Letter to the editor: An emergency only road can't really be built

Time and distance matters in an emergency. So does ease of access. The proposed Quaker Valley High School is flawed for many reasons, but the most egregious is the safety of its occupants. The Leet site is up to a mile further from the hospital and first responders and accessible only from two driveways off a single, steep, curvy road that’s prone to congestion and hazardous winter driving conditions.

Think about what’s likely to happen during a fire, landslide, tornado, bomb scare or shooter incident. How would first responders get in and occupants get out, especially when faced with the expected on-rush of worried parents? There are several bottlenecks. The current site plan fails to meet basic FBI, FEMA and HHS safety criteria, calling for multiple evacuation routes. A remote, uphill defensive position also makes it more difficult for law enforcement to extricate “bad guys” or deal with violent student activity.

The school board effectively says “trust us.” We’re okay with an emergency only road, but it shouldn’t be a condition of zoning. So, let’s test their sincerity. Have them explain where it would be built and how its location would improve safety. The truth is: without significant added cost, the taking of private property and further delays; they cannot build a credible emergency only road. It’s a false promise.

Let’s end this dangerous folly, recover our sunk costs and re-focus on building a new high school at the existing site. Common sense and concerns for safety should prevail over ego.

William B. Jasper

Leetsdale