Understanding Fire: How Portland residents can plan around mobility and functional disabilities

3/11/2020 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO of Northwest Portland NOW at 503-SERVPRO if you have fire damage in your home or business!

STOP! If you have fire or smoke damage in your property right now, call us at 503-SERVPRO RIGHT NOW. Don’t wait to mitigate - the longer damage sits unattended, the more likely it will develop secondary damage. Call us at 503-SERVPRO now.

SERVPRO of Northwest Portland understands the devastation a fire has on a residential home or commercial business. We understand the journey of trying to return back to normal after a home or business has fire damage.

Here at SERVPRO of Northwest Portland, we’re passionate about spreading emergency preparedness awareness. We’ve written four blogs on this topic, What to know if fire occurs in your home or business, What to remember when building a fire escape plan, How smoke detection tools can save lives, and How to stay safe while evacuating.

For our next installment in our Understanding Fire series, we’re highlighting the importance of fire prevention and preparedness for older adults or those with access and functional needs.

Those with accessibility issues or functional needs can be affected by various different things, such as a hindered ability to get around or move quickly; diminished or absent senses, whether that is vision, hearing or smell; as well as medical conditions that require aids or medication to function.

For those with functional or accessibility needs, it’s important for themselves and their community to understand the different measures that need to be taken to ensure their safety in fire emergency situations.

According to Ready.gov, those with functional needs will be safest if they arrange to live and sleep near an exit. If those individuals live in a two story building or an apartment, securing a ground floor unit or arranging to sleep on the first floor near an exit is their safest choice.

If individuals have a walker or a wheelchair, it is advised that they make sure each exit is checked for ease of use for those with mobility aids. 

For fire safety, it is not only important to ensure accessibility accommodations on the main entrance, but at emergency evacuation exits as well, if possible. Speak with family members, building managers, or neighbors about fire safety plans and practice with them.

For evacuation concerns for those with accessibility and functional needs, they’re encouraged to contact their fire department’s non-emergency line and explain their special needs. They should be able to ask the emergency providers to keep their special needs information on file.

Lastely, keep an active and well charged phone near the bed and be ready to call 9-1-1 if a fire occurs. 

Remember: fire travels fast and can grow into a major fire in under 30 seconds. Always be ready, and plan for the worst case scenario. 

If you sustain fire or smoke damage in your home or business, call SERVPRO of Northwest Portland at 503-283-3658.

Sources: Ready.gov