Emergency building escape mechanism - GIF and video

[Jon]

Emergency building escape mechanism.



55-second video:

Note our previously-featured Fire chute escape concept. Is it that outside stairwells are rare in Asia outside of Japan? Thus, these unusual solutions?

Previously:

Fire chute escape concept - video

[Frank S]

Everyone would be dead before the 3rd person made it to the ground. I have seen these devices in China at a trades fair while the concept may have merits for persons with disabilities they are weight activated and a small child may not be heavy enough to overcome the counter weight or the spring depending on design that raises the empty platform back to the upper position, additionally only 2 adults or 1 adult and possibly 2 smaller persons can be lowered at a time
the old saying when seconds count minutes kill holds true to form on these architect gimmicks

[mklotz]

Systems that may sit unused for decades yet be able to perform on extremely short notice without time for rehabilitation...

What's safer?

A system with moving parts subject to corrosion, (return mechanism) breakage, or (fire or earthquake induced) deformation.

or

An all steel stair set with no moving parts that can work despite considerable corrosion and deformation.

Depending on the weight of the user(s) is another idiocy.

Reminds me of a critique of (unnamed country) designs I heard...

Never use one part when ten will do.

[MeJasonT]

We need skilled creative thinkers and not over educated desk jokey's, the skills shortage is starting to bite hard.
The tower fire in London UK should be recognised as a starting point as to why we don't need yes people giving lip service and covering their own backsides.
We need thinkers and creatively skilled people to address issues like this. This idea has merit and shouldn't be too easily canned. If you save one person that's
one more than you might save. My initial rant is based on so called experts who have allowed the disaster in London to happen, having served in the Royal Navy we were trained how to protect the ship or survive. There was a three shaded ring which had the inscription FIGHT, MOVE, FLOAT, it triggered the decision making on what to do in the event of the vessel being damaged or struck. If you were left without power and under attack fight may have been the choice, then all services would be concentrated on defence of the vessel - could have been move to get away from the situation etc. Most navies adopt this strategy lets face it the RN have trained sailors and officers from all over the world. what is important is the citadel, a safe place within the vessel designed to offer the most protection and Survivability. In towers not enough has been done to design in safe areas (or the installation of sprinklers on the stair well) No resilience (only one stairwell). Since 1970's building codes in America have address these issues and have included safe refuge at each floor. In 2017 in the 6th richest country why cant we have implemented historical safety features as even a basic starting point. So although this escape system idea is flawed in some ways it at least offers a possible solution to already established high rise accommodation. On the Rigs we had two decent systems, one was a sock tube you jumped in and slid down under a controlled decent and the other was like abseiling with a hand operated brake on a wire rope. Both system allowed for a quick escape from a burning oil rig, many people could descend at one time. Truth being told you cant beat the stairs. Without panic and people falling over id hate to think how long it would take to get to the ground floor from the top via the stairs. This gives me a great opportunity to mention in remembrance all those who lost their lives in 911 and in the London tower fire.

[MeJasonT]

HSE would hate this system it has no safety rail to stop you falling off.

[Jon]

[MeJasonT]

How many test pilots were wasted during the initial design stage. whats wrong with a rope and an ascender at least more than one person can use it ? The rope not the carabiner obviously.

After 911 the thought of working or even being in a tower block scares the **** out of me

https://www.rigsystems.co.uk/product...ency-ascender/

[Radioman]

How many test pilots were wasted during the initial design stage. whats wrong with a rope and an ascender at least more than one person can use it ? The rope not the carabiner obviously.

After 911 the thought of working or even being in a tower block scares the **** out of me

https://www.rigsystems.co.uk/product...ency-ascender/

How tall were the twin towers? 1700ft or so. I’ve never seen a climbing rope over 500ft with the vast majority being in the 200ft range. I’m not sure 2000ft of climbing rope could support much more than itself and 2 climbers. Not to practical in an evacuation scenario.

[MeJasonT]

your assumption is that you would do it in one leap of faith and not staged. Short of a ferry like helicopter which could be loaded via a rear ramp up to the upper floor windows with very short blades which wouldn't fan the flames with down draft, there is not a great deal that would work successfully. I have seen the fall arrester used on radio masts above the 200 ft length using a steel wire which was permanently installed - i have no idea how that's supposed to work either. The backpack parachute is also a fail as you would most likely get the potential for 100+ people jumping at once in a small area, it would be like a turkey shoot in a barrel.

[MeJasonT]

mklotz has the best suggestion - whats wrong with metal stairs. The brave hero fire fighters who made it to the top floors of the twin towers did so via the stairs. This is proof in itself that the building could have been evacuated via the stairs. I cant remember the last time i was trained to evacuate a high rise building, because it never happened. You may be shown the exits and told your route is to make it down the stairs to the street but is it ever routinely practiced. If you go for a cruise on a ship i can guarantee at some point you will end up at a muster station and quite possibly entering a life raft. Even flight crews are highly trained to evacuate sheep (travelling persons) from burning aircraft to which they are often very successful. Granted you get the rich trying to round up their belongings whilst the working class just make a run for it but when a successful aircraft evacuation has been successful you can see why. 3 mins is quite doable.