"We want ... information¹."

[unixronin]

Information from all our friends in fire service, primarily.

I refer you to this page listing portable fire escape ladders.  We want to get an escape ladder for Pirate's room, since she's on the third floor and there's only one way down from her room to the second floor; in the event of a fire at that end of the living room, she could be trapped upstairs.

If anyone has first-hand knowledge of both the Kidde and the First Alert ladder, and knows of any reason other than price for choosing one over the other, we'd like to hear from you.

Thanks!

[1]  Reference!

Comments

[outtamyskull.livejournal.com]

I've got no clue, I'd ask the seller the weight of the two, and how much weight they can hold.

[laurarey.livejournal.com]

I have the Kidde in our bedroom under our bed. Our house is multi-story and the only way out from out bedroom is the main stairs. We would be totally trapped if fire broke out. The only thing I wish I had in addition to it is a system rigged up for lowering the dogs to the ground safely.

[dafydd.livejournal.com]

I have no experience with particular models, so I can't offer an opinion.

The one thing I will suggest is that you two and Pirate practice with it several times, to get used to doing it in the middle of the night when every one is half asleep.

The ladder won't do any good if she doesn't reflexively think of it when/if the fire comes.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

The one thing I will suggest is that you two and Pirate practice with it several times, to get used to doing it in the middle of the night when every one is half asleep.

Absolutely. We're definitely plannong on drills and practice.

In fact, that was one of the things that first concerned us about the Kidde -- the box carries a warning that it is single-use only and should be discarded and replaced after use. We were worried that this meant we couldn't do fire drills with it. But we talked to Merrimack FD, and the fire chief says that's just lawyer-mandated CYA in the event some 400lb individual cracks a couple of rungs on the way down, and under any reasonable conditions they're perfectly reusable.

(He also made the excellent suggestion of having her practice with a first-floor window first to give her the basic idea, then a second-floor window, and only when she's comfortable with those practicing from her third-floor window.)

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

All excellent advice which I can't improve on.

Only thing I'd suggest is looking into residential sprinklers. If you can pull it off, they're an order of magnitude better than smoke alarms and escape plans, and in the big scheme of things not all that expensive.

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

(Oh. Sorry. Should have given that post the subject "WHO ARE YOU?!". :D )

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

What, the two of you haven't been introduced yet? We've clearly been remiss in our duties as catalysts. ;) So, yeah, you and dafydd should talk, both being firefighters and all ....

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Good to meet you dafydd...

Though actually, I was responding to the original post title of "We want information". Therefore, the proper reply to my question is "The new number two", whereupon I holler "WHO IS NUMBER 1?!" and so on... :D

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Oops. I was so frazzled I totally forgot I'd done that in the original post.....


Back to the Village for me, clearly.

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Be seeing you.

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'd be highly surprised if y'all didn't wander in to each other in the Bay Area. dafydd used to work as a contractor at SGI, does Burning Man, is poly, and the firefighter thing.

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Heh. Well, I never worked for SGI, never went to Burning Man, and didn't do the FF or poly thangs until I came to NZ. So, prolly not. While we quite clearly move in similar circles, hasn't happened in the same time/meatspace. Yet. :)

Most of my time in the SFBA was spent commuting from Antioch to San Carlos. What little social life I had pretty much existed only around home in the far East Bay, and that was pretty much just neighbors and such. I had little free time, and when I did, the last thing I was interested in was a 45 min drive to the city. Free time was spent at home with the fam.

[mrmeval.livejournal.com]

That page doesn't render right in Firefox for me.

I thought there were escape sock tubes but can't find one.

Theres seem to be better but pricey 20foot is $112.50 they go up to 50 foot.
http://www.boldindustries.com/

And the most expensive
http://www.redi-exit.com/?gclid=CMjdu4SSx4kCFQOYWAodLFkkow

There is one branded 'brookstone' but the sites that seem to list it are scum.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Bold Industries is ~$240 for a third-floor ladder ... but it's chain suspension and steel rungs, instead of nylon straps and plastic rungs (which I believe the Kidde is). I find the claim that they're the only UL-listed ladder on the market to be significant.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Oh, wait, never mind, that $240 is for a two-ladder pack.

[ithildae.livejournal.com]

Don't know about ladders, even though I have used a few. (I worked as a Paramedic.) I do recommend practicing with fire extinguishers with the kids. Buy a few extras and practice putting out grease and gasoline fires on the back patio or some such. Having a four-year-old used to a fire extinguisher saved our house once.