ResQmat

The ResQmat is an evacuation mat, designed to safely evacuate and rescue a non-ambulant person from a building in an emergency situation. The Evacuee may be in a wheelchair or they may not be able to walk down stairs, if the lifts are not available due to fire or an electrical failure.

Features

• Completely encloses the legs and arms. This prevents people from reaching out whilst being rescued, and possibly impeding the rescue.
• Strong, thick Hook & Loop Tape straps.
• Padded head pillow protects the head when going down stairs.
• Full length mini mattress protects the body when going down stairs.
• Automatically fits to size.

The ResQmat is a bright yellow/gold colour with bright green Pulling Straps to stand out in poor light conditions. The yellow Storage Bag and Pulling Straps have some Hi Vis Tape made to Australian Standard 906.4. Many fires start at night. If the electricity is turned off, Rescuers need to find the ResQmat in poor light. Outside of the building, the bright colours and reflective tape will help the outside Rescuers see the ResQmat coming. This allows them to assist evacuation away from the building.

In any building over two storeys high, if there is a power failure or a fire, the electricity is turned off and the lifts or elevators then cannot be used. It is difficult and probably impossible, for people in wheelchairs or using Zimmer Frames or walking sticks, to walk down stairs. The ResQmat can be used in office buildings, theatres, libraries, hospitals, schools, etc. Even if a wheelchair user does not work in the building, a visitor who does use a wheelchair may be in the building when there is a power failure or fire, and they will not be able to use the stairs to evacuate. When not in use, the ResQmat can hang from a hook or be stored in a cupboard, ready to use when an evacuation mat is necessary.

It is important that all staff have manual handling training in using the ResQmat, so they will know how to use it in an emergency. When training, it may be better to stop the training by the escape door, because if the ResQmat is dragged across a driveway, the bottom surface may be scratched beyond repair. Proposed escape routes should be trialed for evacuation in different directions depending on where the fire may start. It may be necessary to move some furniture to allow more room to move.

To Use

Take the ResQmat to the Patient. Remove the strap that is around the ResQmat and unfold the ResQmat.

When the Patient is on top of the ResQmat, place their head on the pillow with their shoulders close to the edge of the pillow. The oversize pillow is to protect the Patient’s head when going around corners.

The methods outlined below are only some suggested ways of getting the Patient onto the ResQmat. Your Manual Handling Advisor may have a better suggestion for this task.

If the Patient is in bed

Log roll the Patient to place the ResQmat under them. It is better to place the side of the ResQmat with the soft Hook and Loop Tape under the Patient. If the side with the Red Shortening Strap is tucked in first under the patient the Red Shortening Strap may catch underneath the Patient.

If the Patient is in a chair

Place the ResQmat on the floor in front of the chair with the pillow near the Patient’s feet. If they are in a wheelchair, apply the brakes, remove the foot plates or swing them out of the way. Lift the Patient’s legs to pull them, so they slide down into the ResQmat. This is easier if a second Carer can hold the Patient under the arms to help them slide, remember this is only used for an emergency evacuation. It also may be possible to stand the Patient and have the ResQmat near the chair to lay the Patient onto the ResQmat. There may not be enough Carers, so always ask your Manual Handling Advisor to learn a safe method for patients and Carers.

When the Patient is on the ResQmat

Firmly wrap the sides of the ResQmat over the Patient and secure the Hook & Loop Tape onto the opposite side. Start nearest the feet. Make sure the Red Shortening Strap is clear of the Patient’s feet.

The Patient’s feet should be inside the ‘V’ section of the Red Strap. After the four Hook & Loop Tape fastenings are firmly done up, pull the Red Strap from the foot of the sheet through the buckle near the chest, so the length of the ResQmat is made shorter as it wraps over the Patient’s feet. Use one hand to push the Red Strap into the buckle and the other hand to pull the Strap away from the buckle. Then close the clamp latch to secure the strap. Even if the webbing is not neatly in the buckle and some webbing is over the edge, the buckle should still close and lock the webbing. By shortening the length of the ResQmat it helps secure the Patient when they are taken down stairs feet first.

There is a second pulling strap located under the pillow and this can be used to help lower someone from a bed or if it is necessary, to pull from the head end of the ResQmat. This strap can be used to help the descent if going down stairs; on stair landings; turning around corners etc. In most evacuations this pulling strap will be kept out of the way, by storing it under the pillow. As there is less strain to pull from the foot end, only use the head pulling strap if necessary.

The Patient should be pulled clear of the building to a designated muster area approved by your facility.

Maintenance

We recommend an annual inspection to ensure vermin have not caused any damage. The direction of the corrugations on the plastic board means that it is not necessary to unroll it every few months.

The full range of ResQproduct options are listed below. Click here to view the Features List for the range of Pelican evacuation devices.

	ResQsheet	Stored under the Patient’s mattress on the bed and is ready to use, with the Patient then evacuated with their mattress. Slides well on most vinyl floors.
	ResQsheet for Vinyl & Carpet	Same as the ResQsheet above, but with a built-in white plastic slide board underneath. Slides well on all floor surfaces including Vinyl & Carpet.
	ResQsheet for Vinyl & Carpet – King Single	A special version of our ResQsheet for Vinyl & Carpet, made to fit king single size beds, and can also be used with pressure care air-flow mattresses.
	ResQme	This is kept in storage and taken to a Patient who needs to be evacuated. A budget option evacuation device.
	ResQpod	Same as the ResQme above, but with more Cross Straps to contain the Patient.
	ResQmat	Same as the ResQme and ResQpod above, but with a built-in mini-mattress for comfort, and the side material can enclose the Patient.
	ResQslide Board & Chair Strap Kit	The ResQslide Board & Chair Strap Kit is used to slide someone from a wheelchair to an evacuation device on the floor, such as the ResQmat, ResQpod or ResQme which can slide down stairs.