With fire incidents still making headlines across Delhi-NCR on a day-to-day basis, living in a high rise building has certainly made the residents face anxiety thinking about the eventually of getting stuck in the situation of a fire incident. This is probably why a recent Instagram reel by Gurugram-based content creator Prranav Vashistha (@the_milennialfather) went viral recently. Clocking a massive 28 million views, the video shows a new equipment that enables fire escape, when mounted in the balcony or terrace of a residential building. Equipped with a safety harness and a specialised rope (10m to 99m), it lets a person strap in and descend safely from an upper floor when the need to escape arises.
For Prranav, bringing this tech home was all about family’s peace of mind. “Every day, there is news of some or the other fire incident, and living on the fourth floor does make me feel apprehensive almost all the time,” he says, adding, “My wife is a pilot, and in the aviation sector we see fire safety drills as a crucial part of the job. She thus encouraged me to think about having something at home that would allow our family to escape safely in case of an emergency. That’s when we came across a product on Instagram, and decided to get it installed. But, before buying it we went through several demonstration videos and safety tests to satisfy ourselves that it was reliable. We even had my wife, myself, our nanny, and everyone take a demonstration by descending from the balcony of our house one by one; test it out.”
What led to the invention of this equipment was the fire incident in Dwarka, last year. “It was right in front of my eyes that I saw two little kids jump from the balcony of the high-rise in Dwarka, due to a fire at their home. That left me hurt and in shock,” says Saurabh Sharma, creator of Safe Sky Drop, adding, “I realised how residences must have some sort of a safety net that can be used by anyone, even untrained individuals, and is easy to use as an exit plan in case of fire.”
Digging deeper, Saurabh looked into the National Building Code (NBC) and fire statistics, only to find some pretty terrifying realities. “A lot of casualties in fire cases at residences are happening inside the house where all the NBC norms were followed. And, in 90% of the cases, the exit to get out of the house is the very thing that gets cut off in case of a fire, which could be because of multiple reasons. But the simple common ground for the casualties was that the residents could not make an exit well in time. So, such an equipment that helps one do it is paramount, because that takes away dependence on rescue operations, fire services etc. I came up with it and launched it in April this year.”
But, is it actually safe?
While the viral video has everyone intrigued, fire safety experts are playing the devil’s advocate. Mohd Aslam, from EHS Circle India (a fire safety institute) raises valid concerns: “The idea of the product is good but it still poses a risk. What if it breaks when someone is using it, what if it leads to a fall? How can one trust it? Also, what if an individual is heavy or elderly?”
Saurabh, however, assures that they haven’t cut any corners when it comes to safety standards and weight limits. “We have gone through in-depth tests, got certifications and only then is it being sold. We have provided two adult belts in this, and one child safety belt, all of which follow the same locking mechanism. There is a safety lifeline which is the steel wire which acts as the length component—serves as the lifeline. By lifeline I mean the medium covering the distance between the point of descent and the landing point. The reliability of all three lies in the fact that we have tested them under Indian Standards in ISO 17025 accredited labs. This equipment can hold a maximum weight of 125 kg as per the certificate and a minimum of 30 kg. If there is an elderly person who has mobility issues, then an abled adult will first help them wear the belt. From there, they can just descend easily without anything needed on their part.”
Price tag on peace of mind
Ranging between ₹50,000 to ₹1.29 lakh, depending on the length of the rope, the system is an investment for one to remain in peace that their family is safe. “It is expensive, but it’s like life insurance. Knowing that you have a resource like this gives me peace that my family is protected in case of an emergency. Ideally, an equipment like such should be a part of the government’s mandate for all buildings to install.”
QUICK CHECK: PROS & CONS
PROS:
Instant Exit: Provides an immediate backup route if the main exit is blocked by fire.
Certified Safety: Extensively lab-tested under Indian Standards (ISO 17025).
No Training Needed: Simple harness-and-lock system designed for quick, easy use.
Customised Kits: Includes customised rope lengths and safety belts for children.
CONS:
High Cost: It requires a significant, upfront financial investment.
Weight Limits: Restricted to a specific weight range (30kg to 125kg).
Skepticism: Mechanical safety equipment still carries a psychological risk of break and fall.
Mobility Dependence: Elderly or injured users require an able adult’s help to strap in.
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