Blog > Thoughts > Sean's Thoughts > What would we do in an emergency situation?
What would we do in an emergency situation?
Written by Sean on Thursday, September 11, 2008
Not long ago, Chloe was discussing being in a dangerous situation while in her wheelchair. She remained in her chair while making her way out of danger, despite a definite urgency to the situation. It made me think about the question of "what would I do in such a situation?".
This not an easy question. And it’s not such a rethotical one either if you spend any time in a wheelchair. It doesn’t take much. If you are on any level but the ground floor in a building, you must be aware of evacuation plans. How do you get out of the building if there’s an earthquake? How about a fire? How do you jump out of the way of a car backing out of a parking space that hasn’t seen you in their rearview mirror? How do you get out of the danger-zone in a bar brawl? What happens if your ferry sinks? Ok, perhaps these aren’t an every day occurence, but they are not so unusual that we are unlikely to meet at least one or two such situations in our wheeling days.
As this is September 11, I also want to remember the victims of all countries (90 countries, thousands of victims) who perished during the infamous attacks of that day. Many of these people were disabled. Many died because there were poor or no evacuation plans to get them out. I vividly remember the discussions in the disability community about the lack of preparedness to evacuate people with disabilities in case of emergency. Special types of chairs were designed or proposed to assist with evacuation afterwards. Let’s remember that the unlikely and unexpected *does* at times happen.
Back to the main topic. What would I do in a case of emergency? Would I break from my position as a wheelchair user and jump out of my wheelchair to run to safety? I guess ultimately it depends on the emergency and the situation. I should also introduce the caveat that I can only guess at my reaction, I won’t really know what I will do until, and unless, I am faced with it.
But from this viewpoint, I would think that it would take quite a lot before getting me to jump out of my chair. From experience I know that I remained in my chair when I was about to be hit by a car backing up. I *could* have jumped out of the chair I guess, but instead I pushed myself backwards and ended up flipping my chair – result, me, arse over head, wheel spinning, and car driver oblivious until a passerby stopped him and hurled insults at him. Was this high danger? I don’t really know. Definitely risk of bodily injury. Risk of death? Who knows.
What about a fire? Would I get out of my chair if it meant being able to jump through a window? Maybe. Maybe not. Getting down steps? Again it depends, doesn’t it? Are we on the first floor and there’s only one flight of steps to get down on my butt, or are we on the 15th floor?
The other question is this: would my remaining in my chair endanger someone else? Would me staying seated mean someone would have to venture into the danger zone to get me out? This becomes a more tricky ethical dilemna. But I don’t think I’d be able to face myself if I risked someone else’s life because of my need to be in a chair.
Nor could I, in good conscience, remain in my wheelchair if I could save someone else’s life by getting out of the chair.
Let’s just hope I never find myself in a situation where I could find out…
Tags: BIID, Danger, Disabilities, Earthquake, Emergency, Ethic, Fire, Risk, Wheelchair
This entry appears in Sean's Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
5 Comments
2 On 11 September, 2008, Claire said:
This is one of the main reasons I have not, and can’t, give up walking. Not for my safety, but for those around me. Mainly my kids. If my kid is drowning or about to get hit by a car you better believe I’ll leap out of my wheelchair and rush to rescue them. I’ll deal with the consequences later, but I can’t and won’t refuse to help when needed because of my BIID.
I’ve found myself having to deal with this contingency, because I am a wheelchair user.
Marie is right, often, evacuation plans for many places are not very well done even for fully able bodied persons, meaning it’s usually even worse for those with disabilities of any sort.
I have always drafted self-evacuation plans often when I enter a large venue (or most any environment for that matter) that is unfamiliar and where an emergency may take place.
Some of it is common sense; if a car is backing up in reverse, and you’re in the way, then the answer is to move out of said way, which even in a wheelchair is just a matter of accelerating to an open space out of the path of the vehicle…
…for fires, natural disasters, and the likes – well often it takes improvising for anyone’s sake. Paraplegics, etc. can climb or ‘jump’ out a window, too (and I have on one occasion). With the case of a speeding out of control car, again – I can leap out of my chair if I had too as well.
The surival instinct is strong for us, no matter what the medical situation may be. If such an event were to happen, your reaction may just very well be out of your control – and I wouldn’t say that using your legs in an emergency situation despite the BIID is anything damnable. BIID should be no reason to die or be harmed meaninglessly if there is an ability to escape such danger. I think Claire’s attitude is right; BIID is a (mental)disability, ‘pretending’ is a therapy for that, but is not a physical disability and we shouldn’t forget that for our own lives and for others.
That makes me wonder, though; [Claire et. al.], if you were a paraplegic, what would you do to be ready/in case of an emergency in a real situation? With the circumstances real and not being able to leap, run, etc. how would your attitudes/reactions be in that situation?
Two days in a row, yesterday and the day before, drivers did not see me as I was crossing from a store to the parking lot. They got pretty close, and I just wheeled faster. In a sudden situation like that it simply does not cross my mind to leap out of the chair. If I had five minutes to choose between staying in the chair and certain death then maybe I would get out of the chair.
If someone else’s life were at stake, especially my kids, I would definitely get out of the chair.
5 On 11 September, 2008, Claire said:
Dante, if I were a paraplegic, I suppose I’d do what any paraplegic does. I really can’t say what I’d do, as I’ve not come up against that situation. And I don’t even know, right now, what real paraplegics do! And I’m sure different paras do it different ways. Impossible to answer your question my friend. ;o)
Post your comments
© transabled.org - 1994-2012 - All Rights Reserved.
1 On 11 September, 2008, Marie said:
The evacuation plans for the WTC were very poor. Following the bombing in 1993 there were plans put in place but on September 11, 2001 people were told by emergency services (911) to stay where they are.
Some people believed that if they went to the roof they’d be rescued by helicopter (which had happened in 1993) – there was no such plans and it wasn’t possible in 2001 due to the heat of the fires.
Communications with the fire response teams in the lobby were frazzled and people were not told to get out of the building. It was poorly planned.
What would I do if I was simming and I heard a loud sound or vehicle coming towards me? If I’ve managed to stifle my reflex to react then I will slyly look to others for their reactions.
Or yesterday I’ll narrowly NOT get hit by a large SUV doing a dangerous U-Turn all the while remaining oblivious. Oops.
In my case visual awareness of my surroundings is key.