RE: It snows in Alaska By Laura (Attwood) Random February 22, 2014
The hill leading to Ketchikan Medical Center is very steep. It would certainly probably not be overly challenging for the bus to go up that hill to get to the hospital entrance but if the hill descending the entrance is slick, icy, or snow covered, what happens if the bus loses control and is unable to stop at the bottom of the hill, projecting itself into the busy traffic of Tongass Avenue? If the bus is unable to stop, the riders would be in danger, the bus driver would immediately be hit on the side of the bus in which they sit if there is oncoming traffic, and it is overly possibly for a bus to slide out and hit cars having the right of way, proceeding north on Tongass Avenue. The remarks are selfish and overly critical of the fantastic drivers for Ketchikan Bus. Driving on that hill in poor conditions would be negligent and endanger numerous lives. It is not the responsibility of the bus to even make stops on private property and I have learned that it has not always pulled directly up to the door of the medical center. This is a bonus for the bus and given the nature of the hospital being hillside, it's rather nice that it does pull right up to drop persons off. I myself have used the bus many times to attend medical appointments in the facilities and it's nice to have front door service. However, it's a luxury in which the city does not have to provide. The drivers have a challenging job to maintain control of a very large vehicle through all kinds of driving conditions. It is not uncommon for them to cease their routes to the hospital, up the Carlanna area, etc in the event of major snowfall. It is for the safety of the driver, passengers, and other vehicles and helps the bus to maintain control in all driving conditions. They have a facebook page and certainly a phone number in which one could call to get updates on where they are and are not driving. As a 66-year old in need of medical antibiotic infusions, it is inconvenient that the bus was unable to access the front entrance and the hill would certainly be a bit dangerous to walk down without traction devices on your shoes. However, if you're 60 years old or have an ADA card, you can use Senior Services and they'll be happy to pick you up and drop you off door to door. There was no need to insult these drivers capabilities and talents for protecting the riders and themselves. Also, you could call a cab to come to the entrance and drive you to the bottom of the hill. It would cost about $4. The bigger issue here is the accessibility of Ketchikan Medical Center as a whole. Neither entrance is at street level and both entrances require a bit of an ascent. This is something someone with any kind of mobility issues would find challenging, or especially, someone in a wheelchair. While many of these people may elect to use Senior Services, not all may be able to. This would be something to take up with the hospital Board of Directions in hopes of them creating some kind of an accessible entrance down at Tongass Avenue street level to provide access in all weather conditions to all kinds of people. In respect to the sidewalks not being shoveled, you said it yourself: It snows in Alaska. There was no secret the storm was coming. I live 3000 miles away and had read about it a dozen times in my newsfeed on facebook prior to the snowfall event. Most cities give persons 24-hours to clear the walk in the event they are at work when the snow stops falling or have an obligation which prevents them from doing it immediately. If you plan ahead and grab up any needed items before the snowfall, you shouldn't find yourself in need of trying to pass through impossibly deep snow. And again, Senior Services is happy to transport anyone over the age of 60 so trying to navigate yourself isn't entirely necessary. What's that old adage? Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes? Before we criticize the drivers for The Bus, how about we drive a mile on their bus in treacherous conditions. They do a great job of getting people around in all kinds of conditions and they have families to get home to at the end of the day, ideally, safely and in one piece. Laura (Attwood) Random
Received February 21, 2014 - Published February 22, 2014 Related Viewpoint:
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