Reply to ADA Compliance with Fire Drills

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here.  I don't see where I said I need an aide.  That would be a huge financial burden and so unnecessary.  The school said they would be able to carry her down/up the stairs to go outside twice a day.  That it would be no problem.  But now they are saying they are worried about doing that in an emergency.

A few have suggested moving the 2 year olds downstairs but there is no space.  Currently the 2, 3 and 4-5 year olds are upstairs with two sets of stairs, including a few very small businesses in the building.  I feel like an actual emergency would be a nightmare situation.  [/quote]

I don't see how you can say that evacuating in an emergency would be a nightmare even without a staff member needing to carrying your child, but then say it shouldn't be a big deal if one of their staff members has to carry your child rather than helping a whole group get down stairs.[/quote]

Both scenarios would be a nightmare.  Maybe the bigger issue is they have 8:1 ratio which is terrible for a 2 story school.  Especially after I learn DC is 4:1 and MD is 6:1, I thought we were 8:1 b/c that was all that was needed.  [/quote]

As a former preschool teacher, I can tell you that an actual fire with me in the building would be one of my worst nightmares, first floor or second, carrying or not.

But, I can't see how having a kid on one hip would change that.  I'd still be leading a line or following the end of the line of little people either way.

8:1 is not a good ratio.  Not because of emergencies, but because day to day it's not enough staffing to both meet kids needs and interact and teach.  I would be concerned about that. [/quote]

So what do you do when one of the kids in your line trips and falls and needs your help to get up? Do you put down OP'd kid to help that one, then pick her up again and slow up the whole group? What if the child is sufficiently injured that they can't/won't walk the rest of the way, can you still effectively monitor six walking children while carrying two children? Do you leave the kid that fell behind? Let the other kids go ahead and hope they get out on their own? Realistically, if they know a staff member will have to carry a particular child in an emergency because that child cannot get him/herself out of the building on their own two feet, you need to take that person out of the equation for everyone else.[/quote]

In most circumstances, we're talking about a teacher with 2 hands.  Any mother with an infant and a toddler knows that you can help one child up while carrying another.

This class will be practicing going up and down stairs as a group multiple times each day.  The thing that will get them out safely in a fire is having it go exactly the same way when there's an emergency.  So, if the kids are used to holding the rail on the right with a teacher at the front, and a teacher at the back, that's what they'll do.  And yes, in an emergency, someone can carry two and watch or lead the line.  [/quote]

By OP's account, this school has done wonderful things to accommodate her daughter's needs otherwise. You really think they're setting down a line here because they feel like being petty and difficult? Or maybe, just maybe, the school that's done so much to help her before has legitimate concerns about whether they'd be able to effectively evacuate everyone in an emergency if OP's child is in one of the upstairs rooms.

Also, you have no idea what actually happens in a real emergency. Grown-ass men and women panic and freeze rather than walking to the exit, they go the wrong way because they want to check that their friend is getting out or think a different route will be faster, they run and push each other down even though there's plenty of time for everyone to get out, etc. Children can not be counted on to do better, and any daycare that does is deeply foolish.[/quote]

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