What accommodation should be considered for people with mobility impairments during evacuations?

• A. Staff-assisted, accessible evacuation plans with designated helpers
• B. No planning needed; everyone exits individually
• C. Accessible evacuation plans with staff assistance and designated helpers
• D. Only rely on alarm systems without staff support

Answer: (C)

For evacuations, the key idea is to ensure mobility-impaired individuals have a practical, supported path to safety. An accessible evacuation plan that includes staff assistance and designated helpers is the safest and most reliable approach. Trained staff or designated helpers know how to assess each person’s needs, assist them in moving to a safer exit, and coordinate using appropriate equipment or procedures. This reduces delays, prevents people from being left without help, and ensures clear roles and communication during an emergency.

Relying on alarms alone doesn’t address the real challenge for mobility-impaired evacuees, and exiting individually without planned support can lead to confusion, misnavigation, or incapacity to reach a safe exit in time. A plan that pairs accessibility with staffed support and prepared helpers creates a controlled, orderly process that improves safety for everyone.