Is it possible to have an escape rope in a flat?

Vonhelmet · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:24

We used to have a small metal "rope" ladder for my bedroom at my parents previous house. It was bolted to the wall inside the house and coiled up. You could throw it out of the window and then climb down.

Wouldn't want to do much more than two storeys though...

The Dread Pirate · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:31

Get a rope tie to somthing unlikely to move or break then throw other end of rope out window when required why bother finding a company to do it for you :confused:

Vonhelmet · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:34

Capn' $qu!ff said:
why bother finding a company to do it for you

Because then you're less likely to plummet to a messy death.

Cosimo · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:34

Use the cheap option, just throw yourself out of the window and hope for the best.

FrostedNipple · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:34

Freefaller, what is the minimum height that you need to be at for a parachute to get you to the ground safely. Obviously 20ft would probably only give a few broken bones, but the parachute wouldn't have done anything other than make you heavier. But i think I'm right in saying that there will be a middle point where the parachute won't deploy in time to slow you. Now obviously this is talking about being burned alive so it would be interesting to find out what you think the dangerous-safe min height is (I'm assuming your regulation safe height is probably over estimated for obvious reasons).

Vonhelmet · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:38

FrostedNipple said:
Freefaller, what is the minimum height that you need to be at for a parachute to get you to the ground safely. Obviously 20ft would probably only give a few broken bones, but the parachute wouldn't have done anything other than make you heavier. But i think I'm right in saying that there will be a middle point where the parachute won't deploy in time to slow you. Now obviously this is talking about being burned alive so it would be interesting to find out what you think the dangerous-safe min height is (I'm assuming your regulation safe height is probably over estimated for obvious reasons).

The wiki article on BASE jumping says you can manage from 200ft, with the right equipment.

FrostedNipple · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:54

vonhelmet said:
The wiki article on BASE jumping says you can manage from 200ft, with the right equipment.

Cool, how many floors is 200ft?

kennethsross · 17 Oct 2008 at 13:57

Dim and distant memory coming back here. Probably from the '60's. Remember visiting some folks (with my parents) who had just moved into some new council flats. Maybe 4 floors high or so, but each house had an upstairs and downstairs, if you get my drift - (maybe called them maisonettes?). Details are sketchy, but I'm sure they had some sort of emergency rope ladder, which got you down from the upstairs onto the concrete corridor which ran along the front of the block (on every second floor)

Ring a bell with anyone?

The Dread Pirate · 17 Oct 2008 at 14:19

vonhelmet said:
Because then you're less likely to plummet to a messy death.

Not neccesarrly I'd use some o my spare rock climbing equipment. If i couldn't get too it because of fire I'd rip some electrical cable out the wall and use that.

Avalon · 17 Oct 2008 at 15:03

Capn' $qu!ff said:
Not neccesarrly I'd use some o my spare rock climbing equipment. If i couldn't get too it because of fire I'd rip some electrical cable out the wall and use that.

Avoiding the electrocution issue if you can rip out electrical cable in any meaningful length from a wall in anything like a timely manner then whoever laid it wasn't trying.

The Dread Pirate · 17 Oct 2008 at 15:08

Avalon said:
Avoiding the electrocution issue if you can rip out electrical cable in any meaningful length from a wall in anything like a timely manner then whoever laid it wasn't trying.

or whomever laid it knows when you need to troubleshoot electrical problems easy access to the wireing is always a good idea

Tefal · 17 Oct 2008 at 15:13

Freefaller said:
Fortunately I'm on the first floor, and I've jumped down from the window a few times - so I'm safe

Nah just means we'll have to set up some landmines before we start the fire