#163101 - 01/14/09 03:50 PM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: Andy]
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Journeyman
Registered: 12/19/08
Posts: 55
Loc: Central Virginia
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As others suggest, keep supplies at your work place including water, batteries, spare clothing, long life foods, flashlight, radio etc.
Would funds and storeage space permit of keeping a spare wheelchair at you work place? Just in case yours suffers any damage that cant be readily repaired.
Do you need elevators to get to/from your office? If so, how will you get from your office to your van when the power goes out? Maybe your building has a back-up generator and it's not an issue, but if it is, supplies in the office which would allow you to bug-in there might be appropriate. You know the situation, your call.
[how do you get those boxes around quotes from replies?]
Regarding above: I have some gear and supplies in my office. I work on the 3rd floor mostly - we do have a back-up generator in our building but elevators go to street level and stay. We have three spare wheelchairs on site for the public. I can get up and down stairs if I have to (stayed on the 5th floor of a hotel when a fire broke out at 4 a.m. - it was their last room). We have at least one off duty police officer and at least four of our own security officers on site whenever we're here - they have police/local radios and I know them all very well. We've had a few alarm drops / bomb scares and evacs went well. I have a number of people who would remember I'm in the building.
One darkly humerous thing - We have "Areas of Rescue Assistance" in the building for those who cannot evacuate. These are most stairwell landings with additional fire protection. I thought - that's a good idea ... and it is except the intercoms from these areas go to our fire control center which is in the building! Oh boy.
On a related note - I fly a couple times a year and a talkative and honest flight attendant explained to me that if they need to evacuate the plane, I'm the last to get out. It would take too long to arrange for me to get to the exit and so on (a form of triage). Good to know, I suppose. As I thought about it, I would have written the same rule. Makes sense. Personally, I like to fly with my very strong 18 yr old son sitting next to me or, if alone, I hope to sit near some big strong friendly person.
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#163102 - 01/14/09 03:58 PM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: Wheels]
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Old Hand
Registered: 11/26/06
Posts: 724
Loc: Sterling, Virginia, United Sta...
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[how do you get those boxes around quotes from replies?] [quote]This is quoted text.[/quote] Results:Input:[quote=SomeDude]This is quoted text from SomeDude.[/quote] Results:This is quoted text from SomeDude.
_________________________
“Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee. Sometimes old people hike by mistake.” — Demitri Martin
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#163104 - 01/14/09 04:13 PM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: Wheels]
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Pooh-Bah
Registered: 12/18/08
Posts: 1534
Loc: Muskoka
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As others suggest, keep supplies at your work place including water, batteries, spare clothing, long life foods, flashlight, radio etc.
Would funds and storeage space permit of keeping a spare wheelchair at you work place? Just in case yours suffers any damage that cant be readily repaired.
Do you need elevators to get to/from your office? If so, how will you get from your office to your van when the power goes out? Maybe your building has a back-up generator and it's not an issue, but if it is, supplies in the office which would allow you to bug-in there might be appropriate. You know the situation, your call.
[how do you get those boxes around quotes from replies?]
Regarding above: I have some gear and supplies in my office. I work on the 3rd floor mostly - we do have a back-up generator in our building but elevators go to street level and stay. We have three spare wheelchairs on site for the public. I can get up and down stairs if I have to (stayed on the 5th floor of a hotel when a fire broke out at 4 a.m. - it was their last room). We have at least one off duty police officer and at least four of our own security officers on site whenever we're here - they have police/local radios and I know them all very well. We've had a few alarm drops / bomb scares and evacs went well. I have a number of people who would remember I'm in the building.
One darkly humerous thing - We have "Areas of Rescue Assistance" in the building for those who cannot evacuate. These are most stairwell landings with additional fire protection. I thought - that's a good idea ... and it is except the intercoms from these areas go to our fire control center which is in the building! Oh boy.
On a related note - I fly a couple times a year and a talkative and honest flight attendant explained to me that if they need to evacuate the plane, I'm the last to get out. It would take too long to arrange for me to get to the exit and so on (a form of triage). Good to know, I suppose. As I thought about it, I would have written the same rule. Makes sense. Personally, I like to fly with my very strong 18 yr old son sitting next to me or, if alone, I hope to sit near some big strong friendly person. If you click on the quote beside the reply button it gives you the quote in a box too. You seem to have most things covered pretty well. I might suggest a racing pennant for your chair in traffic as well as flagging your van. They make them that just slip on and some come in sections like a fishing rod. edit: One of the most effective styles of reflective decal I have seen was reflective tape applied in a diagonal to the rear of the vehicle. A friend who delivers rural mail has it on her car. Here is a link about it being applied to a bike. http://www.instructables.com/id/Bright_Bike/The stuff they used on this bike looks like a solid colour (black) until the light hits it, then it lights up like a road sign.
Edited by scafool (01/14/09 04:19 PM)
_________________________
May set off to explore without any sense of direction or how to return.
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#163115 - 01/14/09 05:22 PM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: scafool]
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Enthusiast
Registered: 12/31/06
Posts: 301
Loc: NE Ohio
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Welcome to the forum Wheels. We're in the same neck of the woods, and yes the weather sure sucks right now. A little chilly!
It sounds like you are pretty well set. I didn't read all the posts, so I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but I would find a way to stash some spare cash inside your wheelchair somehow in case you get held up.
_________________________
Improvise, adapt, and overcome
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#163129 - 01/14/09 06:27 PM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: paramedicpete]
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I am not a P.P.o.W.
Old Hand
Registered: 05/16/05
Posts: 1058
Loc: Finger Lakes of NY State
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Welcome to the forum Wheels! 
_________________________
Our most important survival tool is our brain, and for many, that tool is way underused! SBRaider
Head Cat Herder
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#163157 - 01/14/09 09:01 PM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: Wheels]
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found in the wilderness
Journeyman
Registered: 12/22/06
Posts: 76
Loc: Ohio
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Things I would want and didn't see mentioned:
Freeze-proof containers with drinkable water
Coffee can to melt snow over a candle or stove
A book or two to survive the boredom
Edited by ohiohiker (01/14/09 09:01 PM)
_________________________
Bushcraft Science: It's not about surviving in the wilderness, it's about thriving in the wilderness.
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#163199 - 01/15/09 01:28 AM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: Wheels]
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Addict
Registered: 11/30/05
Posts: 598
Loc: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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May sound odd but what pops into my head is EDC a length of rope (light weight but strong). Might give you some options in negotiating "not so flat" terrain.
Just a thought.
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peace,
samhain autumnwood
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#163211 - 01/15/09 03:09 AM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: samhain]
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Pooh-Bah
Registered: 03/08/07
Posts: 2208
Loc: Beer&Cheese country
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If you go with rope, don't forget some sort of equipment to anchor/pulley with. I can't comment much more on that...
Having had the "fun" of pulling a wheelchair down the aisle in a plane, yeah, it's a PITA. The chair is just small enough to squeeze between the aisle, has 2 wheels on the back. In fact, it looks a lot like the stair-chair we used in EMS, if you've ever seen those. Anyway, if you need to evac a plane, you might be better off just "standing" as best you can and swinging off the top of the chairs, if you're able to do that much (and hopefully not sitting in the back row). Or, at 125#, maybe just catch a piggy-back off the biggest guy (...uh...or girl...) you can find.
Something else caught my eye. You mention you have brittle bones... maybe some XS Tylenol, or Vicodin, and a few splints, in case you do manage to break something? I can't imagine how difficult that would be to get to and then apply, but just a thought.
Welcome!
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#163214 - 01/15/09 03:55 AM
Re: Unusual situation
[Re: Wheels]
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Jakam
Unregistered
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I read the other posts, but I think what you're asking is not about bug in but what else you may be missing?
I'm also a big bug in proponent, I want to stay with all my stuff and, if can't, rely on whatever fraction of gear that I could successfully haul in worst case scenarios.
So you have the major stuff covered, it sounds like.
As far as your chair- do you have grade aids in case of hills that you could leave in the van and add on in a pinch?
Are you top heavy or could you sling a pack over the push handles without a tipping hazard? I'm sure you know anti tippers can be a hassle even on curb cuts and such.
If not, is there enough space on your lower front to handle extra gear? Like maybe a small, wide board to set and place your feet on that could extend past your toes and become your haul platform.
Are your front casters air filled or meant only for hard surface? You may want to get some quick release 3 or 5 inch inflatables for easier rough rides.
I'd avoid flat free inserts, very stiff, and go with a commercial bicycle anti puncture treatment, Mr Tuffy, Slime, etc. You could do that with your vehicle tires as well, I think.
Also, if you're in NE Ohio, Invacare is based in Elyria, see if you can become a product tester and score some free stuff. They used to manufacture some Quickie knock off's that were very reliable. I think they sold that division but may still have product.
If your concerns are vehicle based only, forgive my digression. I don't know what you've considered in case you have to push sans van for any length of time.
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