Yep, and what happens to all that glazing when it's broken? Tempered glass can be broken if you approach things the right way - the laminated stuff is going to be really difficult to deal with in some respects, though.

This is not an issue for me (Not in a high rise and my window opens), but if it was, I would go talk to the guys at a commercial glass shop. I could probably get answers at any of the local places, but there is one in particular locally that I would trust to have the absolutely straight scoop. I wouldn't try to do this on the telephone unless you already know the guys - a visit in person, a flattering (and sincere?) interest in getting a "shop tour" and seeing what they do and how they do it, then the pointed (pun intended) question(s).

How serious is this discussion? I've thought of a way to deal with the laminated tempered glass plus possibly the "falling glass" consideration for the same but it would not be an instant breach and it would involve either some power tool investment (faster breach) or tooling investment (slower breach).

Blast-resistant windows (hardened buildings) beyond the laminate mentioned are probably not going to be easy to get questions answered about.

How many folks actually work in buildings above the 5th story? Y'see, that's about where it gets especially tricky in building design & construction from a life-safety standpoint - most Fire Departments don't have access much beyond that from the exterior - that's the real world.

And the other part - as Mike mentioned - "Is the building I work in likely to be a target or collaterally damaged from an attack on a nearby target?"

I have no doubt that this is a very real consideration for some of us - but surely it is a fairly small percentage. Or not - I don't know. My building (when I'm in it) is probably more likely to be struck by a large meteorite and if I can make the grassy area to the West I can probably survive a jump from the top story anyway, albeit probably with some injury... but there are such things as fires and other horrors. I guess I don't feel it merits more thought/effort for me than that - and I've got folks I'm responsible for, anyway. <shrug>

For those who are at risk, my first suggestion is to read the Engineering News Record articles on the WTC 9/11 attacks, read related Code journal articles, and then investigate your means of egress from the various areas of the building you are likely to be in IF something nasty happens. My second thought is that Hikerdon is on-target - high-temp rescue lines for up to a certain height, then escape parachute above that - if you deem the risk to be high. Solving a window problem will be trivial after you do that bit of research - take a Saturday morning at the library for the raw research and another Saturday at your place of work to investigate and note your building's features or lack thereof.

Aside to Mike - not a lot of travel time in a 500' jump, eh? Esp from a helo. Me, too. I think Jump School and JumpMaster training were the only times I jumped at 1,200' - we stayed under 1,000' for tacticals, or so I recall - and I for sure remember the low-altitude jumps! I never jumped with any of your units, although some of your folks jumped from C-130s with me a few times. Enjoyed working with 2 PPCLI off and on over the years - but that was all a long time ago.

Tom