[Lucky Jim]

I lived high up in that tower block on the right for a few years and there was always the nagging gripe at the back of my mind that I'd be trapped if a fire broke out in one of the flats below.
The lifts and stairwell would be full of smoke so no way out there, and the fire brigades rescue ladders might not be long enough.
So maybe high rise dwellers (and office workers) should consider getting a parachute as a piece of prepping equipment so they can jump out the window or off the roof if they have to?
I'm not a chutist but the guys in this vid make it look easy, the trick seems to be to throw out a small drogue chute when you jump so it pulls out the main chute with minimal delay-

PS- I live in a third-floor flat at the moment, too low for a chute so I keep this 40-foot length of rope in the corner of the room.
If a fire breaks out I'll tie one end to a heavy table leg and sling the other end out the window, then climb down it to safety with my bugout rucksack on my back, hopefully without hanging myself in the process-

 

[SOCOM42]

I lived high up in that tower block on the right for a few years and there was always the nagging gripe at the back of my mind that I'd be trapped if a fire broke out in one of the flats below.
The lifts and stairwell would be full of smoke so no way out there, and the fire brigades rescue ladders might not be long enough.
So maybe high rise dwellers (and office workers) should consider getting a parachute as a piece of prepping equipment so they can jump out the window or off the roof if they have to?
I'm not a chutist but the guys in this vid make it look easy, the trick seems to be to throw out a small drogue chute when you jump so it pulls out the main chute with minimal delay-

PS- I live in a third-floor flat at the moment, too low for a chute so I keep this 40-foot length of rope in the corner of the room.
If a fire breaks out I'll tie one end to a heavy table leg and sling the other end out the window, then climb down it to safety with my bugout rucksack on my back, hopefully without hanging myself in the process-

better have gloves. you should learn to rappel.

 

[Lucky Jim]

better have gloves. you should learn to rappel.

Hey I never thought of that..

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PS- Just seen this news item in todays local paper- "Firefighters were called to a frying pan fire on the seventh floor of a block of Devonport flats which was out when they arrived.", which raises another point, namely we never know what cuckoos might be living in the flats below ours!

 

[AquaHull]

The rope along with gloves and an Instructors/Riggers Belt is a excellant idea.

My gun belt is a Galco Instuctors 5 stitch, which you can hook a carabiner and hold your weight for rescue or rapelling

Intructor Belt Test Results

 

[nadja]

30' isn't so bad Jim. But for the other towers, you might want to grow wings. Take your rope and get rid of it and replace it with a U.S. Military spec climbing rope. They are not expensive and can make all the difference. One trick that would and/or might help you is to tie a knot about every 12" so you don't slip and break your English Crown. LOL

 

[Lucky Jim]

Every situation is different, I mean if it's a really, really HIGH tower with flames coming out of windows you might get cooked dangling on a rope, or the rope might burn through.
As a simplicity-freak that's why a parachute appeals to me, you just yell "Geronimo!" and jump..

Edit: but on a serious note I daresay nearly all of the jumpers from the World Trade Centre would be alive today if they'd had a chute stashed in their locker. I wonder how many office workers in high buildings have one nowadays?
Of course a chute wouldn't guarantee a safe landing as winds could slam you into buildings and crack your skull or get snagged and torn etc, but you'd have a much greater chance of surviving than if you jumped without one.