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Firefighters deliver sleds to help children with disabilities escape fires

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Posted at 11:41 AM, Dec 01, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-01 16:39:03-05

Children at a hospice center in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, were gifted a set of sleds delivered by local firefighters and donated by Walmart.

While the sleds can be used for fun, they could be used for something more important. According to WCCO-TV, most of the children at the hospice center use wheelchairs. The sleds can be used to assist children with escaping a fire.

“We would be able to move the kids to the sleds, the emergency responders, police fire and even staff would be able to come around the back side of the building and move them to a safer area,” Deputy Fire Marshal Brandon Gautsh told WCCO.

According to federal data, fires kill at least 230 children annually in the United States.

There are also nearly 700 fires a year involving people with physical disabilities.

Experts say it is important for those with physical disabilities to have a fire escape plan.