Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Evacuate Quickly and Safely in Any Situation

  • 09/01/15
EVAC+CHAIR

EVAC+CHAIR makes it possible for everyone to evacuate quickly and safely in an emergency, making them key to Cal. State University Long Beach’s emergency preparedness plans.

Evacuate Quickly and Safely in Any Situation CONTINUING to improve campus safety in case of an emergency, EVAC+CHAIR Evacuation Chairs have been installed in every multiple-story building at California State University Long Beach to provide those with access needs — such as those who are wheelchair bound or have been injured — a safe means of evacuation during an emergency.

EVAC+CHAIRs — 120 of them are located strategically across campus — are marked with a bright yellow cover and a photo-luminescent sign above them. The chairs fold up, allowing them to be easily transferred to the individual in need, hang on the wall and are lightweight, weighing only 19 pounds.

The EVAC+CHAIR is a universal evacuation solution for smooth stairway descent, without the need of great physical strength or lifting. The device will assist staff, students and visitors with temporary or permanent mobility impairment. It is lightweight and easy to use allowing wheelchair users or less able-bodied people to be evacuated quickly and safely down stairs in the event of an emergency.

Cal. State University Long Beach has encouraged staff and students with a mobility impairment to make themselves known, to ensure they are given high priority should the worst happen and an EVAC+CHAIR need to be used.

Regular fire drills and practice training are also part of the plan in an effort to improve safety and to safeguard the smooth operation of procedures. “In the event of an earthquake or a fire, you’re not allowed to use the elevators so those with access and functional needs, persons with disabilities, or those who have been injured above the first floor won’t readily be able to get downstairs to ground level,” says John Rosene, emergency management and preparedness coordinator at the university. “So in an effort to be ahead of the curve, institutions are moving towards this.”

www.evac-chair.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Washington State University Debuts New Engineering Hall

    Washington State University recently celebrated a dedication ceremony for the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall on its Pullman campus in Pullman, Wash., according to university news. The facility measures 66,288 square feet, and its completion marks the first milestone in a larger university effort to modernize the engineering and design district.

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • Missouri Child Development Center Completes $2.3M Expansion

    The Urban Sprouts Child Development Center in St. Louis, Mo., recently announced the completion of a $2.3-million expansion and adaptive reuse project, according to a news release. The new space includes a retail café, outdoor learning space, and a support office building.

  • Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year.