I not sure I can help in your request and I am not familia
Shane
I not sure I can help in your request and I am not familiar with these
hoists but hopefully the position of the wheelchair and the hoist will
not restrict the evacuation of the coach in an emergency?
I was on a coach travelling down the M6 21st October 1985 when it was
involved in a collision. The evacuation was going smoothly, people even
taking their time getting their luggage together, until thick black
smoke entered the compartment and then there was one mad rush for the
exit. Even though there were no disabled people on that coach 3 people
died on it because they could not get out. Hopefully they have improved
the amount of exits? I not been on an intercity coach since. Breakable
or moveable windows? If there had been a wheelchair user on that coach
they would have definitely died, a smoke hood or oxygen mask would be
needed to buy them and others who would need to help the time needed to
evac them, smoke inhalation was what killed the people who didn't get
off the coach.
Some sort of slide next to the window where the wheelchair position is,
airplane style would certainly aid evacuating someone who would possibly
be a dead weight.
Sorry but your email just brought back some old memories and I was
wondering if anyone had seriously thought about how they get people out
of a coach in an emergency now that they have figured how to get them in
one especially as the time available to get out will be a lot less then
the time available to get in. Not much different to Part M ie how many
fire exits do you see with steps!!
Kind Regards
Justin Ryan
Accessibility and Inclusion Manager
Southeastern,
Floor 3, Friars Bridge Court,
41-45 Blackfriars Road,
London, S.E.1 8PG
T. 0207 620 5536 int 00-0075536
M. 07771 827121
F. 0207 620 5547
-----Original Message-----
From: Accessibuilt list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Shane Hogan
Sent: 23 May 2008 15:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Evacuation for wheelchair users on coaches
Hi folks
I'm trying to get information on possible approaches for evacuating
wheelchair users or other persons with mobility difficulties from
inter-city
coaches.
One of the coach companies here in Ireland has added some coaches with
wheelchair lifts to its fleet. As you may know, these inter-city
coaches
have a completely different design to city buses. The seating area for
all
passengers (including wheelchair users) is quite high in the coaches,
located before the baggage compartments. These new coaches are fitted
with
an integrated lift which lifts a wheelchair user up from the kerb into a
designated position, where the wheelchair is strapped in. This company
is
now considering options for emergency evacuations.
The wheelchair lift can be operated manually, so an engine or power
failure
is not a huge problem. However, it is possible that the lift and/or the
door could be badly damaged in a collision or that a fire would
necessitate
an emergency evacuation.
I have advised them that all customers have different disabilities and
that
some customers may be able to get out independently. I have also
suggested
that evacuation should be a last resort, and only done when really
necessary. It should not be the default policy to evacuate the bus every
time it breaks down.
Has anyone come across any useful approaches or equipment that would be
relevant to these situations?
Many thanks
Shane
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Run by SURFACE for more information on research, consultancy and the distance taught MSc. in Accessibility and Inclusive Design programme visit:
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