Disasters are difficult to think about — they’re hardly an entertaining topic at the family dinner table. Yet, if you or someone you care for has a mobility impairment, disaster-preparedness is an essential part of ensuring a quick and safe evacuation.
Thankfully, planning doesn’t have to happen all at once; and hopefully, most plans will never get used. But it’s worth being prepared, as many emergencies happen with little warning and can escalate quickly.
Let’s break down what you need to know about the 4 major types of evacuations, the 3 evacuation alert levels, and how an emergency evacuation chair (or paramedic stair chair) can help get everyone out safely.
Thankfully, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made it their mission to help individuals and organizations of every kind be prepared to respond appropriately in the face of national emergencies and disasters.
But while they offer a wealth of guides to aid proactive planning, like the Planning Considerations on Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place, these are often aimed at organizations or government bodies and can feel overwhelming or be too detailed for individuals. So we’ve distilled the basics of what you need to know.
Emergencies aren’t always at the same scale. An evacuation for a localized fire in your apartment building won’t be the same as that from flooding or wildfire. Here are 4 types of evacuation to prepare for:
While orders from emergency services and officials always take precedence during an emergency, being prepared with a plan and some packed essentials will greatly improve your chances of staying safe. Doubly so if you or someone you care for has a mobility impairment. Our free guide to planning for fire evacuations is an excellent place to start! Download your copy by clicking the button below.
With larger-scale crises, such as natural disasters, you may have official alert levels that help you judge the risks and plan for your evacuation. While these may vary between counties or states, alert levels are generally characterized in 3 stages, or “Ready, Set, Go!”.
Emergency services personnel have a range of evacuation aids they may employ during an emergency. However, an evacuation chair is so easy to use that it doesn’t need a professional to operate
This means that anyone with a mobility impairment can evacuate to safety well ahead of time, with the help of only two assistants. An emergency evacuation chair can help you:
While we hope you never have to use it, proactively investing in an emergency evacuation stair chair can greatly increase your chances of a safe and quick evacuation if needed. And, in the event of emergency personnel arriving, they’d know exactly how to use the chair too!
At Mobile Stairlift, we’re committed to helping you prepare and stay safe. We’ve created a durable, lightweight and FDA-approved evacuation chair with this in mind. Visit our website to learn more about the EZ Evacuation Chair, or contact us directly with your query.