Orthopedic chairs - Evac (evacuation) Chair

Evacuation chairs, also referred to as evac chairs, are special chairs that can be used in emergency situations, e.g. when a building needs to be evacuated as a result of a fire or an explosion.

These chairs are therefore used for the fast removal, from a hazardous area, of anyone who is disabled or anyone who has been injured and who is incapable of evacuating the building without assistance.

What is an evac chair

An evac chair is a strong lightweight chair that is used to carry a disabled or injured person out of a building in a fast and safe manner. For this reason it has a special design that caters for its unique application.

Most evac chairs will fold up so that they can be safely stored in strategic locations within a building. They are designed with a lightweight tubular frame that minimises their width, length and weight in order to make them fit through narrow corridors, stair wells and other restricted areas. A major assumption of their use is that they will be operational during a time of panic where obstructions, barriers and disorganised groups of people make leaving a building challenging if not dangerous.

Types of evacuation chair

There are a number of manufacturers of evac chairs and different chairs offer different transportation solutions.

The most basic evacuation chair is carried by two people (normally one to the front and one to the rear). However, there are special evac chairs that are designed to traverse not only corridors, but also stairs and these use a clever frame or multiple wheel design that requires only one person to hold and direct the chair.

Legal requirements

Before buying an evacuation chair you should seek advice relating to your national Health and Safety regulations. Any chair that you keep within your premises will need to comply with all appropriate legislation.

Furthermore, most national Health and Safety regulations will require that there be appointed or designated operators of these chairs within an organisation. These operators will be individuals who have completed a recognised course in the use and application of an evac chair. It may also be necessary to include this information, and the names of the appropriate personnel, in any company Health and Safety policies.

The evac chair is used by emergency services across the world and it has successfully assisted in the evacuation and rescue of many people who have been subjected to disaster situations like gas explosions, terrorism and earthquakes.