Safety Drill with mobility issues

[Ace5614]

Will be boarding the Nieuw Statendam on Sunday and my better half has mobility issues. Is there a place on the ship that we can go to after watching the film on the TV so she doesn't have to stand for the life jacket instructions?

Thanks.

[RuthC]

Most likely. The Nieuw Statendam holds muster at indoor venues, such as lounges, where there is seating. Locate your muster station in advance to be sure there is sufficient seating in yours. 

If not, notify the Front Desk that assistance is required for your 'better half'. They should make note of that, and send someone with a wheelchair to bring her to the station, and return her to the cabin later. The chair will provide seating during the drill. 
Be aware though, that assistance does not necessarily come promptly; patience is definitely required. I had to wait for my cabin steward to complete his duties, which included checking all his cabins that they were empty. Then he returned to me with a wheelchair, and had to find his way to my station. I was terrified in a real emergency I would not make it to the muster station in a timely fashion. 

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

Then he returned to me with a wheelchair, and had to find his way to my station. I was terrified in a real emergency I would not make it to the muster station in a timely fashion. 

You have just stated something that I have wondered about .

 

On Cruise Critic there is often a question about special accommodations for the muster drill.  It can range from needing extra help because of mobility issues to needing a quiet area for those on the spectrum.

 

What happens in a true emergency? It won't be quiet for those who can not tolerant noise.  Will there really be someone available to help carry someone up the stairs that can't walk on their own?

 

It makes me think about when my bad knee  reaches the point where I can not climb any stairs at all.

[Hlitner]

One would think that folks with impaired mobility would have a much greater interest in everything having to do with muster/safety drills.  In a real emergency these folks are at even greater risk and should understand all their options.  One might argue that they should get even more safety instruction, not less.

 

Hank

[Crew News]

The Passenger Safety Drill is held in the lounges and MDR since the Promenade Deck is too narrow for all to gather.  In a real emergency, passengers would gather in that same place and be escorted to their respective lifeboats on the Promenade Deck when called. 

 

If you completed the paperwork for those with mobility issues, the ship knows where you are and there are designated crew to evacuate you to the muster stations.  The NS has nearly 900 crew members to make that happen.

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

You have just stated something that I have wondered about .

 

On Cruise Critic there is often a question about special accommodations for the muster drill.  It can range from needing extra help because of mobility issues to needing a quiet area for those on the spectrum.

 

What happens in a true emergency? It won't be quiet for those who can not tolerant noise.  Will there really be someone available to help carry someone up the stairs that can't walk on their own?

 

It makes me think about when my bad knee  reaches the point where I can not climb any stairs at all.

 

The fact that a guest is mobility impaired and/or is handicapped/has limitations in any other way, has medical issues/is on oxygen, etc. is known to guest services (based on the guest(s) making the ship aware of those limitations beforehand and/or upon checking in on Day 1)

 

In the event of an emergency, including the need for a full muster at the ship's muster stations, it is not the room stewards who will respond to a particular stateroom to evacuate/assist guests with limitations, rather a specially trained group of dedicated personnel collectively known as the Passenger Assist Team. That group (PAT), drills regularly on their emergency function, along with other groups such as emergency elevator operators, emergency response support team, passenger and crew sweep teams, stairway traffic directors, etc. There are many such teams who have an emergency function

 

Staying calm in an emergency and following crew directions is essential for survival

[chengkp75]

To amplify on John's post, people think that the elevators are "shut down" in an emergency, and this is not true.  The elevators are placed in "firefighter" mode, just like in buildings, where someone with an access key has to call the elevator to where it is needed.  The fire teams all have these, as do other emergency teams, and there will be "emergency elevator operators" as John mentions to "man" the elevators and drive them where needed.  Part and parcel with giving passengers information regarding their muster location during the passenger drill, is also the training of the various teams John mentions who deal with mustering passengers during an emergency.  This is much more than the muster station leaders.  There will be teams to search every public space and passenger cabin, divided by deck and fire zone, and there will be teams assigned to direct traffic at stairwells, there will be teams assigned to go find the disabled and bring them to the muster locations.  About 80% of the crew have an assigned emergency duty, many that passengers never see, even during muster drill, and the rest are assigned to locations where they can be called on to assist the rest of the crew as needed, since every emergency is unique.

 

As for those who require quiet due to their disability, there is no remedy for that in a true emergency, but you must remember that in that true emergency, it is a life or death situation, so some discomfort on all involved must be tolerated.  If someone starts to react poorly due to autism and noise, then medical will be called to assist with whatever can be done.  Earplugs and hearing muffs can be provided from engineering if needed.

[Seasick Sailor]

Thank you Copper10-8 and chengkp75 for the emergency information. Your vast knowledge gives me peace of mind. 

[puppycanducruise]

3 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Thank you Copper10-8 and chengkp75 for the emergency information. Your vast knowledge gives me peace of mind. 

I echo your sentiments.

Thanks gentlemen.

[Ace5614]

Thanks for all your replies.

[mamaofami]

Thank you for this valuable information. I use a scooter when on board and take the elevator to the muster station we’ll before the appointed time for the drill. Frankly , I’ve never given thought to an emergency because I never think there will be one which is silly. I really appreciate now knowing what will happen if there is one.

[SargassoPirate]

19 minutes ago, mamaofami said:

Frankly , I’ve never given thought to an emergency because I never think there will be one which is silly. I really appreciate now knowing what will happen if there is one.

 

I think about it all the time, based on my career in fire and public safety.  It's one reason I am a thorn in the ship's officers sides when I cruise and see fire/life safety hazards such as mobility devices parked in the corridors and elevator crossovers.  Imagine if you turn out the lights, sound the emergency signal,  fill the corridor with smoke and panicked passengers, and leave those mobility devices to block the exits.

 

I think about it all the time 

[Serious Cruisers]

We were on a sailing where we had to evacuate our cabins due to a medical emergency (helicopter would be hovering over our cabin area) and a few cabins had to to get out.

 

A staff member knocked on our door with security saying that he is our designated person and would be assisting us to leave (in a hurry) they were very professional and of course helpful (mom was in a wheelechair)

[mcrcruiser]

Excellent information for us who are less mobile .Thanks so much 😀

 BTW ,after checking into the   muster station ,the crew directs us to seating indoor . We have been on 87 muster drills ,so far ;but ,we never knew what  a well trained emergency crew would do  .How many people cruising just do not know ?

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

I think about it all the time, based on my career in fire and public safety.  It's one reason I am a thorn in the ship's officers sides when I cruise and see fire/life safety hazards such as mobility devices parked in the corridors and elevator crossovers.  Imagine if you turn out the lights, sound the emergency signal,  fill the corridor with smoke and panicked passengers, and leave those mobility devices to block the exits.

 

I think about it all the time 

You are so right & bugging the ships officers  should imo never have to happen ;but ,it is better than having those situations actually taking place in a real emergency 

 When I had my scooter & a regular cabin  I asked the cabin attendant to take my scooter to a place out of the traffic patterns & charge it over night for me .There was never a problem with this request 

[mamaofami]

I’ve never left my scooter outside my cabin. We always have a cabin that it can fit into since it’s a travelscoot and they tend to be smaller than a standard scooter.

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, mamaofami said:

I’ve never left my scooter outside my cabin. We always have a cabin that it can fit into since it’s a travelscoot and they tend to be smaller than a standard scooter.

Is that the light weight scooter that folds down & can be pulled like a piece of luggage ?It also has a option to get a 2nd  battery included that can be carried in a basket for longer ride times 

[SargassoPirate]

If you ever find corridors blocked on a HAL ship and the staff seem reluctant to take action , you can quote from their very own policy which states:

 

"Scooters and other mobility equipment need to be securely stored and charged in the guest's stateroom; not in hallways or elevator lobbies. Scooters left in hallways and elevator lobbies could restrict people needing to travel through these areas in an emergency, particularly other guests using mobility aids, since they would have no way of getting by a scooter left in a hallway."