Abstract

Older adults are at higher risk for fire-related injuries and deaths than younger people due to their impaired physical and sensory functions. However, current fire-safety products could not satisfy their requirements. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel fire-safety product to help older adults safely evacuate from fire. A multifunctional fire-retardant clothing item was developed for older adults through requirements analysis and design features selection, which can provide greater body coverage for better thermal protection and flexibility for leg movement compared to current fire blankets. Several special design features were also developed to meet the specific needs of older adults. For example, an asymmetric placket with a combined opening was developed to guarantee dressing convenience for older adults or caregivers. Moreover, this newly developed fire-retardant clothing can be folded into a cushion cover for easy storage and maintenance as well as used in a variety of emergency situations. This new fire-retardant clothing has the potential to be useful in future fire prevention and safety strategies. Practical research outcomes, including new ideas and design approaches, can also provide guidance in the future design of age-oriented residential fire-safety products.

摘要

老年人由于身体和感官功能受损，比起年轻人，与火有关的受伤和死亡风险更高。但是，当前的防火产品不能满足其要求。这项研究的目的是开发一种新颖的防火产品，以帮助老年人安全地从火中撤离。通过需求分析和设计特征选择，为老年人开发了多功能阻燃服装，与当前的灭火毯相比，它可以提供更大的身体覆盖范围，从而提供更好的隔热保护和腿部活动的灵活性。还开发了一些特殊的设计功能来满足老年人的特定需求。例如，开发了具有组合开口的不对称门襟，以确保老年人或看护者的穿衣方便。而且，这种新开发的阻燃服装可以折叠成坐垫套，以便于存储和维护，也可以在各种紧急情况下使用。这种新的阻燃服装可能会在未来的防火和安全策略中有用。实用的研究成果，包括新的想法和设计方法，也可以为将来设计面向年龄的住宅防火产品提供指导。