Aston Villa scores for safety

Premier League football club, Aston Villa, has installed specialist evacuation chairs from Evac+Chair International, at its world famous stadium Villa Park.

The chairs are located at each of the stadium's refuge points to assist in the safe descent of those individuals unable to use the stairs in an emergency, whether at a match or an event.

The chairs, which have been installed in the multiuse sections of the event and corporate areas leading on to the spectator boxes, have been supplied and will also be maintained by Evac+Chair International.

The chairs 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.

The football club decided to install the chairs following a full health and safety review. Aston Villa recognised that whilst the majority of mobility impaired spectators and guests in the stadium are at ground level, those on higher floors of the main stands needed to have the correct equipment to be able to exit the building safely, should an emergency arise.