An escape ladder gives you a way out of an upstairs window if fire blocks the stairs. It's not a substitute for working smoke alarms and a good escape plan – but it can make all the difference if you're trapped.
Types of Escape Ladder
- Portable hook-over ladders – strong metal ladders that hook over the window sill. Stored in the bedroom and only used in an emergency.
- Lengths – shorter ladders (around 4.5 m) suit first-floor windows; longer ones (around 7.5 m) suit second-floor windows.
Before You Buy
- Quality matters. Don't buy wooden or rope ladders. Online marketplaces are full of cheap imports of unknown quality, so be wary of very cheap ladders – your life may depend on it. Buy from a reputable supplier.
- Check the window opens fully and is wide enough, and the sill isn't too deep for the hooks – the product information will give the sizes.
- Check the weight rating and how many people it can take at once.
- There's no specific British Standard for home escape ladders, so look at the manufacturer's testing information.
Your Escape Plan Comes First
- Fit working smoke alarms on every floor.
- Plan two ways out of every room if you can, and agree a meeting point outside.
- Keep exits clear and door and window keys where everyone can find them.
- Practise your plan, including at night.
- Get out, stay out and call 999. Never go back inside.
Windows Are a Last Resort
Fire services advise using a window only if you can't get out another way. If you're trapped, get everyone into one room, close the door, put bedding along the bottom of it, open the window and call 999.
Fire services advise that you should only climb out of a window without a ladder from the ground or first floor – lower yourself feet first, hanging at arm's length before you let go, and drop bedding below to soften the landing. From the second floor or higher, don't jump.
Storage and Practice
Keep the ladder in or near the room it's for, where everyone knows where it is. Check whether your ladder can be reused: some, including some older models, are single-use only and can't be packed away again once deployed. If yours is single-use, practise getting to it and opening the window, but don't deploy it. If it can be reused, follow the manufacturer's advice on practising.
Children and Older People
For small children who can't climb a ladder on their own, a child rescue harness lets an adult carry them safely down. Teach children never to hide from fire or firefighters, and never to go back for toys or pets. Plan carefully for anyone with limited mobility – your local fire and rescue service may offer a free home fire safety visit.
Official advice: Fire Kills – make an escape plan, nidirect – planning your escape and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service home fire safety visits.
Worth remembering… your fire risk assessment is what decides what your premises need. This guide is general advice, not a substitute for it.
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