Hurricane season runs from June through November, and anyone living on the Carolina coast has a routine for it. If your home has an elevator, a platform lift or a stair lift, that equipment belongs in your storm plan.
Get instructions for your equipment
The right steps depend on the make and model and on how it was installed. Ask your installer now, before a storm is forecast, and keep the answers with your other storm paperwork. Questions to ask:
- Where should the elevator cab or lift platform be left before a storm?
- Should the power be switched off, and where is the disconnect?
- Is any part of the equipment below the flood elevation?
- What should be checked before using it again?
General principles
- Do not use an elevator during a storm or while flooding is possible
- Do not rely on an elevator as part of an evacuation plan
- If you are told to evacuate, leave early
After the storm
- If water reached the ground level of the house, do not operate the elevator or lift until a technician has inspected it
- Look for visible damage, debris and sand
- Restore power only when you are satisfied it is safe
Power outages
- A stair lift runs on batteries and will keep working for a number of trips
- A home elevator has emergency lowering to bring the cab to a floor
- If you have a generator, ask an electrician whether it can run the elevator
If someone in the home cannot use stairs
Plan ahead. Decide where you would go, register with your county’s special needs registry if one is offered, and do not wait for a mandatory order.
Pre-season service
Have equipment serviced in the spring so that batteries and safety systems are in good order.
Follow official guidance
Always follow instructions from emergency management officials. This article is general information only.
Questions about your equipment?
Call Nationwide Lifts of North Carolina on (910) 377-7643 or contact us.