Category Archives: Awareness

Buckle Up!

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No matter how the wheelchair is secured to the vehicle, a properly used and positioned crashworthy seatbelt, consisting of pelvic and upper-torso belts, is absolutely essential. Seatbelts are by far the most effective occupant restraint system for protecting occupants in crashes and reduce the risk of total injuries by more that 50%. They prevent occupants’ ejection from and minimize injurious contact within the vehicle.

To be most effective, the lap belt must be placed low on the pelvis near the top of the thighs, and the shoulder belt should cross the middle of one shoulder and the breastbone and connect to the lap belt near the occupant’s hip.

While wheelchair securement and occupant restraints are important, a growing body of evidence suggests a large proportion of serious injuries to wheelchair-seated travelers is due to a lack of proper seat belt use and/or improper positioning of the seatbelt. In many cases, wheelchair features such as armrests and wheels can interfere with proper seatbelt routing and placement, and care must be taken to ensure that seatbelts are properly used and positioned. This may require placing the lap belt between the back of the armrest and the seatback post, or threading the lap belt’s end through openings below the armrest before attaching the belt to the vehicle’s anchor points. It is also important to place the seatbelt buckle in direct contact with the occupant and not where it may contact rigid wheelchair components during a crash. Never route seat belts outside the large wheels or over armrests.

Even if you are only driving a short distance under ideal conditions, fasten your seat belt.
You should never drive until everyone has a seat belt properly fastened.

Carry The Fallen – Boston Marathon Route

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 Carry The Fallen

Active Heroes, a 501c3 charity presents the Carry The Fallen Ruck-March event. Carry The Fallen is a team hiking event lasting 3, 6, 12 or 22 hours (depending on the event) that is part of the charity’s Active Challenges program that builds camaraderie, wellness, morale and connects military families with supporters and peer mentors. Participants carry weight to symbolize the emotional weight that many veterans are carrying after war.  22 veterans a day take their own lives and Active Heroes is working towards reducing these numbers with a one of a kind Military Family Retreat Center located in Shepherdsville, KY. Carry the Fallen participants can Fund-Raise towards building the retreat center after registering.

Register for free or register to become an Active Heroes Ambassador for $50 and you will be sent a Carry The Fallen shirt, bumper sticker, refrigerator magnet, flyers (donation Cards), and an Ambassador Booklet containing suicide prevention information and peer mentor campaign information. Shipping is included in the $50 donation.

Earn your Carry The Fallen Patch by fundraising $100 or more and completing a 3, 6, 12 or 22 hour long Carry The Fallen Ruck-March event! Carry The Fallen Team Leaders will distribute patches, only to participants who raise $100, during the closing ceremony of the event.  Participants can even make their own donations towards the patch on their fundraising page, or keep sharing their fundraising page on social media, emails and in other conversations to raise the $100 minimum donation amount.

Carry the Fallen 3, 6, 12, 22

Carry The Fallen – Boston Marathon Route
March 21, 2015
6:00am – 7:00pm

Active Heroes – Team Minuteman (All participants) will be rucking the Boston Marathon route starting at 1 Ash St. Hopkinton MA 01748 and finishing at 659 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116.  There will be on street parking at the starting point.  Transportation back to starting point is up to participants to schedule.  Some people drop cars at the finish line in Boston to help shuttle people back to the beginning.  Please help carpool if you can.  The team will be followed by an RV during the hike to help assist people who drop out during the 26.2 miles. The hike moves as fast as the slowest person.

Carry as much weight that you can carry for the entire march but make sure you don’t over do it for safety. Please wear an Active Heroes or Carry The Fallen shirt to the event to help spread awareness about reducing veteran suicide through Active Heroes. You can find more shirts and gear at: www.ActiveHeroes.org and search for store. Learn more about the Carry The Fallen event at www.CarryTheFallen.org

Safety is very important. Depending on your hiking event the terrain might be on road ways and traffic can be present. Children are allowed to the event but please keep an eye on them for safety. Flashing lights or reflectors belts are encouraged for early morning hiking or night time events. bring plenty of water, sports drinks with no excess sodium, first aide kit and energy snacks. Bathroom breaks are generally planned but keep in mind that Team Leaders are working to keep everyone together to accomplish the long distance event, so stops wont be frequent unless of medical emergencies.

Above all, the Carry the Fallen events are extremely fun and the entire family can join. Your help is needed to build the retreat to help reduce Veteran Suicide. Learn More About the Military Family Retreat here: www.ActiveHeroes.org

Is Your Business Accessible and Safe?

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More awareness has been focused on making buildings accessible and safe for those with disAbilities. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, businesses must provide everyone equal access around their property. However, despite these regulations there are still businesses that have failed to meet federal guidelines. For those failing to comply, fines and penalties can be severe and can potentially lead to the closure of the business if changes are not made in a timely manner. According to the ADA, businesses are required to make reasonable accommodations allowing everyone to enjoy the goods and services provided by the business. In order to comply, several areas must be addressed.

Entryways
Wheelchair users find many businesses almost impossible to enter. If the only access to a building is steps or stairs, the ADA requires that a wheelchair-accessible ramp be provided to allow easy access to the building.

Auxiliary Communication Assistance
For those individuals who are blind or need other assistance with communication, the ADA also requires businesses to make the appropriate accommodations for them as well. Signage outside offices, bathrooms and other areas is required to have words in Braille, and employees who have communication disabilities are also required to have access to closed-captioning and sign-language interpretation if needed.

Bathrooms
For years bathrooms in almost all businesses were obstacles that many found to be nearly insurmountable challenges. However, with the passage of the ADA, using a bathroom has become much easier for both customers and employees with a disability. According to ADA regulations, all bathrooms should have at least one stall that is designed for people with a disability. The door to the stall is required to be wide enough for a mobility device to easily go through, and the stall large enough to have room for the individual and another person if necessary to assist. Hand rails are also required for safety and comfort, and the sinks are to be low enough for a person using a wheelchair to easily reach and use.

Parking
All states require businesses to provide parking spaces that are designated exclusively for drivers with a disability. The parking spaces should be clearly marked and located as close to the business as possible, and are usually near a wheelchair-accessible ramp. The penalties for parking in a handicapped parking space can be severe, often resulting in a fine of $500 and the vehicle being towed away at the owner’s expense.

Aisles
While the least-regulated aspect of most businesses, aisles still fall under ADA rules and must be in compliance with federal regulations. Under ADA rules, aisles in retail businesses or others as well must be free of any barriers that would prohibit a person in a wheelchair from gaining access to that area. However, it’s recommended by most experts that in addition to being barrier-free, all aisles be clear of clutter and be made wide enough for shoppers using a mobility device to easily navigate. While not required by law, doing so is seen as an act of courtesy and respect for employees and customers.

Fines and Penalties
To ensure your business is in compliance with ADA laws, it’s a good idea to have a safety audit. Hiring an expert to conduct a safety and accessibility audit is the best way to ensure your business is in full compliance and is in no way violating ADA regulations. Under Title III of the ADA, the maximum penalty for a first violation of ADA rules is set at $75,000. For a second violation, the fine goes up to $150,000. If the Department of Justice finds evidence of repeated violations, the fines can accrue significantly and can greatly affect businesses that are operating with profit margins that have little or no room for error. The federal government is currently very aggressive with its ADA enforcement, with healthcare businesses currently being targeted for investigation due to the DOJ’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative.

While much has been done to make the world an easier place for people of all abilities to live and work, it is clear there is still much work left to be done. However, with continued ADA enforcement equal access is getting easier by the day.