Q’STRAINT Wheelchair Securement Equipment a Life Saver for North Dakota Flood Victims

CASE STUDIESJanuary 9, 2020

Darrell Francis, the longtime executive director for Souris Basin Transportation (SBT) – makes it a point to always be prepared for the worst-case scenario when it comes to serving the transit needs for the people of Minot, North Dakota. This foresight and preparation turned out to be a lifesaver for senior living residents trying to survive the great Souris River Flood.

North Dakota Region hit with Devastating Flood

In 2011, a torrential storm descended upon Minot – a North Central North Dakota city – without warning – creating the Souris River Flood. Over 11,000 Minot residents had to be evacuated from the devastating flood which caused an estimated $600 million of property and infrastructure damage after its deadly path of destruction overtopped flood levees, inundated farmland, forced major highway closures, and split the town in half.

Senior Living Facility in Crisis

In the height of the storm, SBT received a frantic call from the local emergency management office, requesting help rescuing senior living residents impacted by the rising floodwaters. The situation was even more precarious since many of the senior living residents used mobility devices. Francis responded swiftly by dispatching SBT transit vehicles, each equipped with six ADA wheelchair positions.

Francis’ Forward Thinking saved the Day

Before the flood, Francis had been outfitting each of his transit vehicles with six ADA stations to meet the community’s ridership needs. Each ADA position was equipped with the QRT Standard, a semi-automatic retractor manufactured by Q’STRAINT.

30% of Ridership require Special Needs Services

The reasoning behind installing six ADA stations in each bus was to provide SBT mobility device passengers – who represent 30% of the ridership – with wheelchair securement equipment.
“In my mind I was just doing my job making sure our ADA community had the coverage they needed to be safe and secure on our transit system,” said Francis, whose sprawling transit agency serves 14 counties encompassing 12,000 square miles. “Since we have such a large ADA rural mobility ridership, I was merely addressing our community’s transit needs.”

Souris Basin Transit comes to the Rescue

The SBT fleet proved to be a lifesaver for the senior living residents requiring special needs, who were trapped in the flooding facility. By having a fleet of transit vehicles with six ADA stations allowed SBT to transport a large number of passengers on a single trip to a secure location that was situated 175 miles away from their senior living facility.

Francis’ Forward Thinking saved the Day

Before the flood, Francis had been outfitting each of his transit vehicles with six ADA stations to meet the community’s ridership needs. Each ADA position was equipped with the QRT Standard, a semi-automatic retractor manufactured by Q’STRAINT.

30% of Ridership require Special Needs Services

The reasoning behind installing six ADA stations in each bus was to provide SBT mobility device passengers – who represent 30% of the ridership – with wheelchair securement equipment.
“In my mind I was just doing my job making sure our ADA community had the coverage they needed to be safe and secure on our transit system,” said Francis, whose sprawling transit agency serves 14 counties encompassing 12,000 square miles. “Since we have such a large ADA rural mobility ridership, I was merely addressing our community’s transit needs.”

“We love the Slide ‘n Click floor anchorage system given the environment we are located in with endless winters.”

Souris Basin Transit comes to the Rescue

The SBT fleet proved to be a lifesaver for the senior living residents requiring special needs, who were trapped in the flooding facility. By having a fleet of transit vehicles with six ADA stations allowed SBT to transport a large number of passengers on a single trip to a secure location that was situated 175 miles away from their senior living facility.

Extreme Weather Conditions Demand Durable Floor Anchorages

Francis was also wise in his choice of floor anchorages. He went with the highly durable Slide ‘n Click floor anchorage, also manufactured by Q’STRAINT, which played a pivotal role in firmly anchoring down the entire wheelchair securement system in spite of the extreme weather conditions before, during, and after the flood.

The Slide ‘n Click provides maximum durability even in areas with inclement weather such as snow, heavy rain, and low temperatures. Q’STRAINT states that every component of the Slide ‘n Click anchorage is made from cast steel for maximum strength and corrosion resistance.

“We love the Slide ‘n Click floor anchorage system given the environment we are located in with endless winters,” Francis said. “The Slide ‘n Click is so easy to use and flexible, which allows us to secure mobility passengers quickly and effortlessly.”

After enduring and overcoming the punishing Souris River flood, SBT has proven to its riders and community that the agency has the right tools, experience, and ingenuity to withstand the environmental challenges which come with the rugged territory of Minot.