A backpack could help you survive a high rise fire

Updated
This Backpack Could Help You Survive A High Rise Fire
This Backpack Could Help You Survive A High Rise Fire


By PIX11

NEW YORK — Trapped by hot smoke in the stairwell of his Hell's Kitchen high-rise, 27-year-old Daniel McLung died trying to escape a fire in his apartment building last January. But McLung's death was not an isolated incident.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that 60 people die in high-rise fires each year. Another thousand people are seriously injured.

Which is why Ken Frydman and the team at SkySaver created a personal life saving back pack for multi-story rescues and evacuations.

"It's been tested in every possible situation: heat, cold, pressure," said Frydman.

Working with retired FDNY chiefs and certified by several firefighting organizations, SkySaver is an automated controlled descent device that can be used for rescues up to 25 stories.

Whether a person is 60 pounds or 300, the maximum weight load, the descent is always at the same speed: 3 to 6 feet per second.

Laura Cucci was skeptical after watching the companies promotional video.

"I guess there's a good idea behind it, but I don't see it being useful or catching on personally. I would go down the stairs," said Cucci.

But Mahendra Ghedia, who works on the 11th floor of his company's building near Wall Street, says he likes the idea because he knows how crowded the stairways get, even during routine fire drills.

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"It can take more than 15 minutes to get down, even from the 10th floor," said Ghedia.

The backpack is simple to use. Pull on a red tab, put on the backpack, and clip in. Then all you have to do is clip the cord to a pre-installed anchor point or secured piece of furniture, and you can repel down the side of the building to safety.

"It's called self-preservation. You gotta do what you gotta do. If I got a fire two feet in back of me, I'm going to do whatever I got to do to get out of it," said Alfonso Clark of Brooklyn.

The SkySaver officially goes on sale August 3rd and the backpacks start at 750-dollars each. Frydmen says it's small price to pay to save a life, but even he would rather see it collect dust in a cabinet.

"It's designed to give people peace of mind. Hopefully they never have to use it but if they do, they know it's there," said Frydman.

​There are other personal rescue devices on the market, some which can be used up to 100-stories, but the FDNY recommends if you are in a high-rise fire to remain in your apartment. These personal rescue devices should only be used as a last resort.

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