IF YOU THINK THE FIRE SERVICE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVACUATING OR RESCUING YOUR STAFF, RESIDENTS, VISITORS OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FROM YOUR PREMISES.......... YOU ARE WRONG!

In any organisation it is the responsibility of management to plan for the evacuation of all people including people with disabilities using their premises. Personalised plans should be prepared for disabled employees, residents, vulnerable adults and children or other regular users

It should also be borne in mind that not all mobility-impaired people are wheelchairs users. Users of aids such as walking sticks and Zimmer frames should also be considered. Whereas people in wheelchairs may be accompanied by someone familiar with manoeuvring the wheelchair around, people with sticks or frames may be alone - and there is potential for them to disrupt the evacuation procedure. Getting someone who relies on a Zimmer frame down stairs in an emergency could be slower than assisting a wheelchair user by carrying them in an evacuation chair or on an evacuation mattress. This should be taken into account when formulating the emergency plan.