CLARK COUNTY, Nev. — Clark County School District is in its final stages of a three-year partnership with Med Sled to outfit its schools with the preferred emergency evacuation sleds. The Med Sled evacuation sled is a non-lift device that empowers non-professionals such as students and school staff to evacuate the injured or immobile when immediate action is required. Addressing preparedness and emergency evacuation has been a top priority of the school district due to its size and geographical vulnerability to natural disasters.
“Taking a proactive approach on student and staff safety is more important now than ever,” said Clifford Adkins, founder and CEO of the Med Sled. “In today’s economy, the best product for a school district’s budget is the Med Sled because it is made to last, it does not require much storage space, and one person can actually operate the sled should the schools need to evacuate.”
Nevada is ranked third in the nation, after California and Alaska, on earthquake activity. In large-scale evacuation scenarios, alternative evacuation devices, such as wheeled and carry devices, introduce other obstacles to the evacuation process. These include the safety of the students and staff, the ability to easily move through and over debris-filled hallways and stairways, and the ability to move individuals horizontally or vertically when needed. The compact sled weighs no more than 10 pounds and includes an innovative, high performance stairwell breaking system that allows the sled to easily descend down several flights of stairs in a matter of minutes.
Clark County School District, the fifth largest school district in the nation, has purchased 277 sleds to date. The district conducts regular training with administrators, teachers and support staff that focuses on how to assist the immobile, injured or those with special needs during an evacuation. The training pays particular attention to moving individuals on stairs, from the second or third floors down to ground level.
“When implementing evacuation devices for an organization as large as a school district, training is an essential component,” said Adkins. “If a school finds itself in a position where they have to evacuate, it is critical to have equipment that is intuitive to use, as well as safe for both the staff and students.”
Read the article from Campus Safety Magazine here.