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On October 2nd, during the VIII National Seminar and Training Workshops of SITP and CNBOP-PIB in Warsaw, I co-facilitated workshops dedicated to the evacuation of people with special needs. In my presentation, I focused on two interrelated issues: voice communication in emergency situations and the use of elevators for evacuation.

A person awaiting assistance must be able to respond.

When someone is waiting for evacuation, simply issuing a message is not enough to determine their situation. There needs to be an opportunity for conversation: the person waiting can say where they are and what assistance they need, while staff or rescuers can provide further instructions.

During the workshop, I explained the difference between a sound warning system (SWS), which broadcasts messages, and a voice communication system in emergencies (VCSE), which allows for two-way communication. This distinction is practically significant when designing waiting areas for evacuation and organizing rescue operations.

I also discussed the assumptions of the guidelines being developed by CNBOP-PIB/SITP regarding such systems. Designing requires looking at the entire facility: the location of intercoms, the ability to use them by people with various needs, backup power, monitoring faults, and cooperation with other safety devices. The starting point should be a risk analysis and an adopted evacuation strategy.

The elevator is part of the evacuation strategy.

The second part of my presentation was dedicated to elevators used for the evacuation of people with disabilities. I referred to the standard PN-EN 81-76:2025-12, which describes additional requirements for new elevators that can support such evacuations. In the presentation, I discussed, among other things, the modes of operation of the elevator, communication with the cabin and stops, safe waiting areas, and the behavior of the system in case of power disruptions.

The decision to use an elevator requires answers to specific questions: which floors it should serve, how many people may need assistance, who will direct the evacuation, and what will happen if the elevator becomes unavailable. Technical solutions must align with procedures and the preparedness of people using the building.

I also referred to the solutions proposed in the draft version of the new technical conditions discussed in the presentation. The discussed design provisions and the draft guidelines regarding voice communication must be distinguished from the applicable requirements and their current status should be checked before applying them in a specific project.

The practical conclusion from the workshops is this: effective evacuation of people with special needs arises from a combination of available communication, appropriately selected technical solutions, and practiced actions. I encourage designers, assessors, and facility managers to check these three elements together already at the stage of creating the evacuation strategy.

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