A Study on Development of Fire Safety Design based on the Escape Behavior of the Disabled in the Lower-extrmities

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Questionnaire survey was made for the disabled in the lower-extremities living in Hanshin region inquiring the movability and uneasiness about the visit to buildings, their escape behavior, the place and kind of equipments which they think will assist them to escape from buildings in case of fire. Just after the survey, the Kobe Earthquake hit the Hanshin region. To compare the escape behavior before and after the Kobe Earthquake, similar questionnaire survey was again made for them, most of whom must have suffered from the earthquake. The findings from the study are as follows.1.The mobility and the consciousness of the disabled in the lower-extremities for escapeThe disabled in the lower-extremities feel uneasy about certain kinds of buildings and about the visit to the third floor and over or the first basement. The degree of their uneasiness varies according to the assistant implements they use. In particular, those who use wheelchairs have more uneasiness than those less disabled.2.The behavior in case of fire and the consciousness for escapeThey take passive escape action, and they consider balcony, outdoor slope, elevator for escape, slide, and area of rescue assistance helpful to their escape. The answers differ according to the assistant implements they use. In particular, those on wheelchairs feel more uneasy in escape.3.Change in the Consciousness of Escape Behavior after Kobe EarthquakeWhat they need in emergency escape are help by attendance, slope and elevator for escape use. Many of them try to take unassisted escape action, though they feel uneasy about the escape for the ground floor, and that they appreciate the effectiveness of balcony, elevator for escape, and area of rescue assistance.In conclusion, public facilities should be carefully and finely designed for the physically handicapped in terms of their safety in case of fire and earthquake as well as their daily convenience.