Characterizing egress components for wheelchair users in dormitory building fires

Abstract

People with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups in building fires. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, an estimated 700 home fires involve people with physical disabilities each year. In parallel, the National Fire Protection Association estimates that 11% of civilian fire deaths were people with disabilities. Despite these statistics, the current body of literature shows few studies focused on the evacuation of disabled people. To bridge this knowledge gap, this paper presents findings on the evacuation processes of wheelchair users in a low-rise apartment (dormitory) building. More specifically, we simulate 1–3 wheelchair users in a dormitory building at our home institution via 327 simulations to examine evacuation time as well as identify structural aids and barriers. As a byproduct of this research, a new dynamic structural ranking system of egress components is proposed for wheelchair users, and a series of suggestions for structural modifications to improve the egressibility of the simulated building are provided.