Med Sled® provides a variety of consulting services for our customers, including an Evacuation Equipment Needs Assessment, Protocol Review, Training and Drill Support Services. Over the years, we have found that an overwhelming number of organizations have crisis management plans with outdated protocols, or no emergency plan at all. One of the most misunderstood evacuation strategies for school districts and universities is the use/implementation of protocols that rely on “Rooms of Refuge” and “Wait for Help” to evacuate those that cannot walk themselves to safety. These protocols are not only outdated, they are dangerous and put your School District, students and staff at risk.
Below are key considerations if your school’s protocols utilize “Rooms of Refuge” and “Wait for Help” during an event that calls for the evacuation of the school:
- Many protocols have changed due to the lessons learned from 9-11, Katrina, the EF-5 Joplin, MO Tornado, Superstorm Sandy and most recently the EF-5 tornados that struck Oklahoma. One of the greatest lessons learned from these events is that we must plan for the worst.
- Current plans that rely on first responders to evacuate students and staff with mobile disabilities or injuries from a “Room of Refuge” should be updated.
- Fire and Police Departments urge school districts to be as self-sufficient as possible in case first responders are not able to arrive in time for an evacuation. According to Citizens Corps, in 95% of all emergencies, bystanders or victims themselves are the first to provide emergency assistance or perform a rescue. When minutes and seconds count, you cannot afford to wait.
- In an area wide event, first responder’s protocols may not allow them to answer individual unit (school) calls for assistance. Even in a localized event, depending on the situation, first responders must secure the premises prior to entering a building.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the de facto practice for making schools accessible to individuals with disabilities. It is an ADA requirement that these individuals not only have access to the facilities, but that they can get out of the facilities in an emergency.
- Questions you will need to ask yourself and your Emergency Planning Committee:
- If the situation requires the evacuation of the school for safety reasons, why is it safe for those with mobile disabilities to be left behind waiting for first responders that may or may not come?
- In a disaster, when minutes count, why would our plan call for leaving our children and staff with mobile disabilities or injuries behind?
- Bottom line:
- In most emergency evacuation events the “Room of Refuge” and “Wait for Help” protocols that call for children with mobile disabilities to be left behind are outdated and pose a great risk (safety and financial) to those that continue to incorporate them into their protocols.
- Your evacuation protocols must address the evacuation of the building without outside help from first responders.
Since 9-11 there have been technical advancements in the emergency evacuation equipment industry. Med Sled® provides a low cost, intuitive and easy to use, no lift device to move those with mobile disabilities or injuries to safety, allowing a person to move someone 2 to 3 times their weight, both horizontally and vertically down stairs to safety. Over 3,500 hospitals, long term care facilities, and schools across the United States are currently using more than 45,000 Med Sled® evacuation sleds as their preferred evacuation device. To find out more, contact your sales rep here.