To make sense of what is needed and what isn’t when evacuating a building, it’s vital to first consider what dangers could block your escape.
What we’re going to be looking at here is the kind of situations where the building evacuation kit could save your own life as well as the lives of others.
Naturally, that means these kits are going to be primarily for escaping multi-story buildings like apartments or offices, or buildings with severe structural damage. However, even something like a bungalow, house or apartment can become almost impossible to escape from without assistance in the case of a severe fire.
“Even a bungalow?” you ask. “Surely you can make a beeline for the exit?”
You see, that’s the thing. While your exit route out of a bungalow or house is pretty much straightforward, you have to consider how you’re going to find your keys and unlock your door while you can’t see and can’t breathe from all the smoke.
It takes an insane amount of practice to stay calm in situations of extreme risk, and even then, it’s hard to keep your cool when your home is burning away.
Not being able to find your keys is just a mild annoyance when you’re getting ready for work, but in a “survive or die” situation it really does raise the stakes. I’ll be including some options to deal with those kind of situations too.
For now, let’s look at the kits that’ll save your life if you’re trapped in a multi-story building such as a skyscraper.
The Best Overall Evacuation Kit for Multi-Story Buildings: The SkySaver Family Rescue Backpack
“Why the family version?”
Because it’s straight up better than the single rescue version, and doesn’t cost any more than it. Basically, there’s no downside to choosing the family version.
“What is it anyway?”
The SkySaver is a Controlled Descent Device, or CDD for short. It entirely automatic, and it lowers you slowly until you reach the floor safely
It’s such an elegant solution to multi-story building escape, and it’s a wonder they don’t have these as standard rescue devices in skyscrapers.
It’s absolutely idiot-proof, and requires no training at all.
Here’s how it works:
How It Works
If you’ve ever been to a climbing gym, then it’s basically a portable autobelay, except in reverse, as you can see below:
If that makes no sense to you, or you have no idea what an autobelay is, then don’t worry, because the design of this rescue kit is intentionally so easy to use that it requires zero training.
I mean, really, it truly is idiot proof. I’ll show you why.
The way that you use it is as follows:
- You put on the backpack, and buckle up nice and tight.
- You’ll notice the big blue carabiner by your right shoulder. Unclip it from your backpack and clip it onto an anchor point that’ll hold your weight while you descend.
- Descend.
It really is that simple. Of course, its only limit is that you’ll only be able to descend until you run out of cable. The maximum length one is 260 feet, which is equivalent to the 25th floor of a building.
They also do 80 foot and 160 foot versions, which are for up to the 7th floor and up to the 15th floor respectively, but since they’re not much cheaper there’s not much in it. That being said, if you’re stationing a few of these in a building that doesn’t have more than 15 floors, then there’s no real need to get one which can do more floors than that.
Basically, match the backpack to your building if you’re keeping these in the building as a go-to escape kit. However, if you’re thinking of getting one of these for personal use, then go for the longest (260 feet) version because if you run out of cable you’ll be stranded mid-air.
Of course, if you’re in a building that has more than 25 floors, then the best thing you can do is make your way down to the 25th floor in order to use this kit.
In terms of preparation for making this kit as effective as possible, the best thing you can do is install anchor points above or near the windows of the floors that you could potentially be descending from. Installing anchors is cheap and easy, and only requires an anchor bolt, a bolt hanger and a drill for installation. Make sure the bolt anchor and hanger are rated for climbing, rescue or military purposes.
Alternatively, there’s the usual survival option, which is to improvise an anchor if you’re in an absolute emergency. Look for points you can clip your big blue carabiner to that absolutely won’t budge when they take your weight.
Oh, and don’t worry about “snapping” the cable. The SkyScraper is ludicrously tough.
How Tough the SkySaver Really Is
“Sure, it has US and EU safety certifications, but how durable is it really?”
Well, the guys and gals at SkySaver developed this product by testing it in extreme conditions. Far more extreme than you’ll experience in a multi-story building evacuation survival situation.
They tried to break it with extreme loads and extreme temperatures, and they even tried exposing it to direct fire, ice, water, oil and even salt. It’s safe to say, this device just isn’t going to fail you in any situation you might face when escaping from so many floors up.
The cable is made out of galvanized steel, and is surprisingly flexible enough to make clipping in quick and easy. That’s definitely something you want when every second counts.
The product been tested to both meet and exceed ASTM, ANSI and EN standards, and each escape backpack can safely carry a maximum weight of 298 lbs, and has adjustable straps that’ll fit anyone. It’s a “one size fits all” design. It also comes with a 7-year limited warranty.
Key Features
Of course, with this being the family backpack, there is the added option of the attachable baby harness, which can also come in a bundle with the backpack.
Something nice about the family backpack, even if you don’t need the baby harness, is that the four clip points on it can be used to clip your belongings to if you get a pack of carabiners like these L-Rover ones.
Here’s them being used for that very purpose:
It’s a different backpack, I know, but the principle is the same. The pack of four of these is ideal for those four clip points on your SkySaver.
Plus, they’re the same color as your backpack too. Not that that helps you with the whole “not dying” thing.
Anyway. As long as you, plus the weight of your stuff doesn’t go above 298 lbs, then you can save some of your valuables if you have time before you escape. Just clip the handles of any bags you have through one of those carabiners and you’ll be good to go.
However, it must be said, if you’re in a really desperate situation, then just leave your stuff and evacuate. You can always get more stuff, but you can’t never get your life back.
We’re talking situations with heavy smoke where breathing is restricted, or intense flames surrounding you. The times in which you’d be able to save some of your stuff is when the fire might be on a floor below yours and the smoke isn’t reaching you yet because your door is holding it out pretty well.
In a situation like that, entry into the stairway may be impossible due to the fire having spread to it. There’s also the more common hazard of rising smoke filling the stairway and leaving you with no oxygen to breathe.
The number one cause of death of fire victims is smoke inhalation, and the only way to be free of the smoke while escaping the building is to descend on the outside of the building, rather than through the stairway. And for that, you’ll need a SkySaver.
A nice addition to the family backpack is that it has two side pouches which you can stuff with emergency supplies or – even better – useful relevant devices such as the IPOW window breaking hammer, which comes in a pack of 4 for much cheaper than ones from other brands which are no better.
After all, to use the SkySaver, you need to actually be able to get out the window, and in many high rise buildings there are windows that don’t open. If you want one with an automatic hammer, then here you go, but they’re not nearly as powerful as when you use a proper hand one. If power is what you’re really looking for, then an all-metal safety hammer is a far better choice.
You can click here to view the SkySaver family rescue backpack on Amazon.
The Single Rescue Version
If the additional features of the family version don’t interest you, then you can always go for the single version, which is green and black rather than orange and black.
The core features are exactly the same, but it doesn’t have the extra pockets or anything like that.
Of course, I’d recommend that you don’t put anything in the actual backpack where the mechanism is, because you don’t want it to get stuck when you’re half way down the building.
You can click here to view the SkySaver single rescue backpack on Amazon.
Now, let’s look at the most valuable piece of kit that you’ll need in order to survive the extreme fire and smoke conditions you’ll be facing when making your way to the 25th floor.
Or, if you’re in a house or bungalow, this piece of kit alone can protect you while you make your escape.
The Best Smoke Hood / Fire Mask: The iEvac
Designed as an anti-terrorism technology by the US Department of Homeland Security Safety Act.
Tested by the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command at Edgewood Chemical Biological Center.
Currently being used by numerous federal, state and local government agencies including every branch of the military.
It’s safe to say, there’s some serious backing to this one.
And it’s no wonder, considering that it’s the only smoke / fire evacuation hood certified to the American Standard ASTM E2952.
They recommend reading this letter, attached below, to learn what is involved for getting this certification, and why an American certified one is so important.
As for the product itself, let’s start by taking a look at its features to show why it stands far above the rest.
Features
Ridiculously Fireproof
First of all, it can withstand 1700°F in radiant heat at a distance of 9.5 inches, which is to say, far more heat than your body can withstand. Let’s just say that this smoke hood isn’t ever going to be the limiting factor when it comes to your survival.
It Filters Out So Many Hazards
The list that they give for what this mask can filter goes as follows:
- Carbon Monoxide
- Hydrogen Sulfide
- Additional Toxic Gases: sarin, smoke, hydrogen cyanide, chlorine, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, tear gas, OC, and more
- Harmful Particulates: soot, fumes, aerosols, and others
- Contains a HEPA P100 filter that removes sub-micron particles such as ebola, anthrax, ricin, smallpox, and radioactive particles
- Life-Threatening Physical Hazards: flammability and radiant heat
Like I said previously, this “smoke hood” is also suited to surviving hazards during a terrorist attack. Really, it’s no mere smoke hood. It truly is an all-in-one building evacuation mask.
Oh, and the laminate barrier is both puncture-proof and waterproof, so your protection will stay intact even if you’re fumbling around in a dark, dangerous environment with broken glass, sharp metal and other physical hazards around.
Clever Design
When smoke is surrounding you, your vision is already restricted. The last thing you want, is to have a smoke mask that restricts that vision even more, which, funnily enough, is exactly what most smoke masks do.
Not this one. This one is made of a clear material, and the only places where vision is partially blocked is where the respirator itself sits upon your nose and mouth, and at the edges of your peripheral vision, above and to the sides, where the high visibility reflective strips are.
They designed those strips so that they’ll always be visible to rescuers from the front, without them encroaching upon your field of view. If you’re injured, these could be what saves your life.
As you can see, vision is unrestricted, and the combination of high visibility straps and the yellow and blue color of the respirator, you can easily be seen through thick smoke.
Here, below, is a test through even heavier smoke, in a darker environment.
The yellow and blue colors of the respirator make you easier to spot when you don’t have direct light, such as that from a first responder’s flashlight shining upon you. High visibility straps need that kind of direct light to be effective, so this product was designed to not have to rely upon them alone.
The Fit
It goes without saying, that the iEvac protects your eyes from smoke, radiant heat and chemical exposure. In order to keep all that unwanted stuff out, there’s a silicone neck dam that forms itself around your neck.
To get the hood on, you have to stretch open that silicone neck dam to fit your head through. “It’s a one-size fits all” design, and the neck dam is a secure fit without restricting your breathing or circulation.
After all, it would be pretty ironic for a smoke hood to restrict your breathing or cut off your blood supply. Considering that this mask comes sealed in a foil bag, it’s a good thing that there won’t be any problems with that kind of thing when the times comes to use it.
I’ll explain more about why it’s sealed after this bit.
Anyway, the mask has straps on the outside which secure the respirator to your face. You grab the strap at the base of your neck and pull tightly until the cup fits snugly around your nose and mouth.
You don’t need to mess with the filters or anything, and the exhalation valve is right below your mouth. The hood will easily fit over glasses, and is compatible with beards and long hair. Basically, this hood will fit you, whoever you are. I think you get the idea by now.
Storage
Finally, we come to the storage part, which is kinda interesting. Or, at least, not what you might have expected.
You see, this product comes sealed in a foil bag, and lasts 5 1/2 years from the date of manufacture. That means you have a shelf life of 5 years, because they don’t appear to sell a batch any longer than a few months after manufacture.
The stats for the sealed foil bag are as follows:
- Weight: 1.4 lbs. (635 grams)
- Height: 5 1/2 in (14 cm)
- Width: 5 1/2 in (14 cm)
- Depth: 4 3/4 in (12 cm)
While it might be tempting to open the foil bag to try it out, don’t! It’s sealed for a reason, and that reason is that the filter begins to be “used up” once exposed to the air.
The way a filter is “used up,” is that the contaminants build up within it and gradually increase the pressure required to breathe through it.
However, this mask is special, in that it filters out carbon monoxide, unlike the vast majority of older masks out there, and the catalytic reactor which removes it is degraded by moisture.
The result is, if you open it, it’ll decrease in function over time and become very hard to breathe through if the time ever comes to use it. That’s not what you want in an emergency situation. For this reason, the warranty only stands for a single use and when previously unopened.
Besides, this hood will save your life if you’re ever in a building evacuation situation. I’m sure you won’t be wishing you could re-use it anytime soon after that.
Oh, also, they sell a training version which can be opened without degradation, but, of course, the reason for that is that it doesn’t do anything and must not be ever be used in an emergency situation. It’s for familiarizing yourself with a real iEvac hood, if you really wanted to do that.
However, the iEvac is idiot-proof, like I said. There’s honestly no need.
You can click here to view the iEvac on Amazon.
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