More than one year has passed since a Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) councillor had to be carried down several flights of stairs in his wheelchair by his friends because the elevators in Robertson Hall were shut down due to a power outage.
Currently, the plan is for trained attendants to assist the person down the stairs using the school’s evacuation chair.
But this protocol is not being made clear to students who may need it. It isn’t clear to AnaLori Smith, a second-year master’s student who uses a wheelchair.
Smith said she read Carleton’s emergency exit plans but still isn’t always sure of what she is supposed to do in the event of an emergency.
Carleton may have proper emergency protocols and equipment to accommodate everyone in emergency situations, but they are useless if no one knows about them.The university needs to ensure all students who may need alternate emergency accommodations are aware of what services are available to them.
It is an easy fix, but it must be done soon. An emergency exit could be required at any time and Carleton should make information about accessible emergency exit protocols clear and available to everyone.
In order to be the most accessible school in Canada, Carleton needs to make sure everyone knows what services are available to them.
