No fire instructions for wheelchair users

 

Fire instructions

I was in a large business complex recently and the fire alarm went off. It stopped after about fifteen seconds. It's just a false alarm I thought, but then it started again about thirty seconds later. Fire alarms are bloody loud! I mean inconveniently so, I was there for some relaxation, but there was nothing relaxing about this noise! We went to the lift area where there are fire instructions so we assumed this was where we should gather. Another person from another of the many businesses that reside here, gathered here as well. We were puzzled as to what was going on, but I thought I should read the fire instructions to find out what I should do because I wasn't quite sure. First of all there was a floor plan of the building. The fire instructions said I should gather at assembly point 5 or 8, so I referred to the floor plan which seemed to indicate the fire exits are down the stairs!?! 

I don't think I need to point out

to you that I find stairs quite tricky and not very wheelchair friendly

According to the fire instructions, I can't use the lifts either. It warns you in red letters.

• Do not use lifts

Erm, hello!? Person in a wheelchair who would rather not stay in the burning building. Clearly it's too dangerous to spend five seconds in the completely safe lift, so we'll keep me stranded on the 1st floor. <--that was said with sarcasm

Fire instructions

I was left on my own while the able bodied folk wandered off to find somebody to help. I was left on my own for around ten minutes with the soundtrack of the blaring alarm, and then it suddenly stopped.

The able bodied search party returned, it had taken a while for them to find somebody. When they did it appeared to be a false alarm as this security guard confirmed there was a fault in a far away section of the building. I found this to be quite comforting, I would rather it be wrong and cause me some inconvenience. However, when asked how a wheelchair user vacates the building in the case of a fire, he sheepishly said "dunno".

There was no clear plan for the people who rely on a wheelchair to get around. The instructions simply say:assisst disabled persons to evacuate to a place of safety. What exactly does this mean? Some people can't get out of their wheelchair. I (for example) can get out of my chair and can support my own weight, but I can't move quickly. The brief instructions for the disabled folk is the same blatant disregard I have experienced time and time again. The majority are able bodied, so we'll attend to their needs.

You can get special chairs that can navigate stairs. The most practical and affordable is one like the one pictured. It is just a basic chair with two bars with grips on the front and the back, that can be carried by two people. These aren't very expensive, retailing for around £100-£150, but is this extra cost necessary? Below is a video from a building I regularly frequent and in the case of fire anywhere in the building this would be shut down. It is a disabled lift. It's purpose is for those unable to use stairs, to get to the first floor of the building. It operates for around five seconds. It's not going to be used by hoards of panicking people, scrambling to get out of the building, it would be considerably quicker to use the stairs. It's only purpose would be to allow the disabled to get out.

@fatpigeonsbook

@fatpigeonsbook