Beyond fantasy characters such as the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch, no American is impervious to flame, and all face burn injury threats from fires. But only a small percentage of Americans face such threats with one crucial added concern: a handicap that makes them mobility-impaired.

Such was the case for a Houston woman last week when her high-rise apartment building had a fire alarm. The woman, who’s partly paralyzed, was told via alarm that she had to evacuate the building while using stairs, not an elevator. But she knew she couldn’t do that in a motorized wheelchair from her 25th floor residence in Greenway Condominiums.

Fortunately, she entered a hallway where she found a valiant neighbor who carried her down the stairs all the way to the building’s lobby. And fortunately, the fire was confined to a clothes dryer and was quickly extinguished.

But this woman’s concerns, and those of many others, remain: How does a handicapped person evacuate a high-rise  building? Authorities can’t just turn on a fire alarm and then wait for residents do to all the rest.

A Houston fire inspector recommends that those with mobility problems notify their building manager in advance of their location and of their special needs in the event of an emergency. The Houston Fire Marshal’s office also recommends that such persons await assistance at fire exits or the entrance to stairwells, if not on the landing just within a stairwell.

Another solution, of course, would be to avoid living on an upper floor if you’re unable to walk down those flights in event of a fire. While a neighbor or apartment manager should always help a mobility impaired person, there’s no guarantee that this will happen during the frantic chaos of an emergency.

This problem also begs the question of whether an apartment complex gives priority to handicapped persons for lower-floor units. Just as some areas in theaters are set aside for those using wheelchairs, lower floors of high-rise apartments would seem a natural fit for those with mobility concerns.

At any rate, all this provides more food for thought for those who believe problems can be corrected with foresight and diligence. As with any emergency, it’s best to be prepared.

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