There would be few scarier places to be in the event of a fire than in a high-rise building with no means of escape.
Tragedies such as the World Trade Center disaster have highlighted the vulnerability of the building’s core and emergency stairwell as the only venue for evacuation. We’ve seen some last resort options that cater for those individuals brave enough to rappel or even parachute from the building, but that’s still only part of the equation. When escape routes are compromised it not only prevents evacuation, but also prevents emergency personnel reaching the trouble spots. Escape Rescue Systems’ solution is to use collapsible cabins which can be lowered over the side of the building to transport rescue personnel up… and evacuate building occupants down.
The Rescue System is an array of five collapsible cabins that are permanently stored on the roof of a building in a folded position. In the event of an emergency the cabin array is lowered to the ground where it unfolds to let emergency responders board the cabins. It then travels upwards, stopping opposite five elevated floors simultaneously to allow the responders to disembark through specially configured windows. Up to 150 evacuees can then be loaded into the cabins and then lowered to the ground. The system then repeats the cycle, transporting responders up and into the building and evacuating tenants as required.
Escape Rescue Systems says the system is effective for all building heights and is suitable for all ages and physical conditions of evacuees, including disabled people thanks to the specially configured exit windows that come equipped with fold-out boarding ramps to accommodate wheelchairs.
