School Emergency Policy: Leave Wheelchair-Bound Kids Behind

[docwebster]

WESTMINSTER, Md. -- When a Carroll County, Md., high school had an emergency evacuation, everyone got out except for two students who were confined to wheelchairs.

They were abandoned in the stairwell on the second floor.

I wish I knew what to say.

Comments

[eleri.livejournal.com]

I'm sure the Americans with Disabilities Act would have something to say about that, as well.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

It is possible that the stairwell qualifies as a "place of refuge" as defined by the ADA. If that is the case, then the kids weren't, at least technically, "abandoned".

I'm not sure how I *feel* about the situation (my inclination would be to have a designated adult stay with them).

[weekendwench.livejournal.com]

how can you have a place of refuge INSIDE a burning building?

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

As I understand it (and I am not an expert), an ADA-qualified "place of refuge" is a location inside a multi-story building, usually but not always a stairwell, which meets certain requirements for size and fire protection.

[weekendwench.livejournal.com]

the standard is stupid...it is not a safe haven inside a burning building

[javagoth.livejournal.com]

One would have hoped that 9/11 might have done more to bring more awareness to the problem that, by and large, most buildings with more than one floor are only wheelchair accesible unless or until there is some emergency where using an elevator is not an option - one would hope but one would be disappointed...

[javagoth.livejournal.com]

So now I have to wonder what their plan is if someone should oh... say... fall... and be rendered unable to move under their own power during an evacuation - leave the injured in the stairwell with the disabled...? Yeah, that's a good plan...

[pagawne.livejournal.com]

Looks like CArrol County is going to have some explaining to do.

To use <lj user="featherynscale">'s phrase

[matchgirl42.livejournal.com]

Rat. Bastards.