Luna Dragofelis ΘΔ🏳️‍⚧️🐱2d ago
world improvement proposal:

Invent elevators that can be safely used in case of fire, so that disabled people who can't use stairs can still safely get out of a building.

This would probably involve a backup power supply for the elevator and air filters on the elevator cabin.

Of course those elevators would be supposed to be ONLY used by disabled people in an evacuation (in regular service everyone can use them). For people who can use stairs, it's still better for them to use the stairs in an evacuation.
Show threadRiley S. Faelan2d ago
@LunaDragofelis The problem is, the chutes that lifts run in can function like fire-magnets in case of fire, because of the chimney effect. As long as this stays the case, lifts are inherently unsafe to be used during fire. It'd take replacing ordinary lifts with something like staircase lifts or maybe human-carrying robots to make a human vertical transportation system to become (reasonably) safe to use during a fire in the building.
Show threadLuna Dragofelis ΘΔ🏳️‍⚧️🐱2d ago
@riley doesn't the same chimney effect apply to vertical staircases?
Show threadRiley S. Faelan2d ago
@LunaDragofelis It can, and modern fire codes require staircases of high-rise builings to be independently fire-proof and isolated from the rest of the building by fire door for that reason. There may also be rules requiring dividing a staircase into vertically fire-resisting sections, which can't be done with elevators. Achieving a staircase-comparable level of fire resistance is currently not considered feasible for common forms of elevator systems.
Show threadAurani Casts Fireball2d ago

@riley @LunaDragofelis there’s also literally nothing in stairwells to catch fire; it’s mostly concrete/stone/etc. and metal. With a foot of concrete between them and apartments (with flammable junk), means fire just doesn’t survive there unless something seriously wrong has happened.

Plus it’s all enclosed with no immediate ventilation at the top and all doors closed.

Smoke is the most dangerous part

Show threadRiley S. Faelan

@Aurani Yep. Fire codes tend to be rather strict about the fire-resistance of the stairwells, and about not storing anything flammable in stairwells.

@LunaDragofelis

Apr 5 at 7:28pmWeb