In a message dated 11/22/1999 2:41:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: << I think it is becoming harder and harder for schools these days. >> Anee, I think you're right. I'd like to segue into a discussion about evacuation plans for people with disabilities. I'm more and more concerned that there are no apparent provisions to help school children with disabilities in the event of a terrorist threat. This seems to fall in line with fire/other emergency evacuation plans. When I was a fire inspector, I was conducting a fire drill for an office building one day. I was on one of the upper floors to see how personnel evacuation was progressing, and noticed a guy using a wheelchair, and his office mate heading for the elevator. I mentioned that they couldn't use the elevator in case of fire, and the office mate quickly responded that her coworker was using a wheelchair and couldn't take the stairs. We had previously made plans for two specific people in his office to assist him down the stairs in the event of a fire, but that plan was forgotten during the drill. We talk a lot about equal access, but I worry about equal exit access. On another occasion, I chewed a guy out (politely) who used a wheelchair and who decided that a fire drill was just a drill and that he didn't have to participate. Everybody else had left the building and I found him at his desk when I was checking to see if anyone had stayed behind. Participating fully in evacuation drills is even more critical if you might need help getting out of the building in a real emergency. It could mean your life (she said dramatically)! That haunts me a little bit. In the first situation, the man's coworker gave me a dirty look that could have burned a hole through my head. I wasn't supposed to make a reference to this man's disability, I guess. I didn't have a disability then, but I knew what I know now. You can't use an elevator in case of fire. Fire, or more likely smoke inhalation, won't give you bonus points for having a disability. She thought I was being insensitive, but her sensitivity was not my concern. This man's life safety was. I always wanted to lobby to have people who couldn't use the elevators to have offices on the evacuation floor when possible, but I know it wasn't always possible. I just don't like the idea of someone automatically having to depend on someone else to get out of a building if they can't use the elevator. It's only paranoia until there is a fire. To make a long story short, I wonder how many schools who have students with disabilities have taken this into account for terrorist threat conditions (or fire evacuation situations). There probably is a reference someplace in most of the game plans, but I wonder how well prepared they are to actually carry out the plans. Betty