Skyscaper Escape Pods Turned Down, For Now

By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

The escape pods I usually think of are, of course, futuristic ones like in Star Trek (say the ones on Voyager that they used and then seemingly had re-appear the next episode. Much like their unending supply of shuttlecraft).

After watching a documentary on 9/11, Jonathan Shimshoni and a team inventors in Israel developed a system that could be lowered like lifeboats over the side of a skyscraper. The invention was demoed in Tel Aviv to much positive praise, including the landlord of a Manhattan skyscraper, who offered his property for a pilot test.

However, the NYC Office of Emergency Services was not so kind. They sent Shimsoni a letter saying the project was unworthy of the necessary building permits. However, he’s not yet discouraged.

Shimshoni believes public opinion and political pull could change the city’s position.

He also says he has the backing of advocacy groups for the disabled, which believe his system would improve the chances of survival for people in wheelchairs. And he has received letters of endorsement from city council members, including Yvette Clarke, chairwoman of the fire services committee, who checked out the prototype on a trip to Israel.

“I personally rode on the system and was amazed,” Clarke wrote. Source: CNN

You can see a video here.

We Say: This looks promising. I understand it’s expensive, but compared to the cost of a skyscaper … what I mean is that if installed when the skyscaper was built, it would be a very small percentage of the overall cost. So new high-rises (I think) should just incorporate this into planning. For retrofitting, it would be tougher to scrape up the $$$, but I think it should be given a real look.