Two wheelchairs and two stretchers have been officially deployed to the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the Department of Chemistry as part of the University of the West Indies’ ongoing drive to ensure a safe and accessible UWI Mona Campus environment.
 
The safety and emergency equipment was officially handed over to both University departments in a small ceremony on Monday May 5 by Campus Registrar, Dr. Camille Bell Hutchinson who said The UWI Mona is determined to ensure all areas of the campus are accessible to all students, including those with special needs.  She said the donations were also important for safety purposes in cases of emergency. As such, she disclosed, the wheelchairs and stretchers would first be deployed to areas where the need was great – namely high risk areas such as labs.  She noted that Monday’s donation was just the beginning of an overall strategy to ensure total accessibility by all students, and safety for all, especially in cases of emergency.
 
Dr Bell Hutchinson said the administration was pleased with the initiative, and noted that the UWI Mona must continue to be that voice for special needs persons by ensuring their full access to all areas of the campus.
 
Dr. Roy Porter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry expressed the gratitude of the Faculty of Science and Technology for the donation and said that while it was hoped the equipment would never be put to use they will come in handy when emergencies do occur in the Faculty labs. He also called for a sick bay for the Chemistry department.    
 
Accepting on behalf of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences was its head, Dr Andrew Pearson who said the wheelchairs and stretchers were extremely necessary, and underscored the need for more safety equipment to be deployed across campus. He expressed the hope that other departments will be enabled to acquire their own equipment in due course. 
 
Purchase of the equipment was facilitated by Safety and Emergency Management Systems, safety consultants to the Campus, and initiated by Dr. Roy Porter. According to Safety and Emergency Management Systems’ Safety Officer, Training and Education, Denise McDonald, the donation is part of a longer term plan to fully equip the campus with safety and emergency equipment.