Visual, aural, and tactile wayfinding and personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) It may be acceptable for a small incident in certain buildings it could be possible to utilise the passive fire-resisting elements of the building, which might allow people with disabilities to move horizontally to the next fire compartment. It may be possible to then wait with a nominated person and return to the area from which the person started out after the emergency has ended. Persons who are either (or both) visually or hearing impaired, will require special considerations in the way the evacuations are made known and evacuation routes are marked. Hearing-impaired persons can be notified of the need for evacuation by a specific flashing light or strobe activated at the same time as an evacuation bell or klaxon, etc. In a previous section, we covered 'safe condition signage' and the requirement for graphic representation, this is put to good effect in routes for the hearing impaired to follow. An alarm siren would notify visually impaired persons, this can also be supplemented by a system utilising an automated voice that broadcasts information and commands. The use of tactile signs using the Braille language should be incorporated along evacuation routes to guide the person to points of safety. For those persons who are both visually and hearing impaired a simple solution is the use of the 'buddy system' , in which an able person is assigned to guide the person with disabilities via the evacuation routes to points of safety. People who have mobility problems may require the provision of evacuation lifts and refuges. Another method which could be of use would be the provision of 'Evacuation Chairs'. These are lightweight wheeled chairs and are designed to help and assist people with mobility problems downstairs and along corridors. A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) can also be made available to a disabled person who may need to get to a refuge or lift. The specific person may have to be alerted in the event of a fire by a visual or personal alarm, or by a trembler or pager. They may also require help from other parties during the evacuation. All these factors will need to be considered. Basically, a PEEP is an individual plan, which details how they will be alerted to danger in an emergency and how they will reach safety. To decide upon the most appropriate system to assist in the evacuation of people with disabilities, it may be an advantage to engage the person at the planning stage. One way of doing this is the use of a specific questionnaire.
©SHEilds – All rights reserved FC V 5 JUN 2021
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