This idea is sort of inspired by the recent eddy-elevator idea. For each of the floors above the ~10th floor of a building, have a life boat big enough to hold everybody normally working on that floor. If there is a fire or another need to evacuate quickly everybody gets an alarm at their desk and proceeds to the lifeboat. The vehicle itself is parked inside the building talking up the space of only 3-4 cubicles, and facing a window. Once everybody is onboard an electric catapult throws it through the adjacent window, and it parachutes safely to the ground. The parachutes can be gun-launched to ensure complete opening.
See the link for a visualization, and just imagine that minus the space/vacuum/finalfrontier.
The system of workers being assigned to lifeboats in groups is in use on oil rigs in case they begin to explode. Although there they just free fall into the ocean.-- DIYMatt, May 22 2009 Halo Lifepod http://www.gamasutr...20070502/halo_8.jpgYeah I know, in this scenario it was a spaceship not a highrise. [DIYMatt, May 22 2009] Oil Rig Lifeboats http://gcaptain.com...feboats-oil-rig.jpgNo parachutes here! [DIYMatt, May 22 2009] Eddy's predecessor. Dyson_20sphire_20escape [2 fries shy of a happy meal, May 22 2009] Spare Air http://www.simplysc...ils.aspx?StockID=13offers 30 breaths of air. [DIYMatt, May 23 2009] I like how it is thrown through the window as opposed to the window opening first. +-- saprolite, May 22 2009 I just came up with another idea, but don't feel like making a new topic as it's similar to this one.
Instead of trying to escape the fire via lifeboat or giving everybody a parachute, why not give everybody a gas mask (cheaper than a parachute) and rig the building with a Halon fire extinguishing system. If a fire erupts (and is confirmed by the fire dept.) the entire building fills with Halon until the fire goes out. Nobody even has to leave their desk! You could even use existing infrastrucure - hook the sprinkler lines up to the Halon tanks instead of water.-- DIYMatt, May 22 2009 Surely we did this after 9/11?-- phoenix, May 23 2009 Seems like an intuitive place for a LTA craft. It expands and gently floats away then gradually leaks causing descent.-- WcW, May 23 2009 You have a good point 21. Instead of having SCBA with a mask, give everybody a "Spare Air" tank used by some SCUBA divers. Just stick it in your mouth and breath. OR the building could have a centralized air system and just give everyone a mask with a hose attached. Of course then the central air system would probably catch on fire :O-- DIYMatt, May 23 2009 The problem with both base jumping chutes and a breathing apparatus is that they require special training. A large "lifeboat" does not...
What if instead of parachutes, the lifeboats rode down zip line cables like the space shuttle pad abort escape system? Their path could be better controlled and there wouldn't be the same height/clearance restrictions of parachutes.-- ViolentQuaker, May 24 2009 Why not just upgrade the catapault system and fire the podule into the adjacent building?-- MaxwellBuchanan, May 24 2009 random, halfbakery