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A Powered Solution for Stadium Steps
Providing emergency services at Daytona International Speedway is a tall order. Besides preparing for and responding to the crashes involved in high-speed racing, the track’s paramedic, EMT and firefighting personnel are responsible for the safety of crowds that can number well into six digits.
In a large stadium, getting to those attendees—and getting them out when they have problems—involves a lot of steps. That’s where the PowerTraxx option on Ferno’s EZ Glide stair chair is a benefit.
“We use stair chairs in our grandstand area, and what we like about the powered version is how it can adapt and handle climbing both up and down different types of steps,” says Troy Willrick, the track’s senior director of event and emergency services. “In older sections of the grandstands, there are steps of different materials, both aluminum and concrete, and it handles both easily.”
A renovation to the venerable speedway’s grandstand areas is making everything modern and uniform, but steps remain an unavoidable part of emergency medical services at any event venue. Daytona fans suffer all the usual maladies seen at mass gatherings: illnesses and injuries; trips, slips and falls; heat issues; occasional big stuff like cardiac problems. The PowerTraxx feature simplifies their removal for definitive care.
The PowerTraxx powers loads up to 500 lbs. smoothly up and down stairs without carrying or lifting. An electronically controlled motor and direct-drive transmission power the chair’s tracks, minimizing the weight assumed by operators. Simple paddle controls direct operation; a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, commercially available, provides the juice.
“The crews love them, and from an employer standpoint, we believe they reduce the risk of back injuries,” says Willrick. “Moving guests from the grandstands involves lifting and walking backward while moving up and down stairs in a crowd-filled environment. The powered chairs are easier for our crews and less traumatic for their patients.”
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