Israel21C reports that an Israeli company has designed a chute it hopes will save people caught in tall buildings in the event of a fire, earthquake or other disaster. The giant yellow slide was unveiled in Washington, D.C., last week by Tel Aviv-based Advanced Modular Evacuation Systems, headed by Israeli entrepreneur Eli Nir. Work on the chute was begun well before 9-11, but was spurred on by that calamity when people caught on high floors could not be saved.
The chute is packaged into a relatively small container, which is fitted into the walls of buildings. Fire-resistant, it is supported by springs and cables that coil around the shaft, and is triggered either manually or by a fire alarm. Company officials explained that to deploy the system, a spring ejects and unfolds the chute to ground level, where it must be anchored. Fifteen people per minute can escape safely, protected from heat, smoke, fire and hazardous debris. Acceleration down the chute, although rapid, is controlled through a series of "steps" every five floors. At the final stage of descent, the chute flattens its trajectory, allowing for a sharp deceleration and an easy stop on the landing pad.
Each system can be custom-designed and installed within six months, on both old and new buildings. Company officials said the system, which has already undergone more than 100 successful tests, would be on the market by spring.
The chute is packaged into a relatively small container, which is fitted into the walls of buildings. Fire-resistant, it is supported by springs and cables that coil around the shaft, and is triggered either manually or by a fire alarm. Company officials explained that to deploy the system, a spring ejects and unfolds the chute to ground level, where it must be anchored. Fifteen people per minute can escape safely, protected from heat, smoke, fire and hazardous debris. Acceleration down the chute, although rapid, is controlled through a series of "steps" every five floors. At the final stage of descent, the chute flattens its trajectory, allowing for a sharp deceleration and an easy stop on the landing pad.
Each system can be custom-designed and installed within six months, on both old and new buildings. Company officials said the system, which has already undergone more than 100 successful tests, would be on the market by spring.