DO I NEED ...?
An Escape Ladder
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WHAT IT IS: A portable ladder that hooks over a window sill, providing a safer means of escape from a fire in a multistory home. Such ladders store under a bed or near a window, and are designed to be quick and easy to use.
WHAT IT COSTS: Kidde sells a 13-foot model designed for two-story homes for $39.99. Kidde's 25-foot model, designed for three-story homes, retails for $79.95. First Alert also sells both lengths at similar prices.
WHO NEEDS IT: Anyone who has sleeping areas on the second or third floor of a house, said Lorraine Carli, spokeswoman for National Fire Protection Association, which recommends one ladder in every occupied room on floors above the main level. The ladders should be part of your escape plan in an emergency, she said, and should be used only if all other exits are blocked.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Home centers, hardware stores and online retailers.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Carli said to buy a ladder that has been certified by an approved testing laboratory, such as ASTM International. Be sure that the ladder you choose is suitable for the distance you have to climb, as well as the design of your window. Also, some ladders can't be used if there irregular surfaces (such as another window) directly beneath the drop point.
-- Mary Ellen Slayter
