Med Sled® Partners with Parkway School District to Provide Emergency Evacuation Sleds

St. Louis (I-Newswire) December 15, 2010 - Parkway School District, the third largest district in St. Louis County, has taken steps to ensure the safety of its students, staff and visitors. The district purchased nearly 100 standard size Med Sled® emergency evacuation sleds to begin to prepare all schools and administrative buildings in case of an emergency. Parkway is one of the first districts in the Midwest addressing a call to action from FEMA and its Ready initiative. The Med Sled® is a cost-effective emergency evacuation sled that empowers non-professionals to evacuate the injured or the immobile when immediate action is required. Parkway School District’s comprehensive emergency procedures will serve as a foundation for other area organizations.

“We recognized the need for a more thorough emergency evacuation plan and knew that we needed a solution, especially for people with disabilities or potential injuries,” said Kathryn Muehlrath, Ed.D, coordinator of special services at Parkway School District. “We work with more than 17,000 students in 28 schools and we have the responsibility to ensure their safety in any situation. We can’t always rely on outside professional responders, and Med Sled® has given us an alternative solution to ensure that no one is left behind during an evacuation.”

Now that Parkway has found the Med Sled®, an easy-to-use evacuation device, the district has improved upon their protocol, especially considering that in community-wide disasters, first responders may not be able to respond for hours or even days. Representatives from Med Sled® also worked with the district to determine needs assessment and hazard vulnerability. All schools and administrative buildings within the Parkway district have received the Med Sleds®. The sleds are placed near stairwells and in nurses’ offices throughout the buildings for quick and easy access. The sleds come at a very minimal cost in comparison to other evacuation devices and can be funded through a variety of budgets and grants.

More than 100 people, including school nurses, physical therapists, support staff and other selected staff members such as teachers and administrators, were trained on how to use the Med Sleds® during the last two weeks of September.

“We are excited that Parkway has recognized the need for emergency evacuation devices in order to effectively evacuate everyone from a building,” said Clifford Adkins, President of ARC Products, LLC and inventor of the Med Sled®. “This will better prepare the school district in emergency disasters. Situations can arise in schools and although people like to think it couldn’t happen in their own building, it can. The Med Sled® is the most valuable, cost-effective tool a school can have to guarantee comprehensive preparedness.”

The Med Sled®, from ARC Products, LLC, is a compact sled that weighs no more than 10 pounds and rolls up neatly into a store-and-carry bag. The Med Sled® also 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. The Med Sled® is used in primary and secondary schools, community colleges and universities across the country. The products are available in more than 1,500 schools and hospitals in all 50 states and six countries.

About Parkway School District
The Parkway School District has educated and shaped the lives of students and their families for more than 50 years. Parkway's college entrance exam scores are among the best in the country, and the district has 14 nationally recognized "Blue Ribbon" schools of excellence. In addition, Parkway is accredited and recognized for "Distinction in Performance for High Achievement," the highest rating available by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

About ARC Products and Med Sled®
ARC Products, 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 patented, made in America and approved by the GSA. For more information about ARC Products and the Med Sled®, visit www.medsled.com or call 1-866-207-6993.

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