Infiltration

consecrated location: Connecticut Gender: Male Æthereal \| \|	Rooftop Fire Escape Question < on 8/10/2010 7:52 PM >

	OK, so this photo was taken at the location I posted here. My question is, how the hell do these work? Unfortunately the catwalk was damaged and unsafe at best leading up to this escape so I couldn't get close enough to touch it. Just looking at it though, how does one enter/exit such a contraption? The screen looks as though it blocks the easy way in from the front and the sides are blocked by the brackets for the window opening mechanism. Plus there's no step leading up to it. I was able to traverse one that had the doors completely missing (replaced with poorly fastened plywood), so I was unable to investigate that one at all given that the whole thing was trashed. Even still, getting onto the catwalk was a bit precarious. I see these escapes in many old factories and have yet to see one operate.

TurboZutek King Dick location: Scotland Gender: Male Giant octo-penised rapephant \| \| \|	Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question <Reply # 1 on 8/10/2010 8:29 PM >

	I could be way off, but doesn't the metal part detach and then get flung out the door, completing the walkway to the stairs? So ordinarily there's a 'theft prevention' gap there? I've never seen one in operation, as fire escapes of this type haven't been legal in the UK since Great-Granny had her first orgasm. It looks especially weird there, as there's a drive-shaft for the window openers in the way! Chris... [last edit 8/10/2010 8:30 PM by TurboZutek - edited 1 times] We all had ostriches. My dad had an ostrich farm! I remember one day someone came in and said the high altitude bombing of Kosovo had been a limited success, so we all went out and celebrated… by killing an ostrich and boiling it in kiwi fruit.

consecrated

location:
Connecticut
Gender: Male

Æthereal

Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question
<Reply # 2 on 8/11/2010 11:02 AM >

Posted by TurboZutek
I could be way off, but doesn't the metal part detach and then get flung out the door, completing the walkway to the stairs? So ordinarily there's a 'theft prevention' gap there?

Well that's what I was thinking, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work. It became obvious (from the roof) that it was designed so I couldn't get in that way (easily).

I've never seen one in operation, as fire escapes of this type haven't been legal in the UK since Great-Granny had her first orgasm.

Yeah same here...roughly. That was the other thing, was it purposely disabled? Not sure.

It looks especially weird there, as there's a drive-shaft for the window openers in the way!

Exactly!
The one I could go in and out of had that whole metal fence missing and just had a sheet of plywood up so it was a non-issue. But it also made learning more about it impossible. I'd like to know if this style of egress had a specific name so as to facilitate some googleage.

Vectored Approach location: Morgan Hill, CA Gender: Male \|	Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question <Reply # 3 on 9/22/2010 7:55 PM >

	This looks more to me like a smoke vent system, not a means of getting yourself out of a building. In a fire, the doors would spring open outward allowing the heavier smoke to be expelled and allowing cleaner air to remain at ground level. Not really great for the building as it instantly provides more combustion air to a fire, but it would give people a better chance of escape for a couple minutes. Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy. -George Carlin (1937 - 2008)

badgerbadger location: Rhode Island Gender: Male Hey look, a ______! I wanna climb it! \| \|	Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question <Reply # 4 on 9/22/2010 9:15 PM >

	Compress yourself to the size of a common household sponge and monkey around it to investigate like some weird amphibious dolphin. [23:30:28] <Trap> Protip: Soylent Green is people [23:30:39] <badgerbadger> Best. Protip. Ever.

consecrated

location:
Connecticut
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Æthereal

Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question
<Reply # 5 on 9/23/2010 11:18 AM >

Posted by Vectored Approach
This looks more to me like a smoke vent system, not a means of getting yourself out of a building. In a fire, the doors would spring open outward allowing the heavier smoke to be expelled and allowing cleaner air to remain at ground level. Not really great for the building as it instantly provides more combustion air to a fire, but it would give people a better chance of escape for a couple minutes.

Very interesting... that makes a lot of sense. What threw me off was that there were ladders next to every set of doors but I guess they are likely there for maintenance or something.

Vectored Approach location: Morgan Hill, CA Gender: Male \|	Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question <Reply # 6 on 9/23/2010 6:18 PM >

	Also, in case of a fire, would you want to go up onto a roof? Would make no sense. Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy. -George Carlin (1937 - 2008)

consecrated

location:
Connecticut
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Æthereal

Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question
<Reply # 7 on 9/27/2010 7:40 PM >

Posted by Vectored Approach
Also, in case of a fire, would you want to go up onto a roof? Would make no sense.

There is a ladder right next to it leading to the ground. There a dozen of these "exits" on the roof...all with ladders leading to the ground. Occasionally one cannot simply exit via the way they came in when machinery is on fire... hence fire escapes.

Vectored Approach location: Morgan Hill, CA Gender: Male \|	Re: Rooftop Fire Escape Question <Reply # 8 on 9/28/2010 7:38 PM >

	I still think it's for smoke/dust/fumes/heat ventilation. The metal has been obviously welded into place over the doors, and the other stuff covers it as well, so it is obviously not for people to pass through. The metal is not new, and appears to be the same age as the rest of the stuff up there. I would assume the ladder on the exterior would be for somebody to climb up and close the doors should they be opened. My guess is that they would pull some sort of lever or cable from the lower floor, the doors would spring open on their own. When the area is sufficiently clear, they would go close the doors. The interior of the doors being painted bright red would make it more likely to be seen from outside the building so they can be aware and close them before leaving the site at the end of the work day. Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy. -George Carlin (1937 - 2008)

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