Outdoor clothing and equipment retailer, Cotswold Outdoor, is helping to ensure the safety of mobility-impaired customers by installing specialist evacuation chairs from Evac+Chair International into 20 of its 50 stores.

The chairs will be supplied and maintained by Evac+Chair International, the country’s leading provider of specialist evacuation chair systems, which are designed to provide assistance to people who have difficulty or are incapable of independently descending staircases in an emergency. Individuals with physical disabilities, pregnant women or the elderly are amongst those who could benefit from this additional safety facility.

Paul Colder, head of marketing at Evac+Chair International, said: “We are pleased that Cotswold Outdoor has recognised the importance of making specialist equipment available in its stores to assist those people who may have difficulty in leaving the building quickly and safely in an emergency.

“The provision of Evac Chairs enables retailers to provide alternative means of escape, not just for wheelchair users, but also for the able bodied who have sustained and are recovering from temporary injuries. Sports such as skiing and mountaineering are not without their risks, so it is particularly important that specialist retailers, such as Cotswold Outdoor, take extra care to ensure customers are kept safe whilst they shop.”

Evac Chairs can help business to comply with legislation and demonstrate that health and safety considerations are being taken seriously.