A Beginner's Guide to Using Fire Ladder

As one has correctly said, fire has proven to be a good servant but definitely a bad master. Therefore, during a controlled fire, it is important to adopt various safety measures in order to combat the hazards. Apart from the conventional method of keeping the fire extinguishers and inflammable substances under strict supervision, installation of a fire ladder. If simply put, it is a ladder that is used to make an emergency exit through the window during emergencies.

These ladders are usually collapsible or foldable in nature and are usually installed near windows. Today, there is a wide range of designs of fire escape ladders for home. Primarily there are three types. Let us talk about them:

●        Permanent escape ladders

The permanent escape ladders are made up of metals and are usually permanently attached to the outside wall of a building. So in case a fire breaks out, the residents can escape through them conveniently. Generally, these ladders are installed on the upper floors of the building. 

Having said that, there are some advantages associated with this kind of ladder. First, as they are permanently installed, they can be used by any stranger for gaining illegal access into the house. Another disadvantage of the ladder is that they occupy a big amount of space for installation and affect the building's aesthetics. 

●        Foldable fire escape ladders

A foldable fire escape ladder is usually a ladder formed by a rectangular plate stacking having rope as support. Usually, metals are used in rope as the rope is prone to damage during the fire. They move along the wall and go up to the window. The window sills are fixed with the casings of these ladders so that the people can easily make a descent as and when required.

The ladders are either stacked with the windows of the house, or some hollow space is carved out for the home storage. The ropes of these ladders have a high load capacity so that they can be continuously used. Therefore, metal stripes are a better option than ropes. Moreover, the stripes tend to have sufficient tensility.

●        Mobile escape ladder

It is a type of mobile ladder that is usually placed upon a truck. The device contains a mast placed upon the truck, which helps in lowering the ladder whenever needed.

Now that we know the main types of the ladder let us see how to use them.

How to use Fire Escape Ladders?

Using a fire ladder, simply hook up the top of the ladder with the window sill and hang the remaining one outside the window. With improvement in technology, you can find ladders that can be stacked to the windows or wound up using shafts.

After you have purchased such a product, make sure the ladder perfectly fits the size of the window. Apart from this, it is often recommended that families perform drills at regular intervals to ensure a fully-functioning ladder. 

If you are wondering what features a fire escape ladder for home must possess, we will explain that.

How to buy a good fire escape ladder?

A good escape ladder comes with certain features which make it convenient for use from time to time. Let us list them:

●        A good escape ladder should feature a standoff which is responsible for holding the ladder rungs away from the side of the wall. It offers sufficient space for descending and makes an exit safer. So better the standoff, better is the ladder.

●        The load capacity of a fire ladder should be at least 1,000 pounds.

●        The ladder comes in various sizes according to the size of the windowsills. Therefore, a good ladder should have an adjustable size, exhibiting versatility.

●        The price of a permanent ladder is quite higher when compared to its portable counterpart. So a buyer must decide the type of ladder that will serve their purpose.

●        A good escape detector should be sufficiently tensile in nature so as to be used continuously without affecting its efficiency.

●        A good escape ladder must be easily storable and should not occupy a lot of space.

These are some of the features of a fire lander, so while buying, look out for them. It has been found that most of the deaths occur due to improper exit from the accident site in terms of fire accident cases. So when you use an escape ladder, it is a good way of making sure that a safe exit is always available.

Conclusion-

The role of an escape ladder is, undoubtedly, very important to ensure the safety of life from fire accidents. Therefore, it is paramount to choose the appropriate product based on the buyers' needs.