For the past 17 years, Q’Straint has proudly hosted the Annual National Training Seminar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida—bringing together transportation directors, safety trainers and industry leaders for two days of training, brainstorming and problem solving with the goal of increasing the safety of school bus passengers in wheelchairs. This year, the event goes online.
Over time, this annual event has grown into the preeminent wheelchair securement training in the industry, one that National Accounts Manager Chris Yarber has termed “a truly invaluable event.”
This year, as we all adjust to the challenges of the global pandemic, we are unable to meet as a large group. However, we are taking advantage of this situation to offer a unique open-access learning opportunity in the form of a Virtual National Training Seminar designed to help keep our customers at the forefront of the latest transportation standards, best practices, and principles during this unprecedented time.
Why should you attend?
“Training is the most overlooked aspect of transporting students with disabilities,” explained Darren Reaume, Q’Straint’s national training manager. “Without a strong understanding of the fundamental principles of proper securement, even the best-intentioned drivers are usually putting their students at risk in the event of an accident or sometimes even routine driving.”
“I feel that having well trained and well-informed drivers and aides is the key to safe transportation for our students,” declared Peggy Stone, CDPT, CSNT, who serves as supervisor of exceptional needs at West Virginia’s Kanawha County Schools.
She related that she has been extremely satisfied with the quality of the training provided by both Reaume and Yarber.
“It is so well-organized and everyone makes the learning fun,” agreed Melanie MacDonald, the special needs supervisor for Waddell Special Needs Bus Center in South Carolina.
She shared that the seminar ensures participants learn the proper ways to safely transport the many diverse wheelchairs that are encountered daily. “With today’s ever-changing technology, it is very important to keep up with the changes,” she noted.
“I also love to see the new technology that is available from a company that truly cares for the services they provide,” MacDonald added.
The National Training Seminar not only benefits attendees but also provides valuable instruction that supervisors can take back to their teams.
“I refreshed my wheelchair securement skills and learned so much more about making sure my students in difficult wheelchairs are secure and safe on the school bus. When I came back to the office after the training, I scheduled training sessions with all my special equipped bus drivers and aides so that I could share what I learned with them,” Stone said.
While we can’t replicate the extensive hands-on training and collaborative nature of the in-person seminar online, the Virtual National Training Seminar will offer an invaluable opportunity to develop an expert level understanding of all aspects of wheelchair transportation—especially for those in your organizations who might not be able to travel to Florida for a future event.
What do you need to know?
Access to the Virtual National Training Seminar will begin on July 13 and remain open until July 31. All presentations can be accessed on-demand, at your convenience and at your own pace.
There will be a Paratransit and School Bus option, and both include entirely new presentations, such as:
- Understanding Liability
- Regulations & Best Practices
- Securement
- Specification Writing
- Securing Difficult Wheelchairs
…and more.
The content will be interactive and features input and stories from the entire team here at Q’Straint.
You’ll receive a certificate for each section you complete—and you can view as much of the content or as little of the content as you feel is beneficial. If you have questions throughout the training, you’ll be able to submit them and receive timely video answers from our team.
And while the event is open access, the material is designed for transportation directors, safety trainers and managers, as opposed to drivers.
We are excited to share this content in a unique format and hope you’ll join us for the event. In the meantime, please take care of yourself and your family and most importantly remember that at Q’STRAINT, we are all in this together.
