title: Evaluating the physical demands on firefighters using track-type stair descent devices to evacuate mobility-limited occupants from high-rise buildings.
abstract: The physical demands on firefighting personnel were investigated when using different types of track-type stair descent devices designed for the emergency evacuation of high rise buildings as a function of staircase width and evacuation urgency. Twelve firefighters used five track-type stair descent devices during simulated urgent and non-urgent evacuations. The devices were evaluated under two staircase width conditions (1.12, and 1.32 m), and three devices were also evaluated under a narrower staircase condition (0.91 m). Dependent measures included electromyographic (EMG) data, spine motion, heart rates, Borg Scale ratings, task durations and descent velocities. Stair descent speeds favored the devices that had shorter fore/aft dimensions when moving through the landing. EMG results indicated that there were tradeoffs due to design features, particularly on the landings where the physical demands tended to be greater. On the landings, devices that could be rolled on four wheels reduced the deltoid and bicep activation levels.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Jay P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Orthopedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address: Lavender.1@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lavender
authors.affiliation: Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Glenn E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hedman
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Reichelt
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sanghyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Conrad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001107:Architectural Accessibility; D004576:Electromyography; D004867:Equipment Design; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D061388:Firefighters; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008348:Manikins; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D013131:Spine / Q000502:physiology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000379:methods*; D014741:Video Recording; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Evacuation of individuals with disabilities; Firefighter/EMS; Stair descent devices