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Somewhere on the Internet, news is breaking
By adamg on Thu, 04/29/2010 - 8:17am
Another morning, another meeting without radio contact. So if you spot any Boston-worthy news, post away!
For example: If you happen to see a story that explains how much Homeland Security is paying for 20 new "evacuation chairs" to get the elderly and the disabled out of the T in an emergency, well, a link will be appreciated (the new chairs, to be deployed across the system after consultation with the elderly and the disabled, and after several months of joint training between T workers and the Boston Fire Department, are to be announced at 9 a.m.).
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Comments
Apparently, several of these chairs have already been deployed.
There's been one at Boylston outbound for the past three weeks. It's mounted to the fence next to the CSA's nap - er - information kiosk in a white steel box with the words "Evacuation Chair", a weird "chair" icon, and the manufacturer's name (I forget who at the moment) on it.
So how does this chair work?
There is no elevator or escalator at Boylston, so does this chair have some sort of lift mechanism along the stairway leading to the street?
Not sure exactly how it works,
(even after browsing some manufacturer's cut sheets on the Web), but the chair apparently has some sort of self contained manual lift mechanisim that hugs the stair risers when deployed. However, it is not a self-operating unit, and requires a second person to work it.
It's also interesting that all the information I reviewed talks about using the chair to evacuate a person DOWN a set of stairs (such as in a high rise building), but is totally silent on how one uses the chair to move a person UP a set of stairs (such as at a T station). Even so, it is apparently something that requires at least a minimum of basic training for somebody to properly use (i.e. Joe Q. Public probably couldn't deploy it, even if he had a key to the locked cabinet).
Anyone know if the Boylston chair was used last night?
... since it was one of the stations that had to be closed due to smoke?
Government Center has one too
Government Center has one too right at the top of the stairs in the ziggurat.
Stair chair manufacturer.
It's manufactured by a company called Stryker. They also manufacture hospital beds and ambulance cots, among other things. It has a pair of friction tracks that rides on stair treads and slows the decent, allowing 1 rescuer to evacuate up to a 200 pound victim, or 2 rescuers to evac a 500 pound victim. It also has reinforced handles in the front and back for carrying victims upstairs. I'm don't know what it costs, but I'm sure it's in the thousands.
Stair chair down demo
Starting at 2:48. The chair kinda works the same going up, I suppose, except for the fighting gravity part. I can see how it would be easier to manage on stairs than a litter would be.
Interesting, DC is also
Interesting, DC is also getting these "evacuation chairs". Apparently, the steel cabinet that contains them costs more than the chair itself.
Also, if this chair uses the railing-elevator system, why doesnt Boylston have a full on electric lift that runs up and down the stairs?
Something like this, theyre all over europe.
http://j.b5z.net/i/u/2027107/i/InclinedMain.gif