Become a Volunteer for NYCHA’s Updated Stair Climber Program  

A NYCHA program that empowers staff to assist residents in navigating stairs during elevator outages is seeking new volunteers.  

Residents who use wheelchairs or have mobility challenges may need to rely on the use of stair climber equipment to safely get to and from their apartment during both planned and unplanned elevator outages. Stair climbers are portable wheelchair lifts for stairs that attach under most standard wheelchairs and can be used indoors or outdoors. Each stair climber transport requires two trained volunteers to help ensure safety and proper operation. 

All NYCHA staff are eligible to become stair climber volunteers. Employees who are interested in joining this dedicated force of helpers are encouraged to complete the Stair Climber Volunteer Enrollment Form and schedule their comprehensive training with the Learning & Development Department (L&D).  

NYCHA is launching new elevator and stair climber processes this year to help Property Management staff respond faster, communicate efficiently, and support residents during planned and unplanned elevator outages. This includes new standard procedures for elevator service disruptions and the updated stair climber program. This new protocol involves providing reasonable accommodations and other assistance for residents during planned and unplanned elevator service disruptions, which may include stair climber service. 

The updated stair climber procedures outline how to schedule stair climber transports as well as how to obtain and maintain them. A centralized system provides up-to-date visibility of stair climber locations, enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring support for residents. 

As part of the program, stair climber volunteers are required to complete comprehensive, hands-on training. The staff training – conducted by NYCHA maintenance training professionals – covers issues such as proper operation of stair climber equipment, safety procedures, and various customer service principles.   

Following the training, the next class of volunteers can help expand NYCHA’s stair climber response team. 

For information about the use of stair climbing equipment, please refer to the Stair  

Climber Program Manual in the NYCHA Connect Document Library. 

If you have any questions, email NYCHA’s Project Management Unit at PPMO@nycha.nyc.gov.