Fire escape ladder?

[LadyBlakeneysHanky]

So much horror in the news- those poor children in Stroud and in the nightclub. Just absolutely horrific to think of.

Really focused my mind on the need for better fire precautions including an escape ladder. I have found several online but what I’d really like is one that you can attach to the wall inside the bedroom, in some sort of container, & then just open & push over the sill if the need arises. Kind of cutting out the need for a teen to balance handles on the sill, in the dark, when terrified.

Has anyone found anything like this?

https://amzn.eu/d/fycIiYG
Fire is my biggest fear and when moving into my new home the 1st thing I done was check all escape options and searched for things I could use and I have this in my cupboard.... Thankfully still in box and hopefully never to be opened

Having been in a fatal fire when I was much younger, can I encourage you to make this the weekend when you open the box, practice getting it attached to your window, and just go downstairs outside at ground level and test out that it 100% can take weight? You absolutely do not want to be looking for box cutters or reading an instruction manual or even doing the most minimal assembly in a real fire situation, you will not have time. Also, it looks like this attaches to the windowsill; bear in mind the windowsill is often just nailed or glued onto the frame underneath, it might not be able to bear weight. One as the OP describes where it's anchored to the wall under the windowsill is much safer.

OP there are loads and loads of fire escape ladders on Amazon. Have a browse, I'm sure you'll find one like you described, I've seen them on there. I wanted one for our house but the idiotic design of our house means the "escape window" on the top floor doesn't actually open wide enough to get a ladder (or human) through. I'm beyond annoyed, can't believe it was signed off by building regs (it's a newbuild), and still researching solutions.

Are you sure there isn't a safety catch that needs to be released? Lots of windows are designed to prevent little kids accidently going through them.
Look for a button on the hinges of the window.

Thanks very much for these & for the reminder about practising. I am so sorry @Preppercorn for the awful experience you must have had.

@Preppercorn There will be a catch, usually it is on the bottom of the frame, it can be a catch you have to press down to release, or it can be an actual catch that needs uncatching and pushing out. By law, windows above a certain height need a safety latch; by law, there also needs to be at least one fire escape widow upstaits (usually one in each room), so there will be one.

Ooh thank you, never crossed my mind to do a practice run etc
Thankfully my sills are very secure and sturdy. I stand on them all the time when cleaning windows, taking curtains down etc so definitely holds my weight but I'm going to open it and get it in place and climb up from outside a little to check it over

Have you got plenty of smoke alarms first? Every level and every bedroom.

No point worrying about escaping from flames when a smoke detector will let you know even if you singe the toast.

My children have always known which rooms to exit the house from, where all the keys are if they are on the bottom floor and the best windows for the top floor.

We have always had an escape ladder which came with us from the last house. I agree smoke alarms and having an escape plan are just as important. Plus closing doors at night, using the backs of your hands to test doors for heat. This is also why we have tidy floors in bedrooms, usually teens have the worst ones and everyone on MN says just close the door on it. Not great if that room is the best one to escape from.