Berks County Director of Emergency Services Brian Gottschall has been recognized for his efforts to make sure local schools are prepared to respond to emergencies.
Gottschall was recently name the winner of the 2021 Berks County Intermediate Unit’s Outstanding Community Partner Award.
The award is given annually to someone who advocates in the community for the BCIU and local students, volunteers their time and talent to support the BCIU and is a leader in their field.
In giving the award to Gottschall, BCIU officials cited his “ongoing dedication, collaboration and contributions to education initiatives such as emergency preparedness, all hazards planning, the countywide Keeping Kids Safe program.”
Gottschall has been particularly helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic, making himself available to provide guidance and information to school officials and helping schools to secure personal protective equipment and other materials needed to fight the pandemic.
BCIU officials said that Gottschall has also demonstrated his devotion to local education by bringing awareness to inequalities in students’ internet access, which led to the Closing the Digital Divide Project that is designed to close those gaps.
“The Berks County Intermediate Unit and the education community of Berks County are fortunate to have an advocate like Mr. Gottschall,” Dr. Jill Hackman, BCIU executive director, said in a statement announcing Gottschall’s award. “Mr. Gottschall has proven to be an accessible, trusted and knowledgeable resource to help schools prepare, respond and recover from emergencies for the best possible outcomes.
“Mr. Gottschall is truly deserving of being named out 2021 Outstanding Community Partner,” she continued. “His work will have a lasting impact on our students, our schools and the community.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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