Allied Services To Unveil First EVAC Sticker Program in Nation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Allied Services To Unveil First EVAC Sticker Program in Nation

Scranton, PA -- July 21, 2010 -- Allied Services Rehabilitation Hospital (ASRH) has developed a unique way to help Emergency Management Systems (EMS) staff locate and rescue persons with disabilities in the event of a fire, flood, natural disaster, or other event requiring emergency evacuation. As a community service, ASRH developed the EVAC Stickers Program. The team of clinicians at ASRH who conceived the stickers are working with local fire departments to help get the word out to the community.

Unveiling the Sticker Tomorrow, Thursday, July 22, at 2:00 p.m. in front of the hospital on Smallacombe Drive in Scranton, Allied President/CEO Bill Conaboy, Esq., Jackie Brozena, Allied CAO, and Allen Lucas, Deputy Chief of the Scranton Fire Department will present the first EVAC sticker to Jim Clendening, husband of long-time Allied employee Debbie Clendening, who uses a wheelchair. There will be representatives from the Scranton and Springbrook Fire Departments on site with fire trucks to call attention to the importance of the stickers in case of emergency evacuations.

These 5x6 inch reflective alert stickers are free of charge. They are now available at the hospital’s Morgan Highway campus or any of their area outpatient centers. Instructions on proper use of the stickers that were developed with input from the Scranton Fire Department will be distributed with each one.

Providing Equal Access to Emergency Services

The ceremony is being held just days prior to the 20th anniversary of the signing and enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition to equal access to education, employment, access to buildings, these stickers help those with disabilities obtain equal access to emergency services.

Allied Services has always been in the forefront of initiatives to improve the lives for those with disabilities. Allied founded National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, which is celebrated across the country each September. President & CEO Bill Conaboy, Esq. says, "We're proud of all we do to rehabilitate and improve the lives of those with disabilities or injuries. With the EVAC sticker program, we can, in conjunction with EMS personnel, help prevent serious injuries and save lives."

Earning National Commendation

ASRH recently earned ten accreditations by Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), the nationally recognized accrediting body for rehabilitation hospitals. CARF officials researched to see whether a similar sticker was in use elsewhere in the US, and found that Allied's is the first of its kind. The report from CARF stated ASRH "is instituting an EVAC program that alerts emergency services that a person in the home will have difficulty evacuating the home. The organization has sought input from Emergency Management Systems (EMS) and is currently in the process of investigating community awareness. This shows true leadership in the area of emergency preparedness and should be commended."

ASRH has also been named a Top Performer for three consecutive years by Uniform Data System of Medical Rehabilitation, the nationally recognized organization that rates rehabilitation hospitals on outcomes for patients. Allied was rated in the top 2% of all rehabilitation hospitals in the U.S. for helping patients get stronger, in less time, and return more often to their own homes.