Lifeway Mobility completes ‘unique’ installation

OCEAN CITY, Md. – Lifeway Mobility’s Baltimore team recently completed a stair lift installation that helped six families living in a condominium building here remain independent. 

The team, led by Paul Bowen, regional operations manager, faced several challenges, including getting approvals from the building inspector, the City Permit Department and the local Fire Department. The Fire Marshall, for one, was concerned the stair lift would make exiting the building in an emergency difficult. 

“We ended up choosing a custom, curved stair lift from Bruno to ensure that when it was parked at the top or at the bottom it wouldn’t be in anyone’s way,” Bowen said. “It made him happy that nothing would be blocking the egress.” 

Lifeway Mobility also eased concerns by equipping each family with its own remote control, allowing them to send the stair lift to a charging point at the top or the bottom of the stairs with the push of a button. 

Additionally, Lifeway Mobility faced challenges like working on an older building that required additional steps, like using lug nuts to secure the bolts for the stair lift. 

“The way the steps were designed, with concrete over steel, the bolts were going straight through,” Bowen said. “Now, we know it’s not going anywhere.” 

That Lifeway Mobility “showed up” – several other companies declined the job because they thought Ocean City, Md., was too far away – and that the company was willing to overcome challenges wasn’t lost on the customer who initiated the install, a retired army colonel with “high expectations.” He left the company a glowing Google review. 

“He mentioned our service being better than Chik-Fil-A, which caught our eye,” said Eric Rubel, marketing director. “That’s why, along with it helping multiple families, we thought it was a unique installation.”