My intent in recommending the book is that people in 2009 have much to learn from the individual evacuation experiences of those who were in the towers in '93 and/or '01. At the least, the book is a very good reminder of the evacuees' challenges -- not least of all the lack of information they had to work with.

The authors vividly portray the atmosphere in the stairwells, the relative calm that seemed to pervade (mostly), the double-file shoulder-to-shoulder cadence giving way to single-file when someone needed to pass up or down. How arduous it was for the healthiest and daunting for those with asthma, fallen arches or injuries sustained in the attacks. Some of the evacuees were elderly.

At the lower floors the stairwells backed up and people had to be patient which apparently most were, despite the chaos of incessant sirens and the terrible noises from the crumbling towers, etc.

Improvising pry bars and using chairs to transport those who weren't ambulatory.

The '93 evacuation certainly benefited the '01 evacuees, such as in the steps that were taken in the interim so that the stairwells would not be dark. Some individual companies got preparedness religion after '93. Some alumns of the '93 evac drew upon that experience to get out ASAP. But others remembered the '93 evac as so tedious and terrifying (darkness and smoke) they stayed in their offices -- too late in the case of the South Tower. And communications were still a major problem in '01.

I also found very interesting the authors discussion of strategies behind stairwell placement, vestibules, the 1968 revisions to the NYC fire code, whether certain government entities should have to comply with fire codes (the Port Authority which built and operated the Twin Towers was exempt from fire code compliance), dominant high-rise fire-fighting protocols.

Some cities (Los Angeles) are more amenable to rooftop rescues than others (New York).

People who work or live in high rises probably should know more about their construction and compliance with fire codes than they do. They might want to know if the roof doors are normally locked. They should have awareness that busting a window to get fresh air will draw the fire toward them.

It's a good read.