Which is the right chair for your passenger, operator or building?

There are a wide range of evacuation chairs and related products available on the market, and choosing the right equipment for your organisation will depend on a number of factors. We’re happy to answer any questions to assist in your decision-making process, but here’s an overview of how some of our most popular products are commonly used.

Choosing an evacuation chair

Entry-level evacuation chairs such as the Exitmaster EGO, the Exitmaster Original or the Globex Standard Evacuation Chair are great all-rounders, versatile enough to suit many operating environments and passenger specifications.Designed to be lightweight and easy to use while also offering a robust frame for passenger stability, these models combine comfort and reliability with excellent value. More advanced models like the Exitmaster Versa and Elite incorporate features such as increase weight capacity, foot rest, full harness and arm rests which offer more tailored support for individuals.

Accessibility and safe storage

The location of these designated evacuation routes will play a part in your decision about where to store your evacuation chair – it’s vital that such equipment is easily accessible in the event of a fire or other emergency that necessitates evacuation from the premises.

In general, chairs should be stored in or near a fire refuge point. The chair should be quickly accessible by any designated persons, for example, your appointed fire warden or fire marshal, or staff specifically designated to assist in the evacuation of mobility impaired individuals.

At the same time, it is important that the evacuation chair (and any other specialist evacuation equipment) is safely and securely stored so that it does not in itself block evacuation routes or otherwise present a health and safety hazard for others. Fortunately, most evacuation chairs fold flat, and many are supplied with a wall bracket for easy storage.

Powered evacuation chairs and other options

All evacuation chairs are designed to make it easy to move a mobility impaired person on stairs, but powered models can help make the operator’s job even easier. Products such as the Globex Stairclimber evacuation chair provide both fully powered movement and a strong full metal frame designed to accommodate heavier passengers (with an impressive load capacity of up to 182 kg) while only requiring a single operator.

For more specialised applications where you want to move an individual between floors while remaining in their own wheelchair, you may want to consider solutions such as the Stairmate-Major Super Trac platform or, for narrower stairwells, the powerful Stairmate SAS Compact.