"When All Else Fails!" A Guide to High Rise Escape.

A compelling video report dealing with escape from high rise buildings during catastrophic emergencies.

Wilmington, DE (PRWEB) June 21, 2004 -- America in her innocence believed she was invincible. But on September 11, 2001, we all learned that she was not, and we now know that each of us is responsible for our own safety.

Filmmaker and former firefighter Lou Angeli is releasing a new lessons learned training DVD entitled, "When All Else Fails!", a compelling video report dealing with escape from high rise buildings during catastrophic emergencies.

"The idea of trapped victims freeing themselves is foreign to fire administrators," the Delaware filmmaker and former firefighter says. "But since 9/11, more and more high rise workers and residents are taking matters into their own hands." And its this notion of self-rescue that is examined in the new training DVD and documentary.

After spending 16 days at Ground Zero documenting the devastation, Lou returned to his home in Delaware and pledged to research every alternative escape method available to high rise occupants and firefighters alike. Hes found that there are dozens.

"Many of these are devices were available long before 9/11," says Angeli, who has been developing television programming dealing with fire-rescue since 1981.

"A number of these great escapes had been demonstrated to New York fire officials following the 1993 terrorist bombing at the WTC," Lou notes. Unfortunately, none are mandated by firefighting's watchdog, the National Fire Protection Association. "Without the private agency's recommendation,' Angeli adds, 'building owners and fire administrators are not required to include them in their own high rise evacuation plans."

The producer has spent several years documenting the development of various escape devices, including the Baker Life Chute, a nylon meshed escape tube; the Best Rescue Recoverall, a personal cable descent system; and the MSH-2000, a rescue elevator that climbs along a pre installed exterior track. Angeli notes that these devices, as well as others, had all been demonstrated to ranking FDNY officials long before the events of September 11, 2001.

Could these unique means of egress have saved lives during the tragedy at the World Trade Center? "That's what this documentary investigates." says Angeli. "We search for alternate means of escape and demonstrate how they're best used during high rise emergencies," In the end, the program asks the viewers to decide which escape system they'd feel most comfortable using."

The program is currently completing production and segments will be previewed at various fire-rescue trade shows during the summer season. The final program will be made available to domestic and international firefighting, law enforcement, EMS and military agencies. Scheduled release: August 15, 2004.

visit: http://www.zeroto16.com/highrise.html

Other documentaries and training programs produced by Lou Angeli include: "Zero-to-16", "Angels of Mercy", "Inside The Fire" and "Boise Hot Shots"
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