2018
I well recall receiving notice that I would soon be discharged from a rehabilitation center after months as an inpatient preparing and relearning copying skills of daily life. My discharge would translate to my redefining and creating a ew world after having lost mobility and the failing of some cognitive skills following a brain injury.
One of the first priorities of my transition to the community was that of a need of finding a living space in which I could achieve my goal of supported independent living. After exploring housing options, it was apparent that apartment living would best suite my needs.
I was excited to proceed with moving into a highrise complex on the 19th floor. In the process of new-tenant paperwork with the and landlord, I was informed that a registry of tenant who ha mobility issues was maintained by the building manager --- a requirement of the fire department. In the event of a fire or other disaster, elevators are shut down leaving persons with mobility disabilities stranded therefore the registry becomes a tool whereby firefighters have an awareness of where immobile tenants would be quickly found should the building ever need to be evacuated.
I received the landlord's information with indifference and did not give this information anymore thought.
My care-all attitude ended with the arrival of Hurricane Juan - no elevators working, power outage, generator batteries used up, no water and windows blowing in., After that experience I took the issue of accessibility to elevators and other disaster-related precautions more seriously.......I saw the need to move.
Moving was a project I did not look forward to and procrastinated.....until I experienced a fire on my balcony. At 2:00 am. a discarded half-lit cigarette from an above balcony was carried by a high wind and settled on my astro-turf floor-covered balcony......and more specifically, on a pigeon nest. Flames grew quickly from the dry twigs of the nest. Once the flames connected with the floor covering, the fire raced at great speed destroying the window frames and burning the inside walls of the apartment.
A passer-by noticed the flames from the street level and contacted the fire department. Firefighters entered my apartment without my awareness of their presence or of the fire. A short time latter I awoke to the commotion of people in my Livingroom. Upon looking up from my bed in the dark, I saw the shadow of a fireman who quickly scooped me out of my bed and took me to the hallway where I was placed on the floor. There was no time to retrieve my wheelchair. In route to the hallway I caught a glimpse of a ball of fire in my Livingroom. During a few hours wait in the all I was compelled to make a true resolution to move to a residence that was on ground level.
IN CONCLUSION: With a history of these experiences behind me, I urge wheelers to consider their accessibility to safety when choosing a new home. Living high on a high upper floor of an apartment building is not good judgement and especially so in these times of extreme adverse weather conditions........a time when serious environment change occur and greatly impact our lives.
Melanie Elliott-Nightingale: author 2018 - printed 2021
