emergency escape ladder

Close-up of a Victorian-style house with white siding, black window frames, a green roof, and a small dormer window, with trees in the background during fall.

Step 5: Emergency Escape Ladders (For Upper Floors)

What You Need to Know

If you or your children sleep on a second story or higher, you need a way out if the stairs become impassable. Fires can block stairways in seconds, and windows become your only exit.

The NFPA emphasizes that every bedroom should have two ways out, typically a door and a window. If that window is above the first floor, you need a way down.

When You Need Them

You need emergency escape ladders if:

  • Anyone sleeps on the second floor or higher

  • Windows are your only alternative exit from bedrooms

  • Your home's layout means stairs could be blocked during a fire

How to Choose

Look for:

  • Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certification

  • Appropriate length (measure from window to ground, plus a few extra feet)

  • Weight capacity that exceeds the heaviest person who might use it

  • Anti-slip rungs

  • Quick deployment (should open and secure in under a minute)

Types:

  • Chain ladders: Compact, affordable, adequate for emergency use

  • Rung ladders: Sturdier, easier to climb, better for young children or elderly family members

Where to Store Them

Ideal storage:

  • In or very near each upstairs bedroom

  • Under the bed, in a closet, or mounted on the wall near the window

  • Accessible in the dark

  • Everyone in the household knows where they are

Practice Using Them

Yes, you should actually practice:

  • Read the instructions thoroughly when you first buy it

  • Deploy it at least once to ensure you understand how it works

  • Practice from the first floor initially

  • Show children (old enough to use it safely) how it works

Resources

Home Safety Essentials