ST. LOUIS, MO, July 16, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — The recent magnitude 5.0 earthquake in Quebec brings the need for effective emergency plans top of mind. ARC Products, LLC, manufacturer and innovator of the Med Sled , an emergency evacuation device, is proud to announce its recent partnership with Niagara Region Seniors Services Division in Ontario, Canada. ARC Products has been selected by Niagara to provide a safe environment for its staff and residents. Niagara’s initial purchase includes more than 60 sleds to outfit eight long-term care homes throughout the region. The multi-storied care homes range in size from 35 to 250 beds.
“We felt the Med Sled was valuable in assuring a safe evacuation of our residents,” said Tyler McClellan, Supervisor of Building Services for Niagara Region. “It’s an added tool for us in the event that we have an emergency. Med Sled will make the process more efficient and quicker as opposed to some of the conventional techniques.”
The Niagara Region spent quite a bit of time doing research and evaluating its safety needs. McClellan and his team came up with a list of criteria for evaluating emergency evacuation equipment and determined the Med Sled was their best option. The criteria includes:
· Easy to use and manage by staff
· Cost; relatively inexpensive
· Ability to evacuate a multi-story facility
· Easy storage
The Med Sled was the only product on the market that fit these needs. The evacuation sled allows a single person to evacuate an individual in a quick, stable fashion using the roll and drag method. The sled permits non-professionals to evacuate an injured or immobile person when immediate response is required. The Med Sled was designed to operate in both single-story and multi-storied facilities, down a flight of stairs or over uneven terrain such as debris-filled hallways. The compact sled weighs less than 10 pounds and rolls up neatly into a store-and-carry bag.
“We are glad Niagara Region Seniors Services Division has chosen to incorporate the Med Sled into their emergency preparedness plan,” said Clifford Adkins, President of ARC Products, LLC. “The Med Sled was specifically designed with for facilities like the Niagara Region in mind because they often house a large number of non-ambulatory individuals. Niagara Region recognized emergency evacuation as an issue for its residents and proved to be proactive with their thorough research. We are extremely satisfied the Med Sled met all their criteria, and we are pleased to help.”
The Niagara Region Seniors Services Division is the first in the region to address evacuation of their non-ambulatory residents, staff and visitors with Med Sleds . As part of the joint venture and overall goal of comprehensive emergency preparedness, ARC staff provided training on the product and its proper use in May.
About ARC Products and Med Sled
ARC Products, LLC, based in St. Louis, is a national manufacturer of cost-effective evacuation solutions, including the Med Sled . Since 2004, ARC has been developing products to support disaster preparedness and emergency evacuation to ensure that non-ambulatory individuals are transported safely in emergency situations. Med Sleds are in service in all 50 states and more than six countries in hospitals, nursing homes, fire and EMS, schools and universities, government facilities and military installations. Med Sleds are patent pending, made in America and approved by the GSA. For more information about ARC Products, LLC and the Med Sled , visit http://www.medsled.com or call 1-866-207-6993.