Hundreds of local businesses back the ‘Butler County Safety Pledge’

More than 230 Butler County businesses and organizations have backed the Butler County Safety Pledge, which aims to keep employees, customers, and communities safe as the county reopens. The Butler County Safety Pledge was born out of a partnership between nine countywide organizations.

The organizations include Butler County Visitors Bureau, Butler County Emergency Management Agency, Fairfield Chamber of Commerce, Hamilton Visitors Bureau, Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, The Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe & Trenton, Oxford Visitors Bureau/Enjoy Oxford, Oxford Chamber of Commerce and West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance.

Tracy Kocher, vice president of marketing and communications at the Butler County Visitors Bureau, said the Butler County Safety Pledge is a voluntary, proactive pledge that businesses can take to assure the public that they are taking the health of their employees and customers seriously and they are making a commitment to implement safety and cleaning procedures that will help stop the spread of COVID-19.

“The response to the pledge has been overwhelmingly positive. We have distributed over 300 pledge decals, so when a business takes the pledge, we then provide them with a decal that they can display in their business to let people know, ‘Hey, this is important to us and it should be important for you, too.’ We are quite proud of the adoption,” Kocher said.

The Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) is participating, and the decal is displayed on all their vehicles, for example.

Kroger, MetroParks of Butler County, Butler County Historical Society, Butler County United Way, Reach Out Lakota, and the Butler County Engineer’s Office, among others, have also endorsed the Butler County Safety Pledge.

“The way we have gotten businesses and organizations on board is through communication and education,” Kocher said. “This is an important initiative. We want people to feel confident when they are going back out as businesses are reopening. This is one way to convey to the public that you are taking safety, cleanliness and health very seriously.”

A wide range of businesses and organizations have taken the pledge. The county-wide program has received support from cities, townships, and chambers of commerce to entertainment venues, attractions, restaurants, and hotels as well as many other businesses and organizations throughout Butler County. A full list of participants can be found at www.gettothebc.com/bc-safety-pledges.

Primarily, businesses are being asked to follow the safety guidelines that have been outlined by the CDC and the Ohio Department of Health. To sign on in support of the pledge, a business or organization agrees to enforce six Butler County Safety Pledge guidelines or standards, such as frequent cleaning and sanitization of all high-touch surfaces, and following social distancing guidelines by adhering to requirements on reduced capacity, distance between customers, and appointment scheduling.

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