We tried to overcome issues by showing the pupil how the chair worked on a member of staff, then gave them a chance to sit in it and be pushed on the flat, then moved on to a 3 step flight of stairs before finally to a normal flight of stairs. It took a long time!

Hi

If the pupil won't get in the evac-chair to practice moving down the stairs, it could still be planned to be used in an emergency. It is  important however to ensure they are able to transfer in and out of the evac-chair; i.e. practice the transfers so that everyone knows it's a viable plan in an emergency. I'm sure they'd be more agreeable if there was an actual emergency!

Make sure the pupil knows what the plan is and make sure the staff receive regular practice so they're confident and capable of carrying out the plan in the event of an emergency. The staff practice is not only helpful for them but helps keep the machinery working - we've had a problem with an 'Evac+Chair' which was sat on the wall for an extended period. The rubber track was deformed around the wheels so that the track lost its resistance/braking effect when it was pushed down some stairs (a very frightening experience for our colleague who just managed to hold on to the chair before it ran away from him with an adult sat in it). Using this type of equipment termly for practice should stop this issue from occurring (the manufacturers have 'logged' the complaint but not sure if they've changed the design)

Thank you both

Also worth checking that the evac chair provides suitable support for the pupil. One of ours cannot use the chair so we have an alternative system in place.