Big Sky High School in Missoula was evacuated Monday due to a substance in the building that is believed to be pepper spray, according to Principal Jennifer Courtney.

Students were allowed back in one area of the school, and another section remains closed.

The following email was sent out to Big Sky High School parents:

Parents-Please Read

Big Sky Parents-

We have needed to evacuate our building due to some sort of substance in the building we believe to be pepper spray. Students are outside at this time while our Operations and Maintenance crew determines if we can safely bring students back into the building.

Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Jennifer Courtney

Principal, jccourtney@mcpsmt.org

Parents-Please Read Update

Big Sky Parents-

Update-the spray is concentrated to one specific area of the building that is closed off and being ventilated. We will bring students back into the building in approx. 10 minutes and will prevent students from accessing that area of the building. Below is information regarding exposure to pepper spray:

Poison Control receives many calls about unintentional exposures to pepper spray. Curious children have sprayed themselves or others, and teenagers have misused these products (often in a school).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Poison Control have published recommendations for how to protect yourself and what to do if exposed to pepper spray:

• If exposed, you should remove your clothing and rapidly wash your entire body with large amounts of soap and water.
• Wash hands, under fingernails, etc. before touching contacts or eyes.
• Clothing that would usually be pulled over the head should be cut off the body instead.
• Eyes should be irrigated for 10-15 minutes with room-temperature water.
• Contact lenses should be removed and discarded.
• Eyeglasses should be removed and washed with soap and water.
• Jewelry should be removed and washed with soap and water or discarded.
• Avoid touching contaminated clothing by using rubber gloves, tongs, or sticks to place the clothing in the bag. The bag should be sealed and placed inside another plastic bag. The CDC recommends contacting your local health department for instructions on the appropriate disposal of the bagged clothing in your area or for information about possible methods to decontaminate it.
• Nasal irritation and runny nose should improve after nasal irrigation with a saline solution.
• Throat irritation should improve after drinking cool fluids.
• A cough or minor respiratory irritation can improve with a steam treatment, such as a steamy shower.
• Anyone with serious effects such as wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest pain, trouble swallowing, burns, or persistent eye pain should seek immediate medical evaluation.
• Mild skin irritation - monitor at home.
• May rinse skin or eyes with milk followed by water if irritation persists.
• May rinse skin with vegetable oil if skin irritation persists.

Poison Control can be reached at 1-800-222-1222.