent-teacher conference.
Justin Schmitt, RE-1 executive director of academic services, said staff noticed a gas odor earlier in the day. An investigation by maintenance staff found an active gas leak, prompting an immediate emergency evacuation of students and staff.
Parents were notified around 1:20 p.m., with transportation coordinated to take students home and staff prepared to assist with student pickups, he said.
“We are releasing students to go home at this time due to a potential gas leak,” read a post made by the Cortez Police Department at 1:25 p.m. “We have buses heading to the school now for bus riders. Parents that drop off please come pick up your students at this time.”
“Everyone acted professionally and responded expediently to make sure the kids and staff were safe,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt attributed the smooth handling of the emergency to a well-trained staff and a tightly coordinated network of first responders.
The school held an annual public safety training with regional fire departments, the Cortez police and the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office only weeks before the gas leak occurred, Schmitt said.
“That led to our ability to respond quickly to this situation,” he said.
Schmitt said the leak was resolved and the evening parent-teacher conference would proceed as scheduled, allowing time for any remaining gas to dissipate.
“It wasn’t a dramatic amount that was coming out,” he said of the leak.
