This is a difficult time for everyone; but no matter the difficulty, any task is made easier by working together. That’s why we created this page to act as a vetted source of information for our residents. Here you will find the wealth of resources and guidance that are available to help stabilize our community and keep us grounded as the situation continues to evolve, as well as any news or developments concerning the Municipality itself.
We also encourage you to reach out using the social media channels provided below and state any concerns you may have or requests for any information not listed here.
Bethel Park Police
Municipality of Bethel Park
Bethel Park Emergency Management
Sign up here for Important Municipality Email notifications
Sign up for Emergency Notifications from Bethel Park Municipality
Bethel Park restaurants need all the business they can get to ease this trying time, and residents might find a carry-out meal will restore some normalcy to their daily lives. A list of restaurants currently open for orders may be found here.
Likewise, it is important for all of us to counteract any false alarms we see in our community. No one needs the added disruption that comes with misinformation and rumors! Find out how you can help here.
Perhaps most importantly, we must ensure everyone has the resources they need and our community is provided for. Which is why we are hosting a food drive at the Community Center’s front entrance to benefit a partnership between Bethel Park/St. Clair Meals On Wheels and Operation Troop Appreciation. Details can be found here.
Beginning March 27, 2020, the Municipality of Bethel Park is establishing a helpline that will be manned Monday thru Friday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM by staff from the Community Center.
The Municipality has received calls from residents who need assistance. It is our hope that this helpline will give them the means to access that assistance. If you know of someone, perhaps a neighbor or customer, who is having difficulty, please let them know this service is available to them and will continue to be for as long as we are in a state of emergency.
The number to reach the helpline is: 412.851.2778
If you would also like to volunteer your time during this unprecedented situation, you may call us at 412.851.2778 or fill out this form.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bethel Park Municipal building is not open to the public. To better serve the residents of Bethel Park , we have set up a municipal drop box for the public. The drop box is located next to the police department entrance and its labeled- “Drop Box Municipal Permits”. We are however encouraging everyone who can to submit all necessary information via email Permits@bethelpark.net . If you are not able to email your information then please use the drop box until further notice. All permit applications and information can be found on the Municipal website under Community Services. If you have any questions regarding the type of permit applications we are accepting at this time please call- 412-831-6800 ext. 135. We thank you for your patience and understanding during these difficult times.
Please Be Advised: Enforcement of the Governor’s Order for all non-life-sustaining businesses to close began @ 8:00 AM on Monday, March 23, 2020. A list of qualifying operations can be found here. If you feel you are a life-sustaining business and entitled to remain open, you are advised to file a waiver for such an exemption with the PA DCED.
As the situation brought on by the spread of the novel coronavirus continues to develop, it is important to stay up-to-date with the relevant facts and programs designed to assist individuals and businesses in such times of hardship.
To better serve our residents and ensure they are provided the most accurate information at a singular point of access, we have created an inventory of resources and guidance that will help ease the transition as events continue to progress.
As such, this list will be updated and modified in accordance with any developments in the resources and guidance available.
Resources for Employers
Resources for Affected Individuals
Guidance for Employers:
!!! Families First Coronavirus Response Act !!!
Please review and plan accordingly. The FFCRA entitles employees to new or expanded paid family or medical leave provisions, expanded unemployment eligibility, and new or expanded paid sick leave provisions. This legislation applies to employers with fewer than 500 employees. In some cases, employers with fewer than 25 are exempt from the requirements.
The legislation is set to take effect within 15 days from its enactment (March 18). As we cannot anticipate each business’s and employee’s particular circumstances and needs, you are advised to review the linked document with your most pertinent staff (e.g. payroll clerk, benefits coordinator) and make that determination. With that said, offices are of course willing to assist you in that endeavor, so please do not hesitate to reach out.
Centers For Disease Control Response Guidelines
PA Response to COVID-19
Occupational Safety and Health Administration Workplace Management Guidelines
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Response Information
Guidance for Affected Individuals:
Families
Children need factual, age appropriate information about the potential seriousness of COVID-19, and concrete instruction about how to avoid its spread. Teaching children positive preventive measures, talking with them about their fears, and giving them a sense of some control over their risk can help reduce anxiety.
Parents and Guardians should:
• Remain calm. If a parent seems overly worried, a child’s anxiety may rise.
• Provide reassurance. Health and school officials are working hard to ensure that people throughout the country stay healthy. Children are not high-risk and the majority of people with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms and recover.
• Keep information simple and straightforward. Pittsburgh family physician and parenting expert Dr. Deborah Gilboa suggests asking the child what he/she has heard and believes.
• Find opportunities to correct misinformation. It’s okay if you don’t know all the answers. Information is constantly changing. Please keep the dialogue with your child open.
• Reinforce that not one group is to blame. No group should be stereotyped as responsible for the virus, and bullying or racial discrimination is. This virus can affect anybody.
At-risk Individuals
If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is highly advisable that you make whatever changes necessary to reduce the risk of getting sick.
Here are some helpful links:
Centers For Disease Control Guidelines (Older Adults)
Centers For Disease Control General Information
Allegheny Health Alerts
Allegheny Health Department General Information
The CDC’s Tips for Talking with Children
UNICEF Gives Advice on How to Talk to Your Child About Coronavirus
CDC’s Children in Disasters – Helping Children Cope
CDC Household Checklist
Click here to view Bethel Park’s own Dr. Tim Campbell as he conducts an informative Q&A on the novel coronavirus.
Notices:
Bethel Park Library and Municipal Building Closure
Bethel Park Community Center Closure
