Fire escape ladder for wide window sill - please help a very hormonal pregnant lady!

[GentleParent]

Posting for traffic - which I realise is a bit unreasonable. But...

Has anyone found a fire escape ladder that you can use with a windowsill depth of 15-16 inches? We live in a Victorian terrace, so sash window has small sill on inside but very deep sill on inside - total of about 15-16 inches. Everything I can find only seems to work on window sills up to approx 10 inches. Any recommendations gratefully received!

I am heavily pregnant and my nesting instinct seems to have been diverted into fire safety obsession - this ladder issue suddenly feels SUPER URGENT! AIBU to be this hormonal?!

@JerryMoreIceCream - Thank you! And yes - I completely agree. We have wired smoke alarms and sash windows that open enough to climb out of (once you remove the child-safe keepers - which I hardly dare mention, in case people on this thread start telling me I have toxic anxiety because I've taken steps to stop my kids falling out of open windows...)

@Ostryga - I know, right?! Thank you for your comment - I appreciate the small ray of sanity!

@Chanjer - I see what you mean. That sounds like it could work as an absolute last resort! Thank you for replying.

@scaredsadandstuck - Thank you! We have wired in smoke alarms in the places you mention, so that's reassuring! We do put our dishwasher on just before bed, though...

I'm not saying don't get a ladder if you want one but please also do the 'more useful' (for want of a better phrase!) things too - torch right to hand by the side of the bed in case the smoke alarm goes off at night and power has gone. Something by each door to fill the gaps to avoid smoke inhalation. A plan of what to do discussed between you all and a mobile by the bed fully charged each night. That and the fire resistant doors should mean you never even need to touch the ladder.

@OysterMonkey - Ah, great! Thank you - that's really helpful. xx

@Needahand42 - Thank you! The only thing we don't specifically have from that list is the material to fill gaps - but I assume as most rooms we're talking about are bedrooms, you can use the duvet / sheets from the bed??

And if you have a fire and you're stuck inside always phone the fire service yourselves (if you have time), even if there's neighbours outside who already have. You can tell them then exactly what room you're all in and where to go first.

@Needahand42 - Good tip! Thank you!

[quote GentleParent]@Needahand42 - Thank you! The only thing we don't specifically have from that list is the material to fill gaps - but I assume as most rooms we're talking about are bedrooms, you can use the duvet / sheets from the bed??[/quote]
Yep, as long as there's enough in there. Baby's room is the weakest, you'd run in there for three baby but then a baby blanket is tiny so not much use if you get stuck in there.

@Needahand42 - Should be OK as toddler has duvet now and lots of spare bedding under bed and baby will probably be sleeping in with me for at least the first two years, as his sibling did... (Although why I'm revealing that in an AIBU thread, I don't know - I must want a flaming so I can use my ladder!!)

I keep a large trampoline outside a window and my plan is in an emergency to launch myself onto that. Maybe not my greatest plan but it’s a plan. I guess it might be tricky when babies and dogs are involved though 🤔

@ThatchersCold - Haha! Make sure the neighbours are filming if you do!

Fit interlinked smoke alarms in all escape routes, and rooms leading onto those escape routes, and close all doors at night. You can fit fire doors to be extra cautious. No need for an escape ladder

If its a terrace house how about a hammer and chisel? If fire breakouts you could simply knock a hole into the party wall into next door and escape that way

Being three minutes from the fire station is irrelevant, they could all be out. Christmas day here last year we had masses of floods and the rigs were out all day. I went for a walk/paddle and saw one truck four times, at no point we're we anywhere near the fire station which is actually in a different village.

First time saw them going out to a call, then saw them headed back to the station, waved at them, they went round a corner, two minutes later they came haring back again with the lights on as they'd obviously been called again, waved again, we walked across fields and an hour or so later saw them on their way back to the station again (hope they got their lunch!).

Anyway, I think the OP is sensible looking for options.

@shoutyshouter

When I was pregnant I got a bit fire obsessed too. It's obviously good to be aware and make an exit plan, but I even bought a dog harness to keep upstairs and a couple of long leads so I could lower him out of the window by his harness. Looking back I feel a bit silly!

Lol.

When I had my dogs, I had an escape plan for if there was a fire in the hall during the night (anywhere other than the hall, and I'd be able to get out of the front door).

We have a single storey bay window with a flat roof, so the plan was DP would climb out of the bay window onto the roof and drop down into the front garden, while I stuffed the dogs into the duvet cover and then lowered them down to him, before climbing out onto the roof and dropping down into the garden myself.

It's only as I've been typing this that I've realised that I have no idea if the flat roof is strong enough to hold my (considerable) weight.

Imagine how foolish I'd feel if the firefighters had to rescue me from the ground floor after I'd fallen through the roof while trying to escape from a fire.

I did the same thing when pregnant, I think we got the ladder from safelincs, and it's still tucked in the bottom of the wardrobe. I used to keep the baby sling next to it, and every six months would have a practice at getting my child into it on my back ready for climbing out of the window to fresh air, and then down the ladder if absolutely necessary. When she turned seven and couldn't get in the sling any more I had to
admit defeat and sold the sling.

In fairness, my husband works away for long periods of time, and having a plan made me feel more able to cope. I have slipped back on a few things that I may put back in place to be honest - head torch in the bedside drawer, spare car keys and some other essentials in a small bag to throw down, and a pair of shoes with grippy soles to keep handy in case of needing to climb out. I also emailed myself copies of all of the essential paper documents that might be destroyed in the event of a fire.

Our family motto is "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst"

I think for me it depends how tall your house is - living in a classic Victorian terrace I could climb onto the flat roof and drop from there so it would only be a few feet. If it got desperate I could climb out the front window and hanging it would still only be maybe a 5 - 6 ft drop. More difficult with a child but I think a rope and one parent going down first then the other lowering them would probably be an easier option.

@VeganVeal - I like the way you're thinking... Perhaps to be REALLY safe, I should pre-emptively smash my way through, so we have an exit route ready just in case...!

@42andcounting - That's super organised! I don't think I'd be that disciplined - will just be ladder in bottom of wardrobe gathering dust... Emailing photos of important documents is a really good idea.

@LakieLady - Feeling like a terrible dog owner at the moment, as I have given absolutely no thought to her evacuation!

@DimidDavilby

Please seek help for your anxiety. It will not improve when baby is here.

This level of anxiety will be much more damaging for your children than the tiny tiny chance of needing a fire ladder.

Don’t be so bloody patronising.

OP I also inherited the fire worry gene from my dad, which kicked in in adulthood even though I’d made fun of him for it when I was growing up! I bought a very long rope and knotted loops in it and then put one loop under a leg of my very heavy cast iron bed frame. I lived on the 4th floor and knew I’d never have to use it and also knew it was a crappy design but it helped me sleep easy! I now live on the 3rd floor but with a fire escape that made me breathe I sigh of relief when I viewed the flat! As far as the dog goes...put it in a rucksack? Or...throw him on top of a duvet 😬