Schools Face Questions on Student Evacuations
March 31, 2005 - 7:36am
FAIRFAX, Va. - Fifteen-year-old Brian Glassmacher at Frost Middle School in Fairfax is part of the nationwide debate on student evacuations since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Glassmacher and his 16-year-old sister, Kailyn, both use wheelchairs. When the fire alarm sounds, instead of evacuating outside like the other students, they are taken to a designated "safe" room. Brian says when he's in that room, he's not safe. He wants to be outside.
The Glassmachers are lobbying school officials to install so-called evacuation chairs that will allow Brian and Kailyn to get outside. The chairs resemble law chairs on narrow rubber tank treads.
Fairfax school officials say that someone could get hurt transferring the kids to the chairs and that the designated safe area is the best approach.
Schools in Orange County, Virginia purchased evacuation chairs for disabled students.
LATEST |