Evacuation Chairs and Stair Descent Devices: Selection, Placement, Training and Operation

An evacuation chair is a specialized device designed to transport a mobility-impaired person down stairs during emergency evacuation. Most modern designs use a tracked belt mechanism — endless caterpillar-style tracks on the underside of the chair that engage the stair noses and allow the chair to descend in a controlled glide rather than being lifted step by step. Common brands include Evac+Chair (the inventor of the modern design, dating to 1982), Garaventa Evacu-Trac, Ferno Compact 4 Track, and Stryker Power-PRO 700. Capacity is typically 300 to 500 pounds; operating crew is typically 1 to 2 operators depending on the model (some designs are single-operator, others require two). The chair stows compactly on a wall-mounted bracket at the stair landing — typically in a labeled cabinet or behind a frangible cover so it is protected from misuse during normal operations but accessible in an emergency. The chair is part of the broader accessible-evacuation system that includes areas of refuge, two-way communication and PEEPs; the chair is the physical mechanism by which the assisted evacuation actually occurs.

Selection criteria include: (1) Occupant weight capacity — verify the chair supports the heaviest expected occupant; most models support 300 lb, premium models 400 to 500 lb. (2) Operator count — single-operator models (e.g., Evac+Chair MK4) are simpler but require more strength from a single user; two-operator models (e.g., Garaventa Evacu-Trac) are more controlled but require both operators to be trained and present. (3) Stair compatibility — verify the chair's track geometry matches the stair tread depth and riser height in your building (most modern designs accommodate 7-inch riser by 11-inch tread, the IBC standard, plus some variations). (4) Storage compactness — wall-mounted cabinet dimensions must fit the available landing space without obstructing the egress path; many designs fold to less than 36 inches. (5) Training requirements — some models are intuitive enough for one-time training while others require initial training plus annual refresher; consider the staff turnover rate when selecting. (6) Maintenance — chairs require periodic inspection of tracks, brakes and frame; select a model with available local service. (7) Cost — modern evacuation chairs run $1,500 to $5,000 each, with multi-chair facility programs requiring significant budgeting.

Evacuation chairs should be placed at the top of each exit stair on every floor where mobility-impaired occupants may need assistance. The typical configuration: one chair per stair per floor (so a 10-story building with two stairs has 18 chairs — top 9 floors have 2 chairs each plus the discharge level has none since no descent is needed). For buildings where mobility-impaired occupants are concentrated on certain floors (e.g., a corporate floor with a wheelchair-using executive, a healthcare floor with multiple non-ambulatory patients), additional chairs may be appropriate. The chair must be stored at the top of the stair (or in a clearly marked alcove adjacent to the area of refuge) where it can be retrieved quickly when needed. Storage must not obstruct the stair egress width; most chairs mount on a wall bracket that projects 6 to 8 inches from the wall, fitting within the ADA-allowed protrusion limit. The storage location must be marked with a high-mounted sign visible from across the floor (EVACUATION CHAIR with arrow) and a labeled cabinet at the chair location. The posted evacuation plan should mark each chair location with an icon.

Training is the critical success factor for evacuation chair programs. Without trained operators, the chair is useless equipment. Initial training: a hands-on session with the chair manufacturer's representative or a certified trainer, typically 2 hours, covering chair retrieval from storage, occupant transfer from wheelchair to chair, chair operation on stairs (descent technique, brake operation, turn radius at landings), occupant transfer from chair to safety at the bottom, chair retrieval and return to storage after use. Annual refresher: a 30 to 60 minute session repeating the key techniques, with practice descents on the actual building stairs. Trained operator roster: maintained by the emergency coordinator, with at least 2 operators per chair per floor per shift to ensure coverage. Recordkeeping: training dates, operator names, refresher schedule, maintained in the life-safety log. Most facilities integrate evacuation-chair training with the PEEP program — the designated assistants for any occupant who may need a chair are the primary chair operators. Training should include realistic scenarios — descent with a heavy occupant, descent in a smoke-filled stair, descent with limited operator strength — so operators are not surprised in an actual event.

The evacuation chair is used after the occupant has been moved (typically self-propelled in their normal wheelchair or with sighted-guide assistance) from their work area to the area of refuge at the stair. At the area of refuge, the assistants activate the two-way communication to inform the security desk that an assisted evacuation is in progress. Decision: depending on building policy, the chair may be used to descend the stairs to the discharge level (typical for low-rise and mid-rise buildings, and for events where responder assistance is not immediately available) or the occupant may wait in the area of refuge for responder-assisted evacuation (typical for high-rise buildings where responder ladder/stair equipment is available, and where occupant transfer to the chair carries its own risk). For chair-descent, two trained operators retrieve the chair from its storage location at the landing, transfer the occupant from their wheelchair to the evacuation chair, and descend the stair using the controlled-glide technique; at the discharge level, the occupant is transferred to safety (their wheelchair if it was moved separately, an alternate wheelchair at the discharge level, or a hospital-style gurney for very debilitated occupants).

Single-operator chairs (Evac+Chair MK5, MobileSled) reduce the staffing requirement but require greater operator strength and skill. Powered stair-climbing chairs (battery-driven track devices) reduce operator effort substantially and can be operated by a single person; downsides include battery life (typically 2 to 3 descents per charge, requiring maintenance), weight (often 50 to 80 lb empty), and cost ($5,000 to $15,000). Some facilities use rescue sleds — soft plastic or canvas devices that allow an occupant to be pulled down stairs in a horizontal position by a single operator; rescue sleds are simpler and lighter but less comfortable and less controlled than tracked chairs. The selection depends on the occupant population (sleds may be appropriate for cognitively impaired occupants who cannot transfer to a chair), the operator pool (powered devices may be appropriate where operator strength is limited), and the building characteristics. For high-rise buildings, the typical assumption is that responder-assisted evacuation will occur from areas of refuge rather than chair-descent from upper floors; chairs are still provided as a backup but the primary plan is responder evacuation.

EvacPlan Generator (www.evacplangenerator.com) provides an evacuation chair icon in the medical/accessibility category of the symbol library. The icon is placed at each chair storage location on the floor plan, typically adjacent to the area-of-refuge icon at the stair. The MAP KEY automatically includes the evacuation chair icon once placed on the plan, providing a clear legend for occupants, assistants and responders. For multi-floor buildings, each floor's plan shows that floor's chair locations; a separate page or annotation can list the full chair inventory by location for facility management. When chairs are added, moved or retired during the chair program lifecycle, the plan can be updated in minutes — the same revision workflow that handles fire extinguisher and AED changes handles chair changes. The visual mark on the plan reinforces the chair's existence and location for everyone in the building — without the plan mark, the chair behind a closet door at the stair landing might be invisible to people who don't already know where it is. Marking is the simplest, highest-impact intervention for the chair program after the chairs themselves and the operator training.