National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) approved personal escape kits for firefighters. One supplier of such a kit is Rescue Technology www.reqtek.com. In their 1998 catalog they list a product they call EscapeLine which is special purpose rope. The catalog description follows:<br><br>An 8mm personal escape rope that offers a greater degree of safety for rescurers and firefighters. This compact escape line is designed to meet the NFPA 1983 standard for Personal Escape Ropes. Additionally, it offers fire and heat resistance not found in standard nylon escape lines. Special fibers are used in this single use rope to insure that the heat generated in pouches or turnout coat pockets do not degrade the strength of the rope. Manufacturer certified. SEI certification pending. Color: White with contrasting core. Sheath Yarn Melting Point: 700 degrees F. Core Yarn Melting Point: None* (retains strength during long-term exposure to 160 degrees C.) Strength: 3,500 lbf.<br>525800 Escapeline by ft. $1.90<br>5258050 Escapeline, 50 ft. w/ snap $120.00<br>5258070 Escapeline, 70 ft. w/ snap $156.00<br>800501 Replacement Kevlar Pouch Call<br>601205 Replacement Descender $11.25<br><br>They also offer kits they call Escapeline Kits<br><br>Escapeline kits are packaged in a security pouch that is placed into a fire and heat resistent Kevlar outer pouch. To use, simple open outer pouch, grasp tear tape and open inner pouch. A permanently attached autolocking rope snap in the end of the Escapeline can be attached to a rigging point or clipped back on the Escapeline. Kits come complete with Escapeline with autolocking snap, descender and carabiner, and Kevlar carrying pouch.<br><br>5258150 Escapeline Kit, 50 ft. $250.00<br>5258170 Escapeline Kit, 70 ft. $300.00<br><br>For comparison purposes normal nylon used for kernmantle style ropes melts around 425 degrees F. You will not be carrying the escape kit with you in your turnout coat repeatly exposing it to 500+ degree heat in burning structures so you probably don't need the Kevlar pouch and inner pouch.<br><br>If you are planning on rappelling out your window, I would make sure to get a window punch (about $8) to ensure you can break out your window. I would plan on some way of padding the window sill so the escape rope is not cut on remaining glass shards or rough edges of building. I would preplan an anchor source. Don't forget some double/triple palm gloves to protect your hands while rappelling. <br><br>One caution mentioned in the catalog is that smaller diameter rope does not provide the same amount of friction as larger diameter rope so you will descend faster. So you need to preplan how to provide additional friction by either double wrapping or other means. <br><br>I don't think I would trust my life to paracord. Some 7/8mm accessory cord or prussic cord sounds much better and is relatively inexpensive. 7mm accessory cord has a breaking strength of 2,600 lbs while 8mm is 3,100 lbs. I would think maybe tying a Figure 8 on a bight in one end and leaving a locking carabiner through the bight could be used to anchor the rope. Figure 10' ceilings in a commercial building with additional 1' for floor joists. 4 stories you would need a minimum of 44 feet to reach the ground if you anchored to the outside of the building. Another 3' for knot and bight. Probably at least 15' feet to run across the room to some anchor. The absolute minimum for your case would be 60' I would rather have a little extra just in case.<br><br>I second the idea of a seat sling made of 2" tubular webbing. A loop about 15'-20' in circumfrence and a carabiner makes a fine sling. As noted earlier, place top of loop along your waist in the back allowing the loop to droop. Pull the sides next to your hips to the front while also pulling up a loop from between your legs. Place the loop from your legs over top of the two loops coming from your hips. As you continue to pull the two hip loops through the crotch loop, the slack will be taken out and cinch around your waist and thighs. The two loops become your attachment point. Universal sizing, no hardware, inexpensive, colorful. You could use 1" webbing but it will cut into your body in a very painful manner. 2" webbing will be lots more comfortable. <br><br>The military uses a carabiner wrap as a descender instead of Figure 8 plates or break bars. For an emergency descent I would think that at least 4 wraps around the long axis of the carabiner would provide enough friction for a 150lb person. More weight, more wraps.<br><br>As others have mentioned, rappelling is inherently dangerous activity. Make sure you get adequate training before attempting on your own. The information described above has not been tested and is only for ideas about an emergency situation and should be used for normal rappelling activities.<br><br>Also as mentioned in other replies, most fire departments have at least one ladder truck. Most ladder trucks are either 85' or 100'. That means the highest floor a ladder truck can reach is about 7. That assumes that there is adequate parking in the area below the window you want to exit from.<br><br><br>