"It’ll never happen to me." "I’m always careful." "What’s the big deal?" "Even if something happens, I can definitely handle it." These are some of the ways people reason with themselves when being carless when it comes to fire safety. They plug in appliances near wet locations in the kitchen. They use third party phone chargers and keep their phone plugged in all night. They skimp on surge protectors. They overload power splitters. They don’t own smoke detectors or even a fire extinguisher. These precautions should not be overlooked. The importance of fire safety cannot be stressed enough, especially to those who have no personal experience with either a close call or tragedy happening to loved-ones. When you have no personal experience, you are less likely to take fire safety seriously. It shouldn't take a close-call for you to wake up.

You never know what can happen. One night you could be sleeping soundly in your bed and suddenly be woken up by the smell of your home burning up around you. Especially these days, when even flagship phones aren't always safe. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was completely recalled and banned from airplanes, due to fire safety issues. Even more so, when purchasing a run-of-the-mill phone and leaving it charging overnight, one spark is all it takes. Waking up with smoke all around you and seconds to decide what to do, is something no one ever wants to experience. Not having a clear plan of action can be the difference between life and death.

Even on a personal note, I was ironing a shirt one day and something seemingly miniscule caused me to realize just how I would potentially react during a real fire. I put the iron down (the proper way) to adjust the shirt, and suddenly, the iron started sparking. I could see through the cracks of the device something fiery. I quickly, without hesitation, grabbed the plug from the wall and pulled it out. Thankfully, that stopped a potentially dangerous incident. The amount of adrenaline rushing through your veins when something potentially deadly is about to happen is on another level. Everything was so quick and such a blur, but from that moment you understand that when you are in that kind of a situation, anything complicated and requiring precision, is very difficult to do.

In situations such as these, a device such as SkySaver is so incredibly useful. It doesn’t require training, is easy to put on (like a backpack which mostly everyone has put on hundreds or thousands of times before), and it is certified to the highest international safety standards (CE, TUV, SII, ASTM, ANSI). At a time when there are only moments to spare and your adrenaline is rushing, you can’t afford to make a mistake. Do not think that these kinds of incidents are rare. Being prepared with the proper fire safety precautions in your home is extremely important. Don’t say it will never happen because that’s everyone thinks before it actually does happen. It shouldn’t take a wakeup call to understand what kind of state a person’s mind goes into during those crucial moments. Your family will thank you. 

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

How is it different?

Is high rise building evacuation distinctive from other buildings? The multi-storey plans of a high rise building create the accumulative effect of requiring great numbers of individuals to travel great perpendicular spaces on stairs so as to evacuate the building. In the Inauguration of the World Trade Center's high rise office towers following the terrorist bombing in 1993, an enormous number of building occupants successfully and safely crossed about five million individual flights of stairs. The procedure for evacuating two of the biggest high rise buildings in the world can take upwards of 2 hours. 

What do I do?

How are emergency directions tailored to the actual crisis event and conveyed to the building occupants? High rise building fire alarm systems are expected to have emergency voice communication capability. Should the scale of the crisis increase, the statements may be extended to include extra floors, or if need be, the whole building. If stair travel is possibly dangerous, are there other options? The building, fire protection and life safety systems installed in high rise buildings, including automatic sprinkler protection, are made to control a fire in order to lessen the necessity to evacuate all residents to the road level. Lots of us have seen remarkable video of helicopters picking up residents from the roofs of burning buildings. Another method would be to use a SkySaver Rescue Backpack. When all other methods are impossible, a SkySaver will allow you to descend the side of the building to safety (assuming you are up to 260 feet/80 meters). 

What can happen?

Most building designs incorporate many features that direct residents to the street or ground level for evacuation purposes. Elevator shafts can also permit a number of people to enter the shaft and make their way toward the roof of the building. In other cases, your building can be provided with safe zones. In every case, and aside from one capabilities, if you've any questions regarding your building's plan or how you fit into it, you must ask your employer for detailed information. Emergency rescue of high rise building residents may take a very long time. For those emergencies where time is of the essence, SkySaver can be your lifeline.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Going along with the thinking “it’ll never happen to me” is not the smartest thing to do. How many people do you know who don’t have health insurance, homeowner’s insurance, etc. Assuming you can afford to protect yourself from potential unexpected circumstances destroying you financially, it would make sense that you would want to protect yourself physically as well, even when the circumstances are unlikely. In certain places, wildfires are more common than they are in others, specifically in wildlands. A wildfire is unlikely to spread to a major metropolitan area, but living in the suburbs, near forests and woodlands, you never know when one may ignite. In the USA alone, there are nearly 45 million homes and more than 72,000 communities at risk of wildfires. Should you be one such person, living in a community at risk, here are some wildfire safety tips. Even if you live in a city, you never know when you might be passing through or visiting one of these areas, so it’s better safe than sorry to be aware of how to react to such situations.

Prevention

• Don’t have any kind of debris remain on your property as it can fuel the fire even further.
• Make sure any grass or plants growing on your property is properly maintained. Should they dry out, they become perfect fuel for a wildfire.
• You shouldn’t have any flammable materials within 30 feet of the foundation of your home, for obvious reasons.
• Dispose of any dead vegetation within 10 feet of your home.
• Clear your gutters, roof-space, porches, and decks of any leaves or debris.

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard

• Have a plan for how to evacuate with your family. Know how you will get out of the range of the fire and designate a meeting place for your family.
• Keep an emergency supply kit in a safe location, with important medications and documents.

Being Proactive

• Find out if you live in a high-risk area from your local planning/zoning office.
• Speak with your local fire department for any tips they might have about preparation and evacuation.
• Learn how you can help your community.

How to Act

• Keep up-to-date on the news. Prepare yourself and your family to evacuate.
• Your emergency supply kit and any other valuables you don’t want destroyed should be placed within your vehicle.
• Anything that can catch fire (cushions, doormats, potted plants, etc.) should be moved as far away from your home as possible.
• Make sure any openings to your home are closed.
• Leave as soon as you possibly can. Don't delay.

The Aftermath

• Continue listening to the news so you know the status of the fire.
• Only return home when authorities say that it’s OK.

Reacting properly to reports of a wildfire in your area can mean the difference between life and death. It’s better to have evacuated and not needed to than to need to evacuate and not evacuate. There’s no point in risking it all because you think it won’t reach your property. Your life is worth more.

Have you ever experienced a wildfire? Sound off in the comments section down below.

Check out our other post on The Worst Wildfires for more information. 

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

You believe it’ll never happen to you. In fact, you know it’ll never happen to you, right? People own smoke detectors, so they must believe that a fire breaking out in their home is a definite possibility. That extra bit of warning time will allow you to put the fire out before any drastic measures must be taken. People own fire extinguishers, so clearly, they believe that a fire can break out in their home and it can get large enough that one would be required in order to extinguish it. What happens at the next stage? Out of those who own both smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, how many are prepared for what might happen next. If that out of control fire is too big for a fire extinguisher, and it traps you in your apartment, what escape plan do you have? Wait for the fire department? Jump?

People buy insurance for all kinds of things, paying tens of thousands of dollars over the course of their lifetimes, just for some peace of mind. Odds are you will never get robbed until the day you die, but really, who knows? Who wants to take that risk? The moment someone robs you while you are insured, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. In fact, you’re proud of yourself that you have been paying insurance all these years for exactly that kind of situation.

One can never predict if he or she will be caught in a situation where “insurance” will help ease the financial burden in the aftermath. Insurance being either actual insurance or something which will prevent any kind of escalation. This can range from a security alarm in case of burglars, renovating one’s home to better withstand earthquakes in areas which are prone to them, etc. People spend money on all different forms of insurance because they realize there is a chance of something bad happening and they not only want to mitigate the damages done, but they want peace of mind knowing that those damages will be mitigated. SkySaver can easily be thought of as a kind of insurance as well. Sure, you can have your smoke detector and your fire extinguisher, but if you think even further ahead, what happens if you get trapped inside your apartment? Would you jump? Would you even have a choice?

Compare it to someone who has valuables in their home. The security alarm is their smoke detector, warning them of something bad happening. The safe is their fire extinguisher, a good precaution in case the first line of defense is circumvented. The insurance on the valuables is the SkySaver, paying you back the value in case they are stolen. In the case of the fire, YOU are the valuables, and your life is being saved, ie the payout.

Fires break out in apartments so often that unless you’re watching local news, you are unlikely to hear about any of them. Here are just but a few instances (that you probably didn’t even hear about) in which people were forced to jump for their lives, some ending in tragedy;

Woman critically injured after jumping from 7th-story window on Detroit's west side to escape fire

Woman in hospital after leaping from bedroom of blazing house

'Terrifying to watch': The moment a woman jumped from burning building

1 Dead After Jumping From Burning Building

Leaps of faith! Terrifying moment young family jumps to safety from burning building

Children jump from windows to escape KCMO apartment fire

It shouldn’t take a near-death experience for you to act on your family’s safety. It shouldn’t take getting robbed for you to install a home security system, it shouldn’t take getting mugged for you to learn self-defense, and it shouldn’t take a major fire happening in your home for you to buy a SkySaver.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Spring break is quickly approaching and that means that college campuses will be emptying for a short period of time. It’s best now to brush up on some campus fire safety tips, so they can be implemented when the school year resumes. College is the first time for many young adults being on their own. Having many major responsibilities thrust onto a young adult, suddenly, can be a bit jarring. Understanding that these responsibilities will help you move forward into adult-hood is very important. Knowing some of these statistics is an important motivator for being fire safety conscious while on campus. There were an estimated 3,870 structure fires per year responded to by fire departments in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and barracks from 2009-2013. On college campuses from 2000-2015, 126 people were killed by 89 fires, in off-campus or Greek housing, within 3 miles of the campus. A large portion of the structure fires from 2009-2013 involved cooking equipment (86%). Here are 12 campus fire safety tips:

1. If you have a laptop or computer, use a surge protector. This will prevent any potential fires from breaking out and keep your machine safe, should there be a power surge.
2. Make sure to abide by the rules of your school when using electrical appliances. If you are forbidden from using space heaters, do not use one. The rules exist for a reason; your safety.
3. Do not cook if you are drowsy, especially from medicine or alcohol.
4. Be attentive to what you are cooking. Remain in the kitchen.
5. Cook ONLY in permitted cooking areas.
6. Do not use candles during a power outage. Use a flashlight.
7. If you hear the smoke alarm, get out of the building as quickly as possible. Do not return until given the ‘go-ahead’ by the relevant authorities (firefighter or school administrator).
8. Conduct monthly tests on all smoke alarms, and never remove the batteries or disable them.
9. Make sure smoke alarms are installed in the following places; bedrooms, outside sleeping areas, on each level.
10. College housing should have fire sprinklers.
11. When using a barbeque or something similar, check with your local fire department to make sure there are not restrictions.
12. Most importantly, make sure you know your building’s evacuation plan and practice all the drills. This way, should anything go wrong, you will be well-prepared for the situation.

While in college, there is enough going on where you may neglect fire safety and see it as just a nuisance. It is a mistake to do that. Making sure these 12 campus fire safety tips are adhered to is something which should be high on your priority list. Live your college years in safety and security, and don’t become a part of the campus fire death statistic. Click here for more information about campus fire safety.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

While fire departments save many lives, they are not magic. They cannot arrive instantaneously to the scene of the fire. It generally can take five minutes or more for them to reach the scene of the fire. If you happen to live above the eighth floor, the fire ladder will most likely be unable to reach you. At that point, the firefighters will have to go all the way through the building to get up there and rescue you. Most people will not have enough time, assuming the fire has enough fuel to spread. Don't be caught in the worst case scenario. Watch the following videos to see how fast fire can spread, and what people have been forced to do, in situations, during which there is no way out:

Picture this scenario: You begin cooking dinner. You receive a phone call from your good friend. You step away for a minute to have a short conversation. That short conversation turns into a long one and before you even realize it, it’s been fifteen minutes. All of a sudden, you smell smoke and you hear your smoke alarm. Your apartment has started to become engulfed in flames. Luckily, your alarm alerts the fire department of your current predicament, however, how long will it be before they arrive? You realize that the fire has spread to block the only exit. You also notice that the fire extinguisher, located inside your kitchen, is inaccessible, due to the immense heat. You are relegated to the dining room, you shut the door, but smoke starts entering the room through the crack underneath. You begin to panic, and continue to wonder when the fire department will arrive. It has been 3 minutes since the fire alarm went off, and you feel the immense heat coming from the other room. You find it difficult to breath where you are, as the smoke start to billow up. You hear sirens. Good. The fire department will save you. You stay low to the ground because that’s what you remember reading about what to do during these kinds of situations. You start blacking out. The fire ladder cannot be used because you live on the twelfth floor. The firefighters must go the long way. They arrive inside your apartment but it’s too late.

It's great to have a smoke detector to alert you of the fire. It’s a smart idea to have a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. But there are times when a smoke detector and a fire extinguisher won’t be enough. There are times when the fire department may have to take the stairs. Fire spreads quickly and will not wait. During these times, what will you do? How will you get out? Don’t panic, have a plan, and setup precautionary measures for these kinds of situations, because you cannot possibly know if it will happen to you.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

More than 2,500 fire deaths occur in the USA every year. Eight out of ten of these fire deaths result from home fires. Most home fire deaths could be eliminated with the installing of residential fire sprinklers, said State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci. The good thing about having fire sprinklers in the house, is that it far surpasses the power of a working smoke alarm by itself. A smoke alarm may notify you of the fire, nevertheless, a fire sprinkler can respond and in most instances perhaps extinguish a fire before it reaches excessive heat and lethal doses of carbon monoxide and other toxins which can be released during a fire. 

Fire sprinklers were created to permit more time for escape over the course of an uncontrolled blaze in the living area of your home. The added advantage in most cases is one fire sprinkler works and either controls the fire or extinguishes it thoroughly before excessive permanent fire damage happens. Many myths and falsehoods about fire sprinklers exist. These facts and safety guidelines are supplied to provide the public with factual details about residential fire sprinklers. House fire sprinklers save lives and property by responding throughout the first stages of the fires happening. Home fire sprinklers respond to high temperatures of 135 - 165. 

The potential risk of possibly dying in a home fire decreases when the home is prepared with a fire sprinkler system. Home sprinklers are simple to preserve by ensuring nothing is dangling from or blocking individual sprinkler heads. A simple test by the homeowner or perhaps a contractor may be done annually to assure appropriate water flow. Only the sprinkler closest to the fire operates and sprays water directly on the fire. Due to the rapid response of the fire sprinkler, the fire is almost always controlled and/or extinguished prior to the fire department's arrival. 

Homeowners experience lower insurance coverage premiums with installed fire sprinkler systems. Insurance agencies offer discount rates from 5% to 30% off the fire coverage of the home. The quantity of water run off, pollution, and fire harm is reduced by as much as 71%. In accordance with the National Fire Protection Association, water utilization to combat a home fire may be reduced by as much as 91%.

The name “fire tornado” sounds pretty scary. A fire tornado is also known as a fire devil, firenado, fire twister, and fire whirl, none of them sounding much less concerning (maybe “fire whirl). Regardless of which name you use, this natural occurrence happens when intense rising heat and tempestuous wind conditions combine. This volatile combination creates whirling tornado-like event. It’s a rare phenomenon which most people never come across in their lifetime.

This natural phenomenon generally consists of a core which is on fire, plus an invisible rotating pocket of air. It can reach up to 2,000 Fahrenheit (1,090 Celsius) and usually comes about when a wildfire or firestorm creates wind, which, in turn, becomes a spinning flame vortex, something right out of a science fiction movie. Fire tornadoes generally move pretty slowly, which isn’t to say that they aren’t dangerous. Definitely run in the opposite direction, should you come across one. Most fire tornadoes are fueled by the carbon-rich gases which are released by burning vegetation on the ground. They are sucked up by air, and reach the core, where there is enough heated oxygen to ignite it. Winds of more than 100 miles per hour can be caused by large fire tornadoes. These winds are strong enough to even knock down trees. People who get caught by a fire tornado can be burned alive. Fire tornadoes can last for more than an hour and cannot directly be extinguished, making them that much more dangerous.

There are three types of fire tornadoes.

Type one is stable and is centered over a burning area.

Type two is either stable or transient. It is located downwind of a burning area.

Type 3 is steady or transient and is centered over an open area, near an uneven burning area with wind.

During the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake in Japan, a city-sized firestorm ignited. This produced a monstrous fire tornado that killed 38,000 people. No, that’s not a typo. THIRTY-EIGHT THOUSAND. How long did that take? FIFTEEN MINUTES. The evidence suggests that this was a type 3 fire whirl.

Fire tornadoes are usually 30-200 feet or 10-50 meters. Some of the largest have been more than half a mile tall and have been known to last more than 20 minutes.

You are most likely to never encounter a fire tornado during your lifetime. The following is an incredible clip of this amazing natural phenomenon in action:

Sound off in the comments section down below and let us know what you think of this rare spectacle.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

An apartment can become a death trap in a matter of minutes, should a fire break out. There are only so many egress points (especially for one living very high up), which is why it is best to prevent fire, so escaping it doesn’t become the issue. Obviously, it’s not 100% preventable, which is why at the end of this, we will provide you with some tips for reacting, once a fire has broken out. The following are several tasks you should make sure have been handled, in order to prevent fires from igniting in your apartment:

• Avoid storing flammable materials in your apartment. Should it be a necessity, keep said materials stored under proper conditions.
• Extension cords are fine, just don’t overload them. Be smart about what you’re plugging in and where you’re plugging it in to.
• Surge protectors are your friends. Use them. Not only will you avoid any potentially dangerous situations, you will also protect the appliances that you use the surge protectors with, thus saving money in the long run as well.
• Keep anything that can start a fire, including matches and lighters, out of reach of children. This is obvious, but needs to be said, as not everyone manages to listen to this.
• Do not use appliances which have frayed or cracked cords. Replace the cord immediately.
• Do not put space heaters next to drapes or anything else flammable.
• Do not leave lit candles unattended. Do not smoke in bed or leave burning cigarettes unattended.
• Know your escape route. Know how you will react from the moment there is an emergency. What is the first step you will take? The second step? Etc.
• Make sure exit paths are not blocked. This can have deadly consequences during an emergency.
• Know how to maintain your composure. One of the worst things you can do during an emergency in your apartment is panic.
• Make sure smoke detectors are installed in your apartment, especially in the kitchen and bedrooms. Without warning, a small, easily extinguishable fire can get out of control in a matter of minutes, which could have been prevented had you installed smoke detectors.
• Know how to deal with different kinds of fires. You can’t just dump water on an electric fire, nor a grease fire. Not knowing how to deal with specific kinds of fires could make things much worse.
• Keep fire extinguishers stored in places that make sense (ie your kitchen, bedroom, etc.) just in case you need to handle a fire yourself. The fire department does not need to be called if the fire is easily handled in a matter of moments.

The history of fire and firefighting dates back 1000's of years. From the time man accumulated the knowledge of how to start a fire, fire-related injuries have happened time and time again. We'll be focusing on those moments in annals of history which have led us to understand the way we've perceived fire and firefighting. According to historical sources, the first ever firefighting team was formed by Caesar to defend Rome against fires. Throughout the history of the US, there have been huge fires, the first one coming to Jamestown in 1608, only one year after it was founded. 

Fires were so severe that it led the government to give firefighting and fire prevention serious consideration. All this led to the creation of newest codes and rules regarding firefighting, including regulations relating to the use of open spaces, fire resistant building material, and creation of firefighting departments. These had been the first written rules relating to firefighting and prevention. Peter Stuyvesant was the first US governor to form a firefighting association in the form of the fire workers in 1648, who were supposed to defend the new institutions being put up at New Amsterdam. 

The Fire Wardens was the primary firefighting group in America. A few of the responsibilities of the fire workers included assuring the safe exit of everybody caught in the inferno, to escort individuals with disabilities to the pre-defined safe exit, to guarantee that all the doors and windows are clear, and equipment which can cause fire in the future must be switched off to ensure that there's no risk to the individual safety of the firefighters. According to American internal government records, about 73% of all of the firefighters in America have entered via VFD or Volunteer Fire Departments. The primary difference between voluntary firefighters and regular firefighters is based on the fact that voluntary firefighters don't actually work on fixed shifts and don't reside in firehouses, rather they're called once they're needed. The first major incident that happened after dozens of fire insurance agencies- claiming to cover all losses incurred because of fire- came up in abundance, had been in December 1835 in New York, when the Great Fire of New York left thousands homeless and jobless and majority of the insurance agencies who'd covered the buildings included were rendered bankrupt due to the Great Fire.

 On 278 Spring Street in New York City is the New York City Fire Museum, where you can learn all about the history of firefighters in New York. It is definitely worth checking for anyone interested in the fascinating history of firefighters in New York. This museum attracts over 40,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

Do you know any lesser known facts about the first fire departments? Let us know in the comments section down below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

SkySaver is not ONLY for escaping fires, as many believe. It can be used in any kind of high-rise emergency, including natural disasters such as earthquakes, active shooter situations, and terrorism. It’s about time we discuss the real threat global terror is posing in the world today. There’s no question that global terror is on the rise. You don’t want to be stuck in a situation where you hear gunshots and have no way out (except straight into the hands of the terrorists). According to FDNY Chief Joseph Pfeifer, NYPD Chief of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller, and the Office of Emergency Management’s Deputy Commissioner for training Jacob Cooper, the most vulnerable parts of New York City when it comes to terrorism are the subways and high-rise buildings. In September 2009, a 19-year-old was arrested on charges that he intended to blow-up a Dallas skyscraper.

From Brussels to Orlando and Nice to Tel Aviv, there were more than 100 terror attacks around the globe in 2016. This is not some small issue. You may see that chart going around social media, showing the likelihood of being the victim of a terror attack (that it’s very small), basically “proving” that this problem is being blown out of proportion. That chart does not take into account a major factor. Terrorists are constantly an active threat. Just because the statistics do not show a “staggering” number of terror-related deaths, does not mean that terrorism is not an issue that needs to be dealt with. You are supposed to protect yourself against threats, not wait until they become a much bigger problem. Just because alcohol, obesity, and suicides kill more people each year than terrorism does not mean that we should turn a blind eye. Doing so would be dangerous. All you need to do is look at countries like Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. There has been a dangerous rise in terrorism in those countries over the last 5+ years. Terror groups have not been able to get a foothold in the West at this point, and let’s hope it stays that way.

Keeping you and your family safe is something that should always be high on your priority list. Having a backup plan in place in case there is a fire, terror attack, or other kind of high rise emergency is definitely something you should consider. A fire extinguisher will help you deal with fire (though not one that is out of control) but has no purpose during a terrorist attack or active shooter situation. Most people are not trained in the use of firearms and don’t even have a gun license. Even if they have a license and are trained, those people would still want their families to get out safe while they try to handle the situation. A SkySaver can save you from any kind of high rise emergency. At the very least, it will give you the peace of mind of emergency preparedness. What do you think of the rise in global terrorism today? Sound off in the comments section down below. 

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

We recently posted about ten of the most prolific fire safety recalls which happened over the past several decades. That was just the tip of the iceberg. There are recalls due to fire safety hazards all the time, and we think it’s best to keep you informed on a regular basis regarding such instances. Unless you've been living under a rock over the past couple of years, you've most likely heard about the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 being completely recalled due to battery overheating issues. The phones were a fire hazard and Samsung did the right thing. You also probably heard about hoverboards exploding and being recalled, as well as being banned from  being brought on airplanes. Here are four recent fire safety recalls from just the past month or so (January-February 2017).

Mickey Mouse Nightlights

About 3,000 Mickey Mouse Nightlights were recalled by The Walt Disney Co. due to fire hazard concerns. The nightlight features Mickey Mouse wearing a Santa hat. Said hat is filled with liquid and glitter, and the liquid has the possibility of leaking, causing a fire hazard if the liquid comes into contact with an electrical outlet. Already, two incidents have been reported. This is incredibly dangerous, as these are generally used in children’s bedrooms. Use of this nightlight should cease immediately, and anyone who owns one should request a refund at the number 844-722-1444 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or go to the “Safety Recall” page at the bottom of the site www.disneyparks.com.

Aventador (Lamborghini)

More than 100 Aventador supercars were recalled by Lamborghini in Australia due to the possibility of them catching fire. The hazard may occur if the fuel tank is overfilled, causing the gases and fuel vapors to make contact with the exhaust. This is the second time in the past five years that Lamborghini put out a fire safety recall warning.

Audi

Not only Lamborghini is having fire safety issues. The Audi A5 and Q5 have internal issues which can lead to overheating and potentially a fire. Specifically, the A5 Cabriolet and Q5 SUVs which have the 2.0-liter TFSI engine are being recalled. This includes a total of nearly 350,000 vehicles. The electric cooling pumps within the vehicles might be susceptible to getting blocked with debris. This could potentially lead to overheating and fires. The recall is expected to begin on February 20^th.

HP Laptop Batteries

Over 100,000 laptop batteries are being recalled by HP due to being a potential fire hazard. The batteries have overheating issues which could damage the computers and potentially cause a fire. The batteries being recalled are black and have the barcodes 6BZLU, 6CGFK, 6CGFQ, 6CZMB, 6DEMA, 6DEMH, 6DGAL, or 6EBVA on the back of the battery. There has already been one report of a laptop catching fire in Canada and eight reports in the United States.

Always be aware of any recalls of electronic devices that you own. Saying “I own product x, and it’s been recalled, but nothing could possibly happen to me” is not the smartest way to go. Contact the company and remove the fire hazard from your home. Your life and your family members' lives aren’t worth owning the newest smartphone. Have you had to return something due to a fire safety recall? What was it? Sound off in the comments section down below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

For the next post in our series on tallest skyscrapers around the world, we move over to Europe. As was the case in Asia (where most of the tallest skyscrapers are located in China), and North America (where most of the tallest skyscrapers are located in the United States), most of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe are located in Russia. For this series, Russia is deserving of its own post, as their architecture has produced some of the most unique buildings in the world. Five of the six tallest buildings in Europe are in Russia, another reason for it getting its own post. Without Russia, Europe has 31 skyscrapers over 200 meters tall, one of them being over 300 meters. Three new 300+ meter skyscrapers are planned, with twenty-two 200+ meter skyscrapers planned in the coming years. The following five skyscrapers are the tallest in their respective countries and some of the tallest in Europe.

The Shard

The tallest skyscraper in all of the United Kingdom, The Shard, also known as the Shard of Glass and Shard London Bridge, was once known as London Bridge Tower. It is 95 storeys and stands at an impressive 309.6 meters (1,016 feet). It is the fourth-tallest building in Europe and the 105th tallest building in the world. It is the second-tallest free-standing structure in the UK, behind Emley Moor transmitting station. It contains office space, retail space, hotels, and an observatory. Only 72 of the 95 storeys are habitable. Construction began in March 2009 and was completed in July 2012 for a February 2013 opening.

Skyland Istanbul 1

Along with Skyland Istanbul 2, Skyland Istanbul 1 is a mixed-use skyscraper in Istanbul, Turkey. Standing at 293.1 meters (962 feet), they are the tallest buildings in Turkey. These towers are set to open up later this year and will be used as residential and office space, with a third tower (179.1 meters) set to be a hotel.

Commerzbank Tower

Opened in 1994, Commerzbank Tower was the tallest building in Europe from 1997 until 2003. It contains 56 storeys and is 259 meters (850 feet). It is the current tallest building in Germany and took three years to complete construction. It houses office space for Commerzbank headquarters, with winter gardens, natural lighting, and air circulation. It is known as the world’s first ecological skyscraper, and it is located in Frankfurt, Germany.

Torre de Cristal

Located in Madrid, Spain, Torre de Cristal stands at 249 meters (817 feet) and is currently the tallest building in Spain. Construction lasted five years, beginning in 2004 and completing in 2009. It is an office building with 52 storeys and it is the fourth tallest building in the European Union.

Tour First

For about 25 years this skyscraper was known as Tour UAP and for about 10 years it was known as Tour AXA, however now, it is known as Tour First. It is an office skyscraper in the business district of the Paris metropolitan area. It was originally built in 1974 but was renovated from 2007 until 2011. It currently stands at 225 meters (738 feet) as the tallest skyscraper in France and second tallest structure in France behind the Eiffel Tower. It is 52 storeys and is a commercial office skyscraper.

Have you visited any of these incredible feats of architecture? When do you think Europe will have its first 400 meter skyscraper? Sound off in the comments section below and let us know.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

You will find five types of fire extinguishers commonly in use today; water, foam, powder, CO2 and wet substance. Other forms of more specialist fire extinguishers include, Halon, clean agent fire extinguisher, and specialist powder extinguishers like Class - D fire extinguishers for metal fire hazards and monnex powder. Water fire extinguishers are the most often used, the simplest, and most affordable. They can be employed to extinguish flammable solid fires like paper, wood and most regular combustible materials - also known as Class - A fires. Additives might be added to water extinguishers to increase their fire rating as well as their fire fighting capability, allowing smaller, lighter models to be used. 

In addition, low freeze additives may be added to defend the water from danger of freezing in cold states - this is usually employed for caravan parks as well as unheated warehouses and outbuildings. A foam extinguisher provides class A coverage in a comparable way to a water extinguisher, but also provides coverage against flammable liquid fires, assuming a B rating. AFFF foam extinguishers are often established in areas where there aren't any flammable liquid hazards present, but as a favorite medium to cover the class A hazards as well as to meet the flooring rating of the building. 

In offices, the aerosol nozzle employed on most foam extinguishers, means it is safer if employed accidentally or unintentionally on electric fire hazards. Some foams and more recently some water extinguishers are tested to adhere to a 35kva dielectric test to certify their safety if accidentally applied on electric risks. ABC dry powder fire extinguishers might be safely utilized on fires involving electric equipment as well as flammable solids and fluids. As they cover various kinds of fire risks, they're also called a multi-purpose extinguisher. Even though they may be used on electric fires, the powder - Mono Ammonium phosphate - shouldn't be the first selection of extinguisher to be used on very sensitive electrical equipment, as it may cause harm to very sensitive parts as well as get deep into the inner workings of small parts causing corrosion. The first option fire extinguisher for guarding electrical equipment is the CO2 extinguisher. The primary advantage being that they're inert, clean and for that reason leave no residue, working by depleting a fire of the oxygen necessary to continue burning. They're also safe to use on flammable liquid fires like petrol and oil, they're unsafe however on cooking fat fires due to their fast release which may spray hot fat and potentially spread the fire.

Do you have fire extinguishers in your home? Which kind do you own? Sound off in the comments section down below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Fire is the observable effect of the procedure for combustion - a special kind of chemical reaction. It happens between oxygen in the air and a few types of fuel. The products from the chemical response are totally distinct from the startintg material. The fuel should be heated to its ignition temperature for combustion to happen. The response will keep going so long as there's enough heat, fuel and oxygen. Combustion is when fuel reacts with oxygen to discharge heat energy. Combustion may be slow or fast, contingent upon the quantity of oxygen available. Combustion that leads to a fire is very quick and is called burning. 

Throughout the chemical response that creates fire, fuel is heated to the extent that it discharges gases from its surface. When these gases are hot enough, the substances in the gases break apart, as well as fragments of substances rejoin with oxygen from the atmosphere to make new molecules - water molecules and CO2 molecules - along with other products if burning is not complete. Heat generated by the reaction is what keeps the fire burning. The heat of the fire will keep the fuel at ignition temperature. The fire ignites the gases being emitted, and the fire spreads as well. 

So long as there is enough fuel as well as oxygen, the fire will continue burning. During the entire combustion, the burning fuel may produce only water and CO2. For this to occur, there needs to be adequate oxygen to combine fully with the fuel gas. A lot of us use methane gas, generally known as natural gas, at home for cooking. When the gas is heated as well as if there's sufficient oxygen in the environment, the substances may break apart and reform completely as water and CO2. If there isn't sufficient oxygen available during a chemical response, imperfect combustion happens, and products like carbon, carbon monoxide, water, and CO2 are produced.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

We previously discussed fire safety in TV shows such as Seinfeld, The Flash, The Office, and more, as well as fire safety in movies such as The Naked Gun and Zoolander. Here are a few more TV shows we managed to pull some fire safety lessons from, as well as a video game. Obviously, these are all done in a comedic way, however, that doesn’t mean one still can’t learn from them. Check out these fire safety lessons from the likes of Frasier, Friends, Malcolm in the Middle, and Grand Theft Auto V.

Frasier

The Scene: Niles is in his apartment, starting to iron his pants. He leaves his pants and the iron unattended for a bit, comes back, and sees that a fire has started. He desperately attempts to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. When he fails at that (clearly lacking the knowledge of how to properly use one), he takes a pot of water and extinguishes the flames. When attempting to whisk the smoke out of the apartment, he passes out, apparently due to smoke inhalation.

What We Can Learn: While in a show like this, this scene is hilarious, in reality, something like this happening is incredibly dangerous. Leaving an iron unattended is very careless, and not properly knowing how to use a fire extinguisher can end with deadly consequences. Lastly, as seen in 5 Common Myths About Fire Safety, smoke inhalation can be more dangerous than the fire itself. Again, this scene is a classic, but a lot can be learned from Niles’s mistakes.

Friends

The Scene: Joey and Ross get locked out on the roof of a building with seemingly no way down. The lack of cell phones in this period of television is extremely evident here. They notice the fire escape and attempt to exit via that route. The ladder at the bottom level of the fire escape is stuck, so they have no safe way down from that height. Eventually Joey lowers down and hangs on as Ross shimmies down his body, eventually falling to the ground, with Joey left hanging there as the credits roll. Again, another very funny scene, but with some real lessons that can be learned about the state of today's fire escapes.

What We Can Learn: Not all fire escapes are fully functioning these days, as many are incredibly old and rusting. Make sure your fire escape is safe to use sooner rather than later, because if a fire starts, and you haven’t checked, you could end up being trapped like Joey and Ross. See “Are Fire Escapes Safe?” for more information on this subject matter.

Malcolm in the Middle

The Scene: Malcolm, Reese, and Dewey are just minding their own business when Lois comes raging in with a burned red dress that she accuses the boys of damaging. This accusation goes on for the length of the episode. At the end of the episode, (SPOILERS) Hal is seen smoking on the couch and causes a pillow to catch fire. He puts out the fire by throwing the pillow in the toilet and is heard screaming “Not again!”, implying that he did the exact same thing to the red dress.

What We Can Learn: Smoking indoors and not being careful about it is definitely a fire hazard, no question about it. See our blog posts about the top causes of fire here and here.

Grand Theft Auto V (Some Graphic Content)

The Gameplay: A new mod was created for Grand Theft Auto V that gives the player a new weapon: A Samsung Galaxy Note 7. This is essentially a grenade that explodes either on impact or after a few seconds. This new weapon was made in the wake of the Galaxy Note 7s wreaking havoc by catching fire and eventually being completely recalled by Samsung.

What We Can Learn: Always make sure to be aware of major recalls due to fire hazards and complying with said recalls because hanging onto your high-end gadget is not worth the fire safety risk. See 10 Products Recalled Due to Fire Safety Issues for more on the subject.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The year has come and gone and sadly, fire safety is still very much an issue in the world today. Whether a third-world country or first-world country, no one has been immune to tragedy when it comes to fire. Every year, more and more technology is developed, either as a means of fighting the fire, or as a means of escaping the fire, and hopefully one day, thanks to advancements in technology, such tragedies will be a thing of the past. While the National Fire Protection Agency will likely not release this year's statistics on fire’s impact in the United States until fall of 2017, we thought it informative to take a look at some of the worst fires that happened over the past year so you can see just how much of a problem fire continues to be, even in first-world countries.

Three children killed in Gary apartment fire (December 24, 2016)

Three young children were killed in an apartment fire in Gary, Indiana. It’s horrific when anyone perishes in a fire, but when their ages are 2, 4, and 5, you feel it even more. Two of them were found in an upstairs bedroom, while the third was found in a stairwell. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of this fire, whether it was arson, electrical, or accidental. One woman made it out and was hospitalized until the following morning.

Bronx Apartment Fire Kills Two Young Sisters (April 13, 2016)

Another horrific incident in which 2 young sisters were killed, one age 2, and the other only 18 months. Ten other people were taken to the hospital with injuries, including three firefighters. The fire occurred in a 21-storey building. “This is my building. This is my home. I’ve never seen a fire like this.” said resident Kay Wilkins.

11 dogs killed in southwest Oklahoma City house fire (September 27, 2016)

This fire occurred in a home in which fourteen dogs lived. Eleven did not make it out alive. Firefighters were able to save three of the dogs using a pet oxygen mask to revive one of them. Animal welfare was contacted to help with the surviving dogs.

THE LATEST: Nine dead in early morning house fire in Memphis (September 12, 2016)

An early morning house fire in Memphis, Tennessee killed nine people, including five children, this past September. It was the most deaths in a single fire in Memphis since the 1920s. It took firefighters about fifteen minutes to extinguish the fire in the one-storey home to a family of ten. Just one out of ten family members survived this terrible tragedy.

Death toll of Oakland, Calif., fire rises to 33 (December 3, 2016)

By far the most well known fire on this list, this one occurred in a warehouse in Oakland, California. A fire broke out during a late-night dance party and over 30 people were killed. “If you were going there for a party, you wouldn’t be aware of the maze that you have to go through to get out,” said a former friend of the warehouse’s owners. Around 100 people were there for a party during which, the fire was able to spread due to clutter and a lack of fire sprinklers. The last major fire at a venue like this was October of 2015 in which 64 people were killed and nearly 150 injured in a nightclub in Romania.

There were many more fires this past year in the USA and throughout the world and the frequency of these kinds of fires does not seem to be decreasing at a rate you would expect. In 2004 there were about 1.55 million fires in the USA and in 2015 there were about 1.35 million fires, a decrease of less than eight percent. With the increase in technology, you would think the decrease would be more significant, but sadly, that’s not the case. Hopefully, in the future, as technology advances further and further, these statistics will dwindle into nothing. However, until then, we must learn what we can from such tragic instances, and continue moving forward.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

As 2016 comes to a close, we look ahead to next year. While 2016 saw the completion of Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world, 2017 will see the completion of even more architectural marvels. While none will reach the same stature, 2017 remains a year to look forward to for skyscraper enthusiasts. Many of the tallest skyscrapers being completed this year are located in China, as can be expected. What is the tallest building set to be completed next year? How will that compare with Shanghai Tower? With nearly 20 skyscrapers over 300 meters set to be completed next year, it’s definitely not going to be a slow one when it comes to architecture.

Goldin Finance 117

Obviously, this one is located in China (as many of the new megatall skyscrapers being built these days are), specifically Tianjin. It will be nearly 600 meters when complete (1,959 feet), and was topped out in late 2015. It will house a hotel, residential space, and commercial offices. It will contain 117 storeys, as well as 4,000,000 square feet of floor area. Initially, the top of the tower was meant to be in a fin-like shape. It has since been replaced by a diamond. This tower’s construction began in 2008 and is set to surpass Shanghai World Financial Center, becoming the second tallest building in the country, after Shanghai Tower. It will be the sixth tallest building in the world, giving China four out of the top ten tallest buildings.

Hengqin Headquarters (Tower 2)

Another skyscraper being built in China, this one is located in Guangdong. It will be a bit smaller than Goldin Finance 117, standing at “only” 490 meters (1,607 feet). Construction began nearly 4 years ago and is set to be completed in the coming year. It will have 106 storeys.

Chongqing International Trade and Commerce Center

Yet another skyscraper being completed in China next year, this one will stand at 468 meters (1,535 feet) and 100 storeys. It will become the tallest building in Chongqing. Construction began in 2012.

Abu Dhabi Plaza

This one is a bit different, being located in Astana, Kazakhstan. This project consists of several towers of varying heights, however, the tallest will be 382 meters (1,253 feet) and 88 storeys. It will be the tallest building in Central Asia. It has a cost of about $1.1 billion and consist of a hotel, residential space, office space, and shopping space. It will be 75 storeys and will easily become the tallest building in Kazakhstan.

Gate of Taipei

This supertall skyscraper will be located in Taipei, Taiwan. It will consist of two skyscrapers, one being 322 meters (1,057 feet) and one being 243 meters (797 feet). The taller one will have 76 storeys, while the shorter one will have 56 storeys. It has an estimated cost of about $414 million and will be the second tallest building in Taipei and the third tallest building in Taiwan.

Palais Royale

Coming in at an estimated cost of about $450 million, Palais Royale is located in Mumbai, India. It will be a luxury building, with a movie theater, spa, cricket pitch, swimming pools, badminton court, and more. It will stand at approximately 320 meters (1,050 feet) and contain 88 storeys of 120 apartments. Construction began in 2008 and is set to be completed in the fall of next year.

Are there any interesting skyscraper projects that we missed? 2017 is definitely shaping up to be an interesting year. Sound off in the comments down below and give us your thoughts.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

As we near the end of 2016, let’s take a look at some of the most impressive skyscrapers built over the course of the year. This year gave us four out of the top ten tallest skyscrapers in the world, as well as five of the top twenty. There was a one hundred percent increase in skyscrapers over 500 meters tall, as there now stand eight such structures. There was also a fifty percent increase in skyscrapers over 600 meters tall, as there now stand three such structures. As only two buildings are set for a 2017 completion that stand over 500 meters and none that will stand over 600 meters, 2016 is definitely looking to be a more exciting year for skyscraper enthusiasts. No need to worry though, as 2018 will bring several more 500+ meter skyscrapers into the mix. So as 2016 comes to a close, here are five of the most impressive skyscrapers that opened in this past year.

Shanghai Tower

See our blog post about Shanghai Tower here. Shanghai Tower is 632 meters tall or 2,073 feet and has 128 stories. It has a total floor area of 380,000 meters squared or 4,090,000 square feet. The next tallest building is the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Mecca standing at 601 meters or 1,971 feet tall. Every single day about 16,000 people can be accommodated by Shanghai Tower. It is the second tallest building in the world and while it was set to be opened in 2014 and then 2015, it opened this past year, picking up three Guinness World Records along the way.

Ping An Finance Centre

Located in the central business district of Shenzhen in Futian (China), this skyscraper stands at 600 meters tall. It contains office, hotel, and retail spaces, and features a conference center and high-end shopping mall. It is 115 storeys and cost $678 million. It is the world’s tallest office building and the fourth tallest skyscraper in the world.

Lotte World Tower

This supertall skyscraper is located in Seoul, South Korea. It stands at 555 meters (1,821 feet) and have 129 floors (123 aboveground, 6 below ground). It was in the planning stages for 13 years and started construction in 2011. It contains retail outlets, offices, residences, public access floors with an observation deck, and a luxury hotel. While not officially open to the public, Lotte World Tower is set to officially open in April, after the final inspection by authorities. It is the tallest building in South Korea and fifth tallest in the world. The tower observatory is set to open in February.

Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre

Formerly the CTF Guangzhou, Chow Tai Fook Centre, or Guangzhou East Tower, this skyscraper, now the CTF Finance Centre, is the second of two Guangzhou Twin Towers. It is located in Guangzhou, China and tops out at 530 meters or 1,740 feet. Its 116 storeys (111 above ground, 5 below ground) contain offices, residential suites, a hotel, meeting rooms, a ballroom, a shopping mall and retail space, as well as an observation deck. It opened in October of 2016.

Wuhan Center

This 438 meter (1,437 foot) skyscraper is located in Wuhan, China. Construction began in 2009 and it now stands as the tallest building in Central China. It is the first building in Wuhan to exceed 400 meters (1,312 feet). It has 88 floors which will contain residential space, office space, and a hotel. The opening for this skyscraper was pushed off until 2017.

As 2016 comes to a close, skyscrapers are still a major trend around the world. It does not look like it will be changing much, come 2017. Keep a lookout for our upcoming post about the tallest skyscrapers to be completed in 2017. Have you visited any of these newly completed pieces of architecture? What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Winter is most definitely upon us and that means extended use of heaters, ovens, and dryers. It’s also the holiday season and that means electronic decorations, cooking, and candles.

An average of 210 home fires started by Christmas trees were responded to annually between 2010-2014 which led to an annual average of 6 deaths, 16 injuries, and $16.2 million in direct property damage. Christmas tree fires statistically led to more home fire deaths (one every 34 fires) than the home fire death average (one every 142 fires) over that same period. About one-third of those Christmas tree fires were due to some kind of electrical or lighting equipment. Almost forty percent of Christmas tree fires began in the living room or den. Nearly twenty-five percent of them were intentional.

On average, 860 fires per year began with decorations (not related to Christmas trees) from 2009-2013, causing one death, 41 injuries, and $13.4 million in direct property damage. In almost half of these fires, the decoration was near a heat source. Twenty percent of these fires began in the kitchen. Twenty percent of these fires happened in December. Ten percent were intentional.

Of home decoration fires, thirty-eight percent were caused by candles. About half of those fires in December were caused by candles, with candles causing thirty-five percent of such fires in November and January. The top three home candle fire days were Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Christmas Eve.

The number one days for home cooking fires are Thanksgiving (see our blog post on how to prevent grease fires), Christmas Day, and Christmas Eve. Eighteen percent of home decoration fires were started by cooking equipment.

As you can see, this time of year is one in which there is an increase of specific kinds of house fires. That doesn’t mean these fires can’t be prevented. Here are some holiday fire safety tips to help you stay safe this Christmas or Hannukah or any other holiday you may be celebrating:

• Regarding Christmas trees, make sure it’s fresh. The green needles should not easily fall off.

• Do not keep it near a heat source and make sure it is not blocking an exit.

• Make sure all the lights you place on the tree are in working condition and not worn out. Turn them off before going to sleep.

• Do not place lit candles on the tree.

• Speaking of candles, when lighting the Hannukah menorah (candelabra), make sure to not place it near anything flammable.

• Make sure to not leave your menorah unattended when lit. Houses have burned down due to unattended menorahs.

• Regarding decorations, be smart. Make sure not to place any flammable ones near heat sources and for electronic decorations, do not overload electric outlets.

Regardless of which holiday you celebrate during the winter season, be sure to always stay safe when doing so. Whether Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s or what have you, you can never be too careful. It’s a time for family and celebration, so let’s keep it that way. Which holiday do you celebrate? Are you always careful when doing so? Sound off in the comments section down below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

You can never have too many prepper apps on your phone because you can never be too prepared. If you are keen on always being ready to encounter any kind of emergency situation, you may be considered a prepper. Prepper apps can be incredibly useful (see our first list) in difficult moments. They are full of practical information, giving you the tools you need to always be prepared. Ten apps just wasn’t enough, so we decided to give you a list of eight more apps that are essential for any prepper (and pretty important to have, even if you’re not). Here are eight more essential apps for preppers (in no particular order).

• ICE Standard - As stated in one of our blog posts, having an ICE list on your phone is definitely something everyone should consider. ICE meaning In Case of Emergency. Over 16 million people are taken to the emergency room each year in the United States, and, if you are non-responsive, with the medic only having access to your phone, it’s best to have any medical and emergency contact information readily available. That’s where this app comes in. It’s a good idea as well, to make sure there is a shortcut to the app on the lockscreen of your phone, so as to allow first responders easy access. Available for free on both Android and IOS.

• Pet First Aid - Anyone with a longtime pet knows how much they feel like a member of the family. That’s why it’s essential to know what to do in a situation where they might need immediate medical attention. Pet First Aid - Red Cross does just that. It has step-by-step instructions for everyday emergencies, easy access to locate the nearest emergency vet hospital, how-to videos, and much more. Make sure your pet is taken care of and download this app! Available for free on both Android and IOS.

• Patronus - Make sure your loved ones know where you are with this useful app. If you know you will be going alone to a potentially dangerous location, or even just feel uncomfortable about where you’ll be headed and want people to know of your whereabouts, this app is definitely a keeper. Available for free on both Android and IOS.

• Wild Edibles App - Are you curious as to which plants are edible and which are not? This app can help you identify edible plants, poison lookalikes, and gives you information on plants with medicinal properties as well. Wild Edibles contains an enormous amount of knowledge regarding foraging, preparation methods, and recipes for both novices and experts. Available for free (lite version) and $4.99 on both Android and IOS.

• Knots 3D - You can learn how to tie 118 different knots with this incredible app. You are able to watch the knot tie itself so you can emulate it and you can even adjust the speed of the knot tying or pause it so you can figure out where you’ve gone wrong. There is even the option to rotate it and view the knot from any angle. This app has been included in Scouting Magazine’s ‘Ultimate List of Scouting Apps’ (April 2014). Available for $1.99 on both Android and IOS.

• MyNature Animal Tracks - You’ve identified edible plants, what about wild animal tracks? This app can help you identify the tracks of over 46 different animals in North America based on size and shape. You can even listen to the sound each animal makes with the app. Available for $4.99 on Android and $1.99 on IOS.

• SAS Survival Guide - This all-encompassing app is based on the best-selling book of the same name. It provides a comprehensive guide to wilderness survival with everything you might need including basiic information, a guide to knife skills, a survival checklist, and more. Download the lite version for free or the paid for one which has much more content for $5.99. Available for both Android and IOS.

• Smart Compass - This compass app will help you gather your bearings. It uses the built-in magnetic sensors of your device to function. If the magnetic sensors of your device are not calibrated properly, the app will not work as intended. Available for Android.

Each and every one of these apps are extremely handy in the right situation. It’s better to have them and not need them then to need them and not have them. Which of these apps do you already have installed on your phone/tablet? Are there any other prepper apps you would recommend? Sound off in the comments section down below and let us know.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest building in the world, standing at an incredible 829.8 meters or 2,722 feet. It achieved this feat in 2009, however it is expected to be surpassed in 2020 (though that remains to be seen). The Burj Khalifa was constructed over the course of 5 years to the tune of $1.5 billion. It surpassed Taipei 101 to become the world’s tallest building and is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It consists of 163 storeys, 57 elevators, and a floor space of over 300,000 m2. It holds many records, including tallest skyscraper, highest occupied floor, highest nightclub, highest observation deck, and much more. See our blog post on 9 Amazing Facts About the Burj Khalifa for more information on this incredible feat of architecture.

Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower

Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower is currently the world’s third tallest building. It has the world’s largest clock face. Even though it is only the world’s third tallest building, it is the most expensive building in the world at $15 billion, ten times the price of the Burj Khalifa. It stands at 601 meters or 1,972 feet tall with 120 storeys and 96 elevators. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2011. Its clock face is visible from 25 kilometers away (16 miles). It was controversially built on the location where the historic Ottoman Ajyad Fortress stood.

Marina 101

Also located in Dubai, Marina 101 stands at 433.5 meters or 1,422 feet and when completed (expected before the end of the year), will be the tallest residential building in the world. It was originally scheduled to be completed in 2012. The skyscraper consists of a hotel, residential apartments, and restaurants. The first 33 floors will be a five-star hotel, while floor 34 to 100 will be residential space. It is the fifteenth tallest skyscraper in the world and the third tallest in the Middle East.

Princess Tower

This 414 meter (1,358 feet) behemoth is located in, you guessed it, Dubai. It is the 3rd tallest building in Dubai and the 22nd tallest building in the world. It was the world’s tallest residential building from 2012 until 2015. It was surpassed by 432 Park Avenue (which will in turn be surpassed by Marina 101). Costs are estimated to have been $210 million to build Princess Tower which consists of 107 storeys and has 13 elevators.

Al Hamra Tower

Al Hamra Tower, located in Kuwait City, Kuwait, is currently the 23rd tallest building in the world. It was constructed between 2005 and 2011 at a cost of $500 million. It consists of 80 storeys and has 43 elevators. It was a finalist in 2012’s Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa. It consists of office space and a shopping mall. Al Hamra Tower stands at 413 meters or 1,352 feet.

Capital Market Authority Headquarters

This supertall skyscraper stands at 385 meters or 1,263 feet. It is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and contains 77 storeys. It currently stands as the 27th tallest building in the world. Like Marina 101, it is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

Have you visited any of these Middle Eastern skyscrapers? As we have now completed the tallest skyscrapers in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia, the next region in our tallest skyscraper series will be focused on Europe. Sound off in the comments section down below and give your thoughts about the tallest skyscrapers in the Middle East.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The Empire State Building. The Burj Khalifa. One World Trade Center. The Chrysler Building. Sears Tower. These are but some of the most famous skyscrapers in the world. They tower over everything, giving cities a larger than life feel. Just looking at one of these gigantic architectural wonders makes one feel small and insignificant. Sometimes it does the opposite and makes one want to achieve big things and reach new heights. We all know they’re enormous and we all know they cost quite a bit of money to build, but let’s learn something new about skyscrapers. What defines a building as a skyscraper? Which city has the most skyscrapers? What was the world’s first skyscraper? Check out these ten interesting skyscraper facts.

To be a skyscraper, the minimum number of floors is 40. A skyscraper may also be called a high-rise, however sometimes the term skyscraper is used to describe buildings over 150 meters or 492 feet.

There are terms for buildings above 300 meters or 984 feet and 600 meters or 1,969 feet. They are Supertall and Megatall respectively.

In the late 1800's, a building had to be at least ten storeys tall to be a skyscraper. The world’s first skyscraper, built in 1885, was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, Illinois, which stood at 42 meters or 138 feet and was 10 storeys.

The now under construction Kingdom Tower will beat out the Burj Khalifa to become the world’s tallest skyscraper when it opens in 2020 in Saudi Arabia. It will have a height of more than one kilometer or 3,307 feet and will have cost about $1.2 billion.

Hong Kong has more skyscrapers than any other city with 308. Second place is New York City, followed by Dubai and Shanghai. Chicago and Tokyo are tied with 116 each and round out the top five.

The Empire State Building took only 410 days to build. That was over 80 years ago and it stood as the world’s tallest building for nearly 40 years. It was the first building in the world with over 100 floors. For comparison’s sake, the current tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, took 2,185 days from the time construction began until completion. That’s over five times more, yet it’s only 2.17 times taller than the Empire State Building.

September 3rd was chosen to be a global commemorative day for skyscrapers, dubbed “Skyscraper Day.” September 3rd was chosen because it’s the birthday of Louis H. Sullivan, who’s known as the “father of skyscrapers.” He is believed to have designed the first ones.

The word skyscraper did not always refer to really tall buildings. Over the years the word has meant a number of different things. A couple of them include meaning a very tall man (in 1857) and a tall hat or bonnet (in 1800).

The tallest building ever envisioned was the Tokyo Tower of Babel in 1992. If it was ever built it would have housed approximately 30 million people and costed 3 quadrillion Yen.

How fast can a skyscraper be built? A 57 story skyscraper in China was built in just 19 days. The company which built the skyscraper used 2,736 modular units, and assembled them at an incredible rate of 3 floors per day.

If the general trend continues, skyscrapers will continue to get taller and taller. If originally 10 storeys made a building defined as a skyscraper, and now it’s 40 storeys, it wouldn’t be surprising if in the not too distant future 70 or even 100 storeys would be the threshold.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

With only one skyscraper above 300 meters and 31 total above the height of 200 meters, Australia has a lot of catching up to do to reach the heights that the Far East and Middle East are reaching. There are, however, at least 50 skyscrapers in the proposal, approval, or constructions phases of development, that would essentially increase Australia’s number of skyscrapers over 200 meters tall by 200%. As four of those are over 300 meters tall, it would mark a 400% increase of skyscrapers of that height. One of those, the Orion Towers, would surpass Australia’s current tallest skyscraper by about 5 meters. Again, there is still a ways to go to reach the heights that other countries are reaching. Here are the 5 tallest skyscrapers in Australia.

Q1

Located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Q1, or Queensland Number One is the current tallest skyscraper in Australia. At one point, it was the world’s tallest residential skyscraper, but lost the title to The Marina Torch in 2011. It is currently the 7th tallest residential skyscraper in the world. It is the tallest building outside of Asia, Europe, and North America and it is the second-tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Construction on Q1 began in 2002 and was completed in 2005 at a cost of $255 million. It stands at 322.5 meters tall and has 78 floors. Floors 77 and 78 are an observation deck known as SkyPoint and has enough room for 400 people. The elevator that takes you to SkyPoint takes 43 seconds.

Eureka Tower

Standing at 297 meters, Eureka Tower is the second tallest skyscraper in Australia. It is located in Melbourne, Victoria. Construction on it began in 2002 and was completed in 2006 at a cost of $415 million. It has 91 floors with one underground. When measured to its highest floor, Eureka Tower was the world’s tallest residential tower until it was surpassed by Ocean Heights and HHHR Tower. It is currently the 15th tallest residential building in the world. Like Q1, Eureka Tower has an observation deck. Located on the 88th floor, it is the highest public vantage point in a building in the Southern Hemisphere at 285 meters. An event called the Eureka Climb has been held annually since 2012. The goal is to climb the 1,642 steps of Eureka Tower to reach the observation deck. The record currently stands at seven minutes.

120 Collins Street

Also located in Melbourne, Victoria, 120 Collins Street is the third tallest skyscraper in Australia. It stands at 265 meters and has 52 floors. It was the tallest skyscraper in Australia from the year it was built (1991) until Q1 was built in 2005. It was surpassed by Eureka Tower as the tallest skyscraper in Melbourne. It was built in a postmodern style in order to pay homage to the likes of the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building.

101 Collins Street

Just like 120 Collins Street, 101 Collins Street was completed in 1991. It stands at 260 meters and has 57 storeys. It is currently the fourth tallest skyscraper in Australia. Its elevators reach speeds of seven meters per second. It was the tallest building in Melbourne upon its completion until being surpassed five months later by the current third tallest building in Australia. It is the tallest office building in Australia.

1 William Street

Costing $650 million, 1 William Street is the fifth tallest skyscraper in Australia and the tallest in Brisbane, Queensland. It stands at 259.8 meters and opened in October of this year. It is an office skyscraper containing 46 floors and 24 elevators. Tenants of the building include many governmental bodies of Queensland, such as, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Department of State Development, Department of Energy and Water Supply, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, as several examples. The first cabinet meeting was just recently held in the newly completed skyscraper.

Have you visited any of these skyscrapers from the land down under? Sound off in the comment section down below.

Skyscrapers continue to be built around the world, many in the far east and middle east. That’s just the direction many countries are going in. Building taller and taller is the trend, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Recently, Shanghai Tower was completed in China and now stands as the world’s second tallest building. You generally only hear about projects that are completed. You rarely hear about skyscrapers that fail and are never completed, due to a number of reasons. These reasons can range from going over budget to encountering miscellaneous problems along the way. Whatever the case may be, the finished products never see the light of day. Here are some of the most high-profile, failed skyscraper projects.

Nakheel Tower:

Nakheel Tower was one of many skyscraper projects halted due to the 2008 financial crisis. Located in Dubai, this skyscraper was planned to be 3,300 feet tall, which would have made it the tallest building in the world, and contain 156 elevators. It was set to cost over $38 billion, have over 200 floors, and be completed in 2020. Amazingly, an initial height expectation of some companies involved in the project was 5,200 feet, nearly double the size of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s current tallest building. Other reports had it set to be 4,921 feet (1,500 meters). It had 3 different names over the course of the project; Al Burj, Tall Tower, and Nakheel Tower.

Grant USA Tower:

Set to be built in Newark, New Jersey, Grant USA Tower was a proposed 121-storey skyscraper which failed to become a reality. Harry Grant financed the project which was to be located over the old Central Railroad Terminal. It was set to be completed by 1986, and would have been the tallest building and structure at the time, and would have contained the tallest hotel. Harry Grant went bankrupt before the building ever even broke ground. It was set to be 1,750 feet or 533.4 meters.

Grollo Tower:

Grollo Tower was a 113-storey skyscraper, set to be built in Melbourne, Australia. Its original proposed height was 678 meters or 2,224 feet, but was later scaled down to 560 meters or 1,837 feet. This would have been the tallest building in the world at the time. It was scrapped in 2001, after it was ruled out for the tender for development of the precinct in Batman Hill. There were disagreements as to who would pay for infrastructure improvements The area it would have been in now contains a mixture of smaller residential and commercial properties. It would have been developed by the Grollo Group.

PAGCOR Tower:

7 South Dearborn:

1 Dubai:

This would have been a complex of three different skyscrapers. The first one, Tower 1, would have been the tallest. Construction began in 2009, and it was intended to be over 600 meters or 2,000 feet. It was meant to be taller than the Burj Khalifa which was being built at the same time. The tower would have had 201 storeys and would have included a hotel, commercial, residential, entertainment, and retail space of over 800,000 square meters or 8.6 million square feet. The project ended up being cancelled in 2009.

For every skyscraper that is built, there are many that never make it. Many projects never get off the ground (literally), and many projects run out of money during construction. Have you heard of any of the failed projects that we listed? Sound off in the comments section down below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

As we are nearing some of the peak days for home cooking fires (see our post on how to extinguish different kinds of fires here), we thought it best to go over some tips on how to prevent grease fires and how to fight them should your prevention methods prove unsuccessful. Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas are the 3 biggest days of the year for home cooking fires (for obvious reasons), and it’s best to set up your kitchen in a way which prevents any kind of fires that may be difficult to extinguish (such as grease fires).

Grease Fire Prevention:

• Do not use the stove if you’re sleepy or have just been drinking alcohol.

• Keep an eye on the food you are cooking regularly. Do not leave it unsupervised for extended periods of time.

• When frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food, stay in the room.

• Do not leave anything that may catch fire near the stove top.

• Make sure the stove is clean before cooking. Wipe up spills around the burner and in the drip pan.

• Oils have a heat rating (how much the oil can be heated before catching fire). Make sure to be aware of the heat rating of the oil you are using.

• Remove the pan once the oil starts smoking.

• Do not heat the grease before putting food on it. This helps avoid splashing and subsequently, grease burns.

• Be extremely careful when placing food into hot grease.

• DO NOT ADD WATER TO GREASE.

Fighting a Grease Fire:

• Do not try to use water to put out the grease fire.

• Turn off the heat.

• Cover the fire with a metal lid (if it is small enough). This will cause the fire to die due to a lack of oxygen.

• If the fire is small, pour baking soda on it. This will not work if it is a much larger fire.

• If you own a Class B dry chemical fire extinguisher, spray the pot with it (consequently, this will contaminate your kitchen, so only do this if you have no choice).

• Do not panic.

• If the fire is out of control, unless properly trained, escape as soon as possible, if necessary, with your SkySaver. Close the door to contain the fire.

• Call emergency services to fight the fire.

• Make sure others have escaped as well.

A survey was conducted by Liberty Mutual about people’s behavior while cooking. There was a response of 1,0005 adults to the survey. Out of those surveyed, forty-two percent said they leave the kitchen to talk on the phone while cooking, while thirty-five percent said they leave to use the computer while cooking. Nearly one-third of respondents said they intentionally disable the smoke detectors while cooking. All this while over half the respondents said they had plans to cook for family or friends during the holidays (the survey was conducted in 2013). Do not act like these respondents. Be attentive to your cooking, make sure the stove top is clean, and know when it is time to let the professionals handle the situation.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

A new firefighter movie is on the way, with the upcoming film No Exit casting Josh Brolin and Miles Teller as the lead roles (with Jeff Bridges and Taylor Kitsch in supporting roles). It is based off the true story of the horrific 2013 wildfire in Prescott, Arizona that nearly killed an entire crew of firefighters. It is known as the Yarnell Hill Wildfire and it is considered one of the worst firefighter disasters in American history. Over 600 firefighters were deployed and the wildfire grew to over 8,400 acres. Out of the 20-person crew, nineteen were killed after becoming trapped by the fire. This will surely make for a memorable film, with powerful performances, as both Josh Brolin and Miles Teller have proven themselves to be capable of such in the past (see No Country For Old Men and Whiplash). This got us thinking of firefighters in film. Which actors playing firefighters have given some of the most memorable performances? These movies don’t necessarily need to be about firefighters specifically. The character simply needs to be a firefighter by profession (otherwise, this list would be severely limited, as you can see in our list of best firefighter movies, there are not that many significant and memorable movies with firefighting itself as a central focus). He are some of the most memorable movie firefighter performances.

Frank Sullivan (Frequency) - Played by Dennis Quaid, Frank Sullivan is the father of John Sullivan in the 2000 film Frequency. Frank and John communicate through time and space with the help of an old ham radio being used during the occurrence of an aurora borealis. In the beginning of the movie, Frank has been dead for decades, tragically having died in a warehouse fire while on duty. John sees an opportunity to play G-d and change the past when he sees he can communicate with his deceased father. It is a heart wrenching story at times and Dennis Quaid plays a Frank as a warm, committed, and caring father, and has you rooting for a father-son reunion from beginning to end. Currently, there is a TV adaptation of the film airing on the CW.

Gordy Brewer (Collateral Damage) - Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Gordy Brewer, a firefighter who is aiming for revenge after his wife and son are killed by a guerrilla commando. He travels to the congo to personally hunt down those responsible. As always, Arnold is entertaining to watch. Whether he is in a kitschy role such as his portrayal of Mr. Freeze in 1997’s Batman and Robin or in a more serious role such as his performance as Wade Vogel in the 2015 film Maggie, Arnold Schwarzenegger is always a joy to see on screen. While the film was not so well received, (only 19% on Rotten Tomatoes and 33/100 on Metacritic), Arnold doing his action-movie thing is something that never grows tired.

Jack Morrison (Ladder 49) - Joaquin Phoenix, an actor that can disappear into any role he’s placed into, plays Jack Morrison in this 2004 firefighter flick. Known for his roles in the movie Her and Gladiator, Phoenix shines in this role, as he tends to do. He literally overcame his fears for this role, as before the film he was afraid of heights and wasn’t even able to slide down the 20-foot fire pole. After his training, he was able to hang off the side of a 20-story building by a rappelling rope. He trained for a month at a fire academy as well as another month with the firefighters of Baltimore’s Truck 10, even becoming an honorary member. He was even nearly seriously injured while filming, as he almost got burned during one of the scenes. While this isn’t one of Phoenix’s most memorable roles, it is one of the more memorable performances by an actor, playing a firefighter.

Stephen ‘Bull’ McCaffrey (Backdraft) - Kurt Russell plays Stephen ‘Bull’ McCaffrey in this 1991 film about two Chicago firefighter brothers who must work together to catch a dangerous arsonist. It is a fun action movie to watch, getting nominated for Oscars for best sound, sound effects editing, and special effects. Russell is no stranger to action, as he is famous for his roles in The Thing, The Hateful Eight, Death Proof, and Escape From New York, among many others. He did many of his own stunts and even went to firefighter boot camp to prepare for the role, as director Ron Howard described his approach as “aggressive, but entertaining and totally honest.”

Do you agree with this list? What other memorable performances would you include? Sound off in the comments section down below and let us know your thoughts.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

On New Year’s Eve, approximately 10 months ago, a hotel in Dubai went up in flames. The 63-storey skyscraper was believed to have been engulfed due to a pair of curtains catching fire. The fire spread at an alarming rate, prompting a major investigation. How did the fire spread so fast? Did something fuel it? Was there cause for alarm? At least 60 people were injured in the fire, including one person suffering from a heart attack. Since 2012, three skyscrapers have caught fire in Dubai, and that should definitely be cause for concern regarding the safety of Dubai’s high-rise buildings. But again, why did this one burn so quickly?

Buildings of that stature do not generally seem to go up in flames that quickly, so something must have fueled such a blaze. Building and safety experts say that the speed at which the fire spread was due to the material used for the building’s siding (which are called composite panel cladding) not being designed to meet safety standards. There are fire-resistant cladding that can be used, however, this did not seem to be the case in Dubai. Experts are not even sure of how many skyscrapers around the world are built with this kind of flammable paneling, thus making them at risk for the same fate as this Dubai hotel.

Thom Bohlen, the chief technical officer at the Middle East Center for Sustainable Development in Dubai had this to say; “It’s like a wildfire going up the sides of the building. It’s very difficult to control and it’s very fast. It happens extremely fast.”

The numbers of high-rise buildings throughout the world are on the rise (the top six cities in the world have nearly 20,000 high rises altogether), and there is no telling what kind of fire risk exists. This is due to there not being enough information regarding how many high rises have been built using building panels that are not fire resistant. The main issue with these panels lie with their core, which are all or mostly polyethylene, which is a common type of plastic. Andy Dean, an expert on the subject said “The ones with the 100 percent polyethylene core can burn quite readily. Some of the older, even fire-rated, materials still have quite a lot of polymer in them.”

To be clear, these panels do not ignite the fires themselves. They are responsible for the speed at which a fire can spread throughout the building. If installed in a straight line, with no interruption, these panels can hasten the speed of a fire lighting up the side of a skyscraper, as seen in this Dubai fire.

Just about a year prior to this fire, in November 2014, a 23-storey apartment building went up in flames in Melbourne, Australia. The fire ascended 20 storeys in about 6 minutes and did millions of dollars of damage to the building. While no one was hurt, what was found in the aftermath of the fire was concerning. About 50 buildings in the city and around 1,700 in Victoria, were built with a similar, flammable siding.

Said panels have been banned in the UK since 1980, and have been outlawed in the United Arab Emirates since 2013 (stating that fire-retardant cladding must be used on buildings taller than 15 meters). This only applies to new buildings built since the law was introduced, as it would be quite expensive to repanel all of the buildings that already have such panels. This is problematic as well, due to the claim that up to 70% of the skyscrapers in Dubai built before this law was put in place may be covered with the flammable panels. 

Have an action emergency plan, practice it, and know how to maintain your composure, because you never know when something like this could happen to your building. It was reported that a man attempted to rappel from the 48th floor to safety during this fire, and while the current longest model of SkySaver does not reach such lengths, it’s always best to own one just in case you find yourself in a similar situation, with no other options (assuming you live up to the 25th floor, give or take).

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

This evening is Halloween, and that means candy, costumes, and jack-o-lanterns. Along with Halloween comes an array of potential fire hazards. Pumpkins, decorations, and billowing costumes can all cause potential fire safety issues. It is always best to take precautions when decorating, setting up candles, etc. According to Lorraine Carli, the National Fire Protection Association Vice President of Communications, candle fires are the leading cause of United States home fires.

There was an annual average of 15,260 home structure fires from 2003-2007 caused by candles. These caused an annual average of 166 deaths, 1,289 injuries, and $450 million in property damage. Four percent of reported home fires were caused by candles. Halloween is, unsurprisingly, one of the top five days for candle fires. Along with candles come all the decorations that are placed around the home as well (many of them flammable). From 2003-2007, decorations were the first items in the home ignited, in an estimated 1,240 home fires per year, with 7 deaths, 53 injuries, and $20 million in property damage annually. The following are some tips to stay safe this halloween:

• Try to avoid costumes that are flowing, with a lot of fabric. These can easily end up catching fire, and you may not realize before it’s too late. Choose a costume with material that would not easily catch fire. Make sure your child’s mask has eye holes so that they can see out of it easily.

• Keep any highly flammable decorations away from flames or heat sources. Such heat sources include heaters and light bulbs.

• It’s best to use something battery-operated in a jack-o-lantern, like a flashlight. If you must use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure it is well attended, and children in the vicinity are aware of the potential dangers of knocking it over. Make sure such jack-o-lanterns are placed away from anything that can burn, and are not placed on any walkways or doorsteps where trick-or-treaters may not see them and accidentally knock them over.

• Candle decorations should be attended at ALL TIMES.

• Keep exits clear of any decorations. Nothing should obstruct them, lest there be a fire and escape routes are blocked.

• Make sure your children are aware of fire safety procedures, including how to stop, drop, and roll.

• It is best to use lights and not candles to light walkways and paths, making it much safer for pedestrians to walk without worrying about knocking over a flame and causing a fire.

Halloween can be as enjoyable as any other holiday. However, like any other holiday, there are many potential fire hazards. Following this list can definitely help mitigate any potential problems and can lead to an enjoyable holiday for all. Happy Halloween!

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Moving forward in our tallest skyscrapers by continent series, we move on to Africa. We previously covered the tallest skyscrapers in North America, South America, and Asia. Africa only has 11 skyscrapers 150 meters or taller. It only has 2 skyscrapers 200 meters or taller. Most of Africa’s tallest buildings are located in South Africa and Egypt, therefore, the same rule is in effect as with our other posts: No more than three skyscrapers per country.

Carlton Centre

Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, Carlton Centre is currently the tallest skyscraper in South Africa at 223 meters or 732 feet. It has been the tallest building in Africa since it was constructed in 1973. It has 50 floors, and the 50th floor is known as the “Top of Africa”. At one point, it was the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. Initially, the Carlton Centre had a Carlton Hotel taking up most of the building (30 floors). The hotel shut down in 1998 due to urban decay, nearly 25 years since it opened. It cost around $6.5 million to build which translates to  about $35 million when adjusted for inflation. The building is currently home to offices and shops, with over forty-six percent of the floor area located below ground level.

Ponte City Apartments

Also located in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ponte City Apartments was built shortly after Carlton Centre, in 1975. It is currently the second tallest  completed skyscraper in Africa, and the tallest residential skyscraper in Africa. It is a cylindrical building, with the center space being known as “the core”.  It is 173 meters tall, consisting of 55 floors.  It can be seen in numerous films, such as District 9, Chappie, and SEAL Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines.  On top of the building there is a neon sign. That neon sign is the largest sign in the southern hemisphere.

UAP Tower

UAP Tower is located in Nairobi, Kenya, and is the third tallest completed skyscraper in Africa. It stands at 163 meters and has 33 floors. It is currently the tallest structure in Kenya, surpassing Times Tower, which was the tallest structure for 15 years. It cost a total of about $40 million dollars to build, and opened quite recently, on July 5, 2016. It filled fifty percent of its capacity on opening day. The building is owned by UAP Old Mutual Holdings.

NECOM House

Standing at 160 meters, NECOM House is the fourth tallest completed skyscraper in Africa, and is the tallest in Nigeria, as well as the entirety of West Africa. It was completed in 1979. It contains 32 storeys and the spire at the top serves as a lighthouse beacon for Lagos Harbor.

PSPF Towers

Consisting of Tower A and Tower B, PSPF Towers are both 153 meters tall. They are currently the fifth and sixth tallest completed skyscrapers in Africa. They were completed in 2014 and are located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. They have 35 storeys and mostly consist of offices, retail stores, and a parking garage.

Currently, there are five skyscrapers under construction in Africa to be completed over the next four years, that all have a height over 200 meters, the tallest being Hass Towers in Kenya, which is expected to be 300 meters and completed in the year 2020. At the moment, there are at least 9 skyscrapers that will potentially be built over the next several years that are all over 200 meters. One of them would be 540 meters with 114 floors, to be built in Morocco, named Al Noor Tower. Africa is slowly catching on to the skyscraper craze (not in the same way the Middle East and Asia have been, but then again, not many regions are), as this list will look very different by the year 2020.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Samsung’s new smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, continues to have fire safety issues and do damage to the company’s image, as well as its stock. Production of the phone has completely stopped and a recall was issued, as Samsung is doing its best to save face. The last major electronic device to randomly burst into flames was the hoverboard. There was a major recall of those as well. The Galaxy Note 7 and hoverboards are just two of many fire safety recalls to happen to major companies over the last several decades. Samsung will definitely have learned a valuable lesson from this debacle, however, this will definitely not be the last time we hear of a major company recalling its flagship product due to fire safety issues. Here are 10 times that companies were forced into major recalls due to fire hazards discovered in their product after launch.

• 1978 Ford Motor Company - 1.5 million Ford Pintos were recalled so a modification could be installed to reduce the risk of fire. At the time, it was the largest recall in automotive history.

• 2006 Sony - A number of incidents where batteries either overheated or caught fire caused Dell to recall four million notebook computer batteries made by Sony. Most were sold in the USA, however, about one million were sold outside the USA. Apple Computer also recalled 1.8 million Sony batteries due to this, 700,000 of which were sold outside the USA. Other companies recalled batteries as well, including; Panasonic, Toshiba, IBM/Lenovo, Hitachi, Fujitsu, and Sharp.

• 2007 Ford Motor Company - The  new 2008 Super Duty was recalled by Ford due to reported tailpipe fires.

• 2010 Maytag - Nearly 1.7 million dishwashers were recalled by Maytag, in addition to Jenn-Air, and several other companies, due to fire hazards and electrical failures.

• 2013 Big Lots - Christmas tree lights were recalled by Big Lots due to fire hazard.

• 2015 Beats Pill XL - Recalled due to a rare fire safety risk, Beats Pill XL Bluetooth Speaker was made by a company acquired by Apple. Customers were urged by Apple to stop using the device, and they were eligible to receive a full $395 refund for the product.

• 2016 Hoverboard - The major fire safety recall of the past year, hoverboards were the must-have gift of the 2015 holiday season. One problem though; they kept catching fire. Many of these were third party hoverboards but eventually they were banned from being brought onto airplanes. Finally in July, 10 different manufacturers, distributors, and retailers issued a recall of over 500,000 hoverboards. Overstock.com recalled 4,300 hoverboards. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 99 hoverboard incidents, resulting in injuries and $2 million in damages, across 20 states.

• 2016 Whirlpool - 15,200 Whirlpool microwaves were recently recalled due to a fire hazard. Five reports of incidents, including a house fire were reported.

• 2016 Galaxy Note 7 - The Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Samsung’s flagship phone, started catching fire (literally) right away. A major recall was made, and Samsung went into damage control mode. Its stock plummeted and there are still reports of some of their replacement phones even catching fire. Production of the phone has ceased.

• 2016 Nissan - 134,000 Maxima and Murano vehicles were recalled by Nissan due to fire hazard.

Obviously there is no way to predict which items when purchased will have fire hazard or fire safety issues. The only thing you can do is pay attention to the news, because product recalls do happen. If something you own is recalled by the manufacturer, it is not a suggestion. There is real danger when these items are deemed unsafe enough to recall, and there is no reason to play it macho or be lazy about sending it back. Be smart, be safe, and stay up-to-date on product recalls, because you never know.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager 

You’ve come to this site and you’ve probably seen our videos. You can see the benefit of SkySaver, however, you, like many others are probably thinking “What about my fire escape? I can just get out that way, with no need to use a SkySaver.” While that it is true that many buildings have fire escapes, we will get into the reason why they are not the best option (at least until you assure their safety). As stated over and over, SkySaver is a LAST RESORT. Obviously, if you have another way of getting out of your building, you should utilize that. There are times, however, when your fire escape is not the best option. This definitely applies when fire is blocking your path to it. Maybe the window gets stuck. Maybe you are not close enough to it in order to make the decision to escape that way, as it may be to risky. These situations (assuming the front door is unusable as well) would be ones where SkySaver would come in handy. But, how does one check if a fire escape is safe to use? What are the safety regulations for fire escapes?

In August 2015, actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste, known for his role on Broadway in Les Miserables as Jean Valjean, tragically fell to his death from a fourth-floor fire escape. His death was ruled an accident. This incident is very indicative of the state of many fire escapes throughout the city of New York. The National Fire Protection Association, all the way back in 1914 said that fire escapes were often difficult to reach, badly maintained, and poorly designed. They said that they often were blocked by the possessions of the residents and lacked ladders from the second floor to the ground. Originally, in 1911, a law was enacted after the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, that all office and factory buildings built after October 1st,1913, required fire escapes. In 1968 the New York City building code was updated. It banned fire escapes from any new dwellings, favoring methods like interior stairwells and sprinkler systems. More and more older buildings are removing them as well, due to both safety concerns and aesthetics. In April 2015, Jim Long, FDNY spokesman said “Those fire escapes are going the way of the dinosaur.”

Here are a few tips regarding inspecting your fire escape to make sure it is safe to use. If one does have a fire escape in his or her building, make sure of the following; there is direct access to it, the window leading to it opens quickly and easily, if there are metal bars or a security gate on the window, to have them approved by the Fire Department of the City of New York, and that any personal possessions (such as a grill or drying clothes) are not on the fire escape, thus making it more difficult to escape in an emergency situation. Doing such warrants a misdemeanor charge, as it is unlawful. Good maintenance is key. A rickety structure or broken steps are noncompliant with the law. Make sure there is no buildup of snow or ice on your fire escape during the winter as well.

As mentioned in many previous blog posts about making sure you have the right items in your home, maintaining your composure during an emergency situation, creating an action emergency plan, how to behave during a fire, and more, proper knowledge of your fire escape (if you have one) and its capability of being used is paramount BEFORE an emergency happens. Not during or after, but before. Not doing so can result in potentially fatal consequences. Lastly, to reiterate, SkySaver should be a last resort. If you have a perfectly maintained fire escape and the window has a clear path, by all means, use it. However, if your path to the fire escape is blocked off, as well as the path to the entrance to your apartment, trust SkySaver to take you to safety.

See this link for more information on fire escape law in New York City: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/downloads/rules/1_RCNY_15-10.pdf

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

What was considered a skyscraper in the late 1800’s would barely be called a high-rise today. As building taller and taller becomes the norm, the average height of skyscrapers goes up. As that happens, people come up with new terms. Until the late 1800’s, skyscraper referring to a very tall building wasn’t a thing. Until the last couple of decades, a couple of more modern terms did not exist; supertall and megatall.

What constitutes a skyscraper?

The term skyscraper is generally used for a building over 10 storeys and sometimes for buildings taller than 164 feet or 50 meters. Skyscrapers generally share the common feature of having a steel framework that supports curtain walls, rather than using load-bearing walls which is done in conventional construction. Early skyscrapers were bigger than any building around (such as the Home Insurance Building in Chicago which was 138 feet or 42 meters), yet by today’s standards for skyscrapers seems like something of a joke. That is because of the number of enormous skyscrapers being built each year is increasing and we are starting to even build beyond one kilometer. Just let that fact sink in and think about how far we’ve come since 1885. For information on where the word “skyscraper” comes from, click here to see our blog post on the etymology of the word “skyscraper.”

What constitutes as a supertall skyscraper? How many are there?

A supertall skyscraper is above the height of 984 feet or 300 meters. Since 2010, the number of supertall skyscrapers has jumped from 50 to over 100. The first supertall skyscraper was the Chrysler Building in New York. The current tallest supertall skyscraper (that is fully complete) is One World Trade Center at 1,776 feet or 541 meters.

What constitutes as a megatall skyscraper? How many are there?

A megatall skyscraper is above the height of 1,969 feet or 600 meters. There are much fewer of those, however, the number is constantly growing. There are currently 3 that have been fully completed (all built in 2009 and later), with one expected to be finished this year (Ping An Finance Centre in China). The three that exist are Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower (Saudi Arabia), Shanghai Tower (China), and Burj Khalifa (United Arab Emirates). There are at least four more planned to be built by 2020, including two more in China (Suzhou Zhongnan Center and Wuhan Greenland Center), one more in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah Tower, expected to be over one kilometer tall), and one in Malaysia (KL118).

Skyscraper Height Milestones

• First Skyscraper: Home Insurance Building (USA) (1884)

• First Skyscraper to Reach 100 Meters: Manhattan Life Insurance Building (USA) (1894)

• First Skyscraper to Reach 200 Meters: Metropolitan Life Tower (USA) (1909)

• First Supertall Skyscraper: Chrysler Building (USA) (1930)

• First Skyscraper to Reach 400 Meters: World Trade Center (USA) (1972)

• First Skyscraper to Reach 500 Meters: Taipei 101 (Taiwan) (2004)

• First Skyscraper to Reach 600 Meters: Burj Khalifa (United Arab Emirates) (2009)

• First Skyscraper EXPECTED to Reach 1000 Meters: Jeddah Tower (Saudi Arabia) (2019)

 Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

About 90 percent of wildfires are started because of humans. Whether intentional or unintentional, these fires generally begin from campfires which are not properly attended or extinguished, discarded cigarettes, and sometimes arsonists. Natural wildfires (the remaining 10 percent) are started by lightning or lava. There are several classifications of wildfires, that include brush fire, desert fire, grass fire, forest fire, and more. Wildfire can spread quickly and do a lot of damage (as seen by the recent California wildfires that are ravaging the west coast of the United States). What are some of the most deadly wildfires in history? Here is a list of just some of the deadliest wildfires to wreak havoc throughout the world:

Some of the Worst Wildfires Across the World

USA

The absolute worst fire in the history of the United States (based on both size and fatalities) is the Great Peshtigo Fire. It burned 3.8 million acres and killed 1,500+ people from October 8-14, 1871. The most likely cause of the fire was unattended fires at logging camps.

Australia

Known as the Black Saturday Fire, this one is probably the largest wildfire in modern world history, which happened in Australia’s Victoria State. It burned about 5 million acres (7,800 miles) and killed 71 people. About 1,100 homes and log mills were destroyed. It all happened on January 13, 1939. It was so big that ash from the wildfire fell in New Zealand which is 2,000 miles east.

Western Europe

In 2007, 3,000 fires burned about 670,000 acres (1,046 miles) in Greece. The fires burned about 2,100 structures and killed 84 people. Historic sites in Athens and Olympia were dangerously close to being affected by these fires.

Canada

With 223 killed and 800 square miles of forest destroyed, the Matheson Fire in 1916 burned through the forests of Ontario. The towns of Matheson, Cochrane, and Nushka Stations were all destroyed within minutes. This fire was the catalyst for stricter Ontario fire safety laws.

Israel

In 2010 a major wildfire broke out in Northern Israel and killed at least 40 people. Over 12,000 people had to be evacuated. Eight countries helped Israel extinguish the fire, the worst one Israel had seen in years.

Italy

A fire that went on for six days and seven nights couldn’t not be on this list. The Great Fire of Rome was one of the first fires ever recorded.

Obviously, a SkySaver backpack would not help you in an outdoor fire situation (such as a wildfire). There are other ways to stay safe and avoid these kinds of fires, and we will be covering that in a different post.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Continuing our series of tallest skyscrapers by continent, we now move on to Asia. While the Middle East is located in Asia, there are so many skyscrapers in the Middle East that the region will get its own post in the future. The skyscrapers we are covering in this post are all located in the Far East, and the same rule will apply for Tallest Skyscrapers in North America; no more than three skyscrapers per country. Otherwise, this list would just consist of the tallest skyscrapers in China. Here’s all you need to know about the some of the tallest buildings in Asia.

Shanghai Tower

Shanghai Tower is the second tallest building in the world (behind the Burj Khalifa) at 632 meters or 2,073 feet and 120 stories. It was completed in 2015 at a cost of $2.4 billion. It is the tallest building in China and its observation deck was opened on July 1st of this year. Every day, about 16,000 people can be accommodated by Shanghai Tower. For a more comprehensive breakdown of this architectural wonder, see 9 Amazing Facts About Shanghai Tower.

Taipei 101

Also known as Taipei World Financial Center, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world from 2004 until 2009 when it was overtaken by the Burj Khalifa. Construction began in 1999 at a cost of $1.934 billion and the skyscraper was opened on December 31, 2004. It is the tallest building in Taiwan and it is the tallest green building in the world. It was awarded the LEED platinum certification, which is the highest award, going by the LEED rating system (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). It is the fifth tallest building in the world (not including ones which haven’t opened yet*), right behind One World Trade Center, at 509 meters or 1,670 feet.

Shanghai World Financial Center

Standing at 492 meters or 1,614 feet, the Shanghai World Financial Center is currently the sixth tallest building in the world and second tallest in China. It has 101 floors which include offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls. The Park Hyatt Shanghai is located from the 79th to 93rd floors and is the second highest hotel in the world, behind the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong in the International Commerce Centre (the next skyscraper on our list). Construction began on this skyscraper in 1997 and it officially opened in 2008. It cost a total of $1.2 billion. It received the award for Best Tall Building Overall from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

International Commerce Centre

As the seventh tallest building in the world and tallest building in Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre stands at 484 meters or 1,587 feet. It was completed in 2010 and has the world’s highest hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, located from floor 102 until floor 118. When built, it was the fourth tallest building in the world. It has a shopping mall, offices, and the Sky100 observatory.

Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 until 2004 (see our blog post about The History of the World’s Tallest Buildings 1931 until Present Day) and are currently the tallest twin towers in the world. They are the eighth and ninth tallest buildings in the world, standing at 452 meters or 1,483 feet. They are located in Malaysia and feature an upmarket retail center, a park below the building with jogging and walking paths, and a skybridge that connects the two buildings. The buildings were featured in a fair bit of pop-culture, including the movies Entrapment and Independence Day Resurgence, the TV show 24, and video games Just Cause 2 and Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.

Zifeng Tower

Zifeng Tower is the tenth tallest building in the world and third tallest in China. It stands at 450 meters or 1,476 feet. It is 89 stories and comprises of retail space, office space, a hotel, restaurants, and a public observatory. Construction began in 2005 and was completed in 2010 at a cost of about $750 million.

KK100

Standing at 442 meters or 1,449 feet, KK100 is the twelfth tallest building in the world and fourth tallest in China. Its 100 stories are used for office space and a six-star business hotel, with several restaurants on the top four floors. It’s the tallest building ever designed by a British architect. It was awarded fourth place by the Emporis Skyscraper Award in 2011. It took 4 years to complete, costing a total of about $785 million.

International Finance Centre

Branded as “ifc,” the International Finance Centre stands at 412 meters or 1,351 feet. It is located on the waterfront of Hong Kong’s Central District. It consists mainly of commercial office space. Construction began in 2000, finishing in 2003. It contains 88 stories, with 6 basement floors.

Tuntex Sky Tower

Located in Taiwan, Tuntex Sky Tower, or the T & C Tower or 85 Sky Tower stands at 347.5 meters or 1,140 feet. It was completed in 1997 and was the tallest building in Taiwan until Taipei 101 was built. There is no 44th floor, as the 43rd floor goes directly to the 45th floor. It is a mixed-use skyscraper, however, as of 2016 most businesses have moved out. There is residential space as well as a department store and a hotel which occupies the 38th to 70th floors. There is an observation deck on the 74th floor overlooking Kaohsiung City. It cost about $158 million to build.

Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower

Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower has been standing as the tallest building in Vietnam since 2011, costing $1.05 billion to build. It stands at 350 meters or 1,150 feet. Vietnam’s highest stair-climbing race takes place in this skyscraper, which consists of 1,914 steps. The building consists of hotel, office, retail, and residential space, with an observatory as well.

It doesn’t seem like the Far East is slowing down in terms of building incredibly tall skyscrapers. Already, people are gunning for beating the Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building (see our upcoming post, The Tallest Skyscrapers in the Middle East). It’s only a matter of time before a new tallest building is crowned in the region.

*Not mentioned in this list is Ping An Finance Centre, Lotte World Tower, and CTF Finance Centre, all three of which are set to open this year.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

In a previous blog, we covered the Best Firefighting TV Shows. Now, we will be discussing the top five firefighter movies. As with the TV shows, there are not that many to pick from (especially those of quality), however, there are enough to make a list of the ones we deem to be the five best. These are the movies that have such intense firefighting scenes that not only will you sweat due to the sheer feeling of anxiety about whether or not the main character will survive, you will also sweat due to almost being able to feel the heat of the fire coming through the screen. You can feel the tension throughout and breath a sigh of relief when the movie is over. Some of these movies even give you a small glimpse of what it’s like for firefighters in the (literal) heat of the moment, risking their lives for people they’ve never even met. Here are the five best firefighter movies of all time (in no particular order).

• Frequency (2000) - With a new TV show based off this movie coming out this winter, this is a perfect opportunity to look back on this very underrated Jim Caviezel/Dennis Quaid starring movie. It is a highly original story about a father (Quaid) and son (Caviezel) that are able to communicate through time via an old radio (with some help from aurora borealis). The father died years earlier on the job (as a firefighter) and the son uses the radio link and his knowledge of the future to try and change the past. It is an intense movie with twists and turns and should definitely be on your watch list if you haven’t seen it. It can be purchased on Amazon Prime.

• Ladder 49 (2004) - This Jay Russell directed movie stars Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta. It is about a firefighter getting trapped inside a 20-story building and efforts being coordinated to save him. He uses this time to reflect on his life, as he has begun maturing into a veteran firefighter at a Baltimore fire station. A lot of realism went into the making of this film, as many real firefighters were used as extras, the major fire in the film was called in by citizens in Baltimore because they thought it was real, and Joaquin Phoenix trained for a month at a fire academy and became an honorary member of Baltimore’s Truck 10. For the realism alone, this movie is worth watching. It can be purchased through Google Play.

• Fireproof (2008) - This 2008 film, starring Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea is about a firefighter using a 40-day experiment known as “The Love Dare” to save his marriage. It was the highest-grossing independent film of 2008 with over $33 million (on just a $500,000 dollar budget) and received many awards from evangelical Christian organizations. It can be purchased on Amazon Prime.

• The Towering Inferno (1974) - One of the more intense movies on this list, The Towering Inferno stars film legends Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. In this film, a massive fire breaks out in a poorly constructed office building at its opening party. It won the Oscars for best cinematography, best film editing, best original song, and was nominated for best picture, best actor in a supporting role, best set decoration, best sound, and best original dramatic score (composed by legendary composer, John Williams). This film was the highest grossing in 1974 with $139.7 million, and is by far the most well-received movie on this list. It was also nominated for 5 Golden Globes, winning one. Make sure you clear up enough time to see this one, as it comes in at a whopping two hours and forty-five minutes. It can be purchased on Amazon Prime.

• Backdraft (1991) - See our blog post on rollovers, flashover, and backdrafts, for more information on the subject of backdrafts. This movie is about 2 brothers in Chicago who are both firefighters. They don’t get along, however they must work together, to catch a serial-arsonist. This movie stars Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, and Robert De Niro and was nominated for three Oscars (best sound effects editing, best visual effects, and best sound). It was directed by famed director Ron Howard, in the early days of his directing career. It grossed $152.3 million, making it the highest-grossing film ever about firefighters. It can be streamed on Starz.

Have you seen any movies that you would add to this list? Sound off in the comments section down below and let us know which firefighter movie you think is the best of all time.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

It’s always good to be prepared when encountering emergency situations. Whether fire, natural disaster, or terrorist threat, you can never be too careful. We previously covered prepper apps and fire safety apps. This list will be covering disaster apps for smartphones and tablets. There is definitely some overlap between preppers apps and disaster apps, so just think of this as another list of great prepper apps to install on your smart devices. If you are a safety-conscious person, then these apps are for you. Here are 5 must-have disaster apps that can help you in a multitude of situations.

1. Disaster Alert App - This incredibly useful app keeps you aware of disasters occurring anywhere in the world in real-time. These include natural disasters, as well as man-made ones. Stay up-to-date with what’s going on so you don’t get caught unawares in a dangerous situation. It includes global hurricane, tropical cyclone, earthquake, flood, manmade, storm, tsunami, volcano, and wildfire warnings, with more hazards to be added over time. This app is available for free on IOS and Android devices.

2. Emergency Radio (IOS), Scanner Radio (Android) - Limited to the USA, Emergency Radio works with thousands of frequencies, with live broadcasts from EMS, air traffic, police, fire, coast guard, and much more. Scanner Radio works mostly in the USA, Canada, and Australia, with more frequencies being added all the time. Two more great apps to stay alert of any potential situation in your area. Emergency Radio is only 99 cents, while Scanner Radio is free.

3. Life360 - This app is great for the entire family. This allows you to keep track of your family during an emergency. You can set up your family’s own personal network in order to privately share locations and send messages. There are a lot more applications than just disaster-preparedness for this app. For example, you can share a list with your network so someone can pick up groceries. You can even track your phone if it’s stolen with this app. You can receive real-time alerts when family members check-in or leave destinations. You can get real-time ETA of family members and make sure they arrive at their destination safely. It is available for both IOS and Android devices for free.

4. FEMA - FEMA is the official app made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, so you know it’s good. It contains information on preparedness, including all types of disasters, as well as emergency kit checklists. It also has maps, information on how to stay safe, and tips on what to do before, during, and after 20+ different kinds of disasters. You can even use it to locate open shelters and find where you can talk to FEMA at Disaster Recovery Centers. It is available on both IOS and Android devices for free.

5. OEM Shelter - A fantastic app, giving you all the information you need regarding disaster shelters. You can see if they are active and open. You can find out which agency is managing the shelter, the capacity, the address, and much more. This app pulls its data from the American Red Cross National Shelter System (NSS), so you know it’s accurate. It is only available for IOS devices and it’s free.

If you want to be prepared for any potential upcoming disasters and you have a smartphone, then these are the apps for you. Do you have any apps you would recommend for disaster situations? Sound off in the comment section down below and let us know.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Labor Day is right around the corner and that means the school year is just about to begin. Now is definitely the time to go over some fire safety tips for educational institutions. Did you know that from 2007 until 2011, an estimated 5,690 structure fires in educational properties were responded to annually by United States fire departments? The results of these fires were an annual average of 85 injuries and $92 million in property damage. Nearly three quarters of these fires occurred in schools between preschool and high school. HALF of the fires in buildings for preschool through twelfth grade were intentionally set. Nearly one quarter of fires in buildings for preschool through twelfth grade were trash fires. What can be done to be more fire safety conscious while in school? The main way to keep everyone in school fire safety conscious is hold frequent fire drills.

The following are some fire safety tips for educational institutions:

• Make sure to hold fire drills at least once a month.

• All exits, including stairways and doors must be checked daily by principals, teachers, and other staff to make sure they are unblocked and in proper working condition.

• All staff should be familiar with the fire protection system in the educational institution that they work at.

• Before any drills are performed, make sure everyone recognizes the sound of the alarm and knows what to do when it is sounded.

• Everyone should participate in the fire drill, including staff.

• A map should be posted in each room, identifying at least two ways out.

• Any student that has specific needs should have someone assigned to assist them.

• When it comes to a safe fire drill, organization is more important than speed.

• Once everyone has made their way outside at a predetermined location, they should wait until an “all clear” has been given.

• Not only should there be planned fire drills that the students know about, there should also be unplanned, surprise drills, to test the students’ preparedness for an actual emergency.

• Students should be encouraged to practice their escape plans at home (see our post for more information on action emergency plans).

As a teacher, do you make sure your students are well prepared for fire drills? As a student, are you fully knowledgeable of your school’s fire safety plan and drill? As a parent, do you make sure your children practice fire safety at home? Sound off in the comment section down below and let us know your thoughts.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Firefighters are some of the most fearless and brave people, choosing to work in a job that can get them killed on any given day, rather than an ordinary, safe desk job. People who choose to be firefighters are definitely not ordinary. They are extraordinary and here are 8 facts that I bet you didn’t know about firefighters and the history of firefighting.

• Did you know that about 100 firefighters per year are arrested for STARTING FIRES. That’s right, there are serial arsonists who decide to become firefighters. Guess they would be the last people you would expect to start a fire. These people tend to do it more for the money or the thrill, rather than it being a psychological disorder.

• Benjamin Franklin is responsible for the first fire company in Philadelphia. These firefighters were sometimes known as Benjamin Franklin’s Bucket Brigade. They would meet monthly to discuss different techniques to fight fires.

• A firefighter needs 100 hours of training before legally being allowed to enter the interior of a burning building.

• How long do you think firefighters have to get dressed? Less than two minutes! This includes all of their gear, which can weigh from eighty to one hundred twenty pounds.

• From 1603 until 1867, Japanese firefighters fought fires in a “different” kind of way. They wet themselves with hoses so they would be less flammable (causing their uniforms to weigh up to 75 pounds). They used hooks on poles to try to pull the buildings down and smother the fire. They believed preventing the fire from spreading was more important than saving the burning structure itself. Only five percent of all recorded fires which happened in Japan for centuries resulted in death, seemingly proving their methods.

• Did you know the reason for dalmatians being used as the dog of choice for firefighters? It was due to dalmatians getting along well with horses (back in the day, firefighters used horse-drawn carriages), being adept at protecting the carriage and equipment while the firefighters were performing their duties, and being able to run alongside their carriages for lengthy periods of time. Nowadays, the dalmatian has shifted its role to more of a companion (obviously due to technological upgrades over the years).

• Molly Williams was the first recorded woman to serve as a firefighter in an official capacity in New York City in 1815. She was also one of the first African Americans to serve as an official firefighter as well. Unfortunately, she was a slave to Benjamin Aymar, who was associated with Oceanus Engine Company #11. During the blizzard of 1818, there were very few male firefighters available due to influenza. Molly stepped up and practically was doing all the work herself, trudging through the snow with the fire pump to emergencies. Nowadays, most firefighters are still men (women account for just 4% of all firefighters).

• You would think that the most likely thing to kill a firefighter is fire, right? Wrong. The number one killer of firefighters is heart attacks. Over 45% of firefighters who die while on duty die from heart related issues. Firefighters are 12 times more likely to have a heart attack when putting out a fire than when they are performing duties not related to emergencies.

Did you know any of these firefighter facts? Which of these were you most surprised to learn? Sound off in the comments section down below and let us know your thoughts, or even add something to the list that we didn’t know.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

When a fire starts in your residence or office, the first thing you think of is probably to put it out with water. That’s not necessarily a good thing. There are times where water will not extinguish the fire, or will even make things worse. The last thing you need when dealing with a fire is having it go out of control (there’s always SkySaver as a last resort). When battling grease and electrical fires, you definitely should not attempt to put them out with water. That being said, we’ll be covering alternative ways to put out fires, also because you may not always have access to water at the time of the emergency.

Kitchen Fires

Kitchen fires can be deadly. A lot of oil and grease in the vicinity of the fire can be a huge problem when looking to put out said fire. Simply pouring water over it may not work. You most likely need alternative methods. Perhaps a fire began in your microwave. You should definitely not open it and throw water inside. That would be a mistake. You should stay calm, turn it off, make sure the door is closed, and observe. Most likely the fire will die down. If it doesn’t, use a fire extinguisher to put it out. If all else fails, call the fire department.

If you happen to be cooking something on a frying pan and all of a sudden the fire gets out of control, you should smother it with something, taking away its oxygen. Use the lid of a pot and not something flammable.

Grease Fire

Let’s say your kitchen fire involves a lot of grease. This can be tricky. You can definitely try the above method of clamping something down on it, however, you can use a safer and quicker method. Sprinkle baking soda or salt on the grease. This will quickly absorb it and will put out the fire out at its source. You can also use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire, but DO NOT use water or flour. Flour can make it worse and water does not mix with oil, hence it would only cause the fire to spread.

Electrical Fire

Do not attempt to put out electrical fires yourself. Call the fire department and get out of your home as soon as possible. It is very difficult to trace the source of these fires and it is very dangerous to extinguish them yourself.

Campfires

Always make sure that as your campfire is burning to keep it under control. Do not make it bigger than necessary. When putting out the fire, make sure to let it die down first. That way, it will be easier to put out. Put the fire out by pouring water slowly onto the flames. Do not throw or dump the water. This can cause a sudden swell in smoke which can be dangerous. Keep pouring the water until the hissing sound of the embers dies out entirely. An alternative method can be pouring sand or dry dirt onto the flames. Do not try to bury it, simply stir it around to coat the flames until the fire dies. Make one hundred percent certain that the fire is completely out. Too many wildfires happen due to campers not sufficiently extinguishing their campfires. Make sure there is no smoke remaining.

There are other circumstances where simply throwing water on the fire would not be advisable, but those will be for another blog post. Have ever had to nontraditionally put out a fire? Sound off in the comments below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

As the 2016 Olympics come to a close in Rio, Brazil, we thought it would be appropriate to continue our series on tallest skyscrapers by continent (see Tallest Skyscrapers in North America), by moving on to the tallest skyscrapers in South America. The rule of limiting each country will not apply here, as we needed to limit the United States, otherwise the previous list would have just been Tallest Skyscrapers in the USA. South America has a total of twelve countries. They are as follows (listed by population size); Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Guyana, and Suriname. There are nearly 200 skyscrapers standing 100 meters (328 feet) or more in all of South America. We will be covering the four skyscrapers in South America standing over 200 meters (656 feet), one of them still being under construction.

Gran Torre Santiago

This 300 meter (984 feet) skyscraper is located in Santiago, Chile. It is also known as the Costanera Center Torre 2 (Great Santiago Tower). It stands at 64 storeys high and is the tallest skyscraper in Latin America. It is the second tallest building (by highest architectural feature and highest occupied floor) in the Southern Hemisphere. It was completed in 2013 at a cost of one billion dollars. It is part of the Costanera Center complex which has the largest shopping mall in Latin America. An observation deck opened in August 2015, called Sky Costanera. It offers 360 degree views of Santiago.

BD Bacatá

This 260-meter (853-foot) skyscraper is currently under construction in Bogota, Colombia and when complete will be the tallest in the country, surpassing Torre Colpatria. It will be the second tallest in South America as well. It will be 67 stories and actually will consist of two towers. The south one is as previously mentioned, 260 meters, and the north one will be 216 meters (709 feet). It will be composed of 1.2 million square feet and contain apartments, office and retail space, as well as a 364 room hotel. It is expected to be completed later this year as construction began in 2012. Its name is taken from the former name of the city and the towers will be the 2 tallest buildings in Colombia. It is the world’s first crowdfunded skyscraper and the first skyscraper to be built in Colombia in 35 years. Over 3,800 ordinary Colombian citizens financed it.

Parque Central Complex (East and West Towers)

Located in Caracas, Venezuela, this skyscraper was fully completed in 1983 and stands at 255 meters (836 feet) tall. It is actually a set of buildings, known at the Twin Towers of Parque Central. They have become an architectural icon in Caracas and were the tallest in Latin America until the Torre Mayor were built in Mexico City in 2003. They are currently the tallest twin buildings in Latin America. They house many government and cultural institutions

As South America continues to build higher and higher, we will turn our attention to the next continent in our series of tallest skyscrapers when we cover the tallest skyscrapers in Europe. Have you been to any of these skyscrapers? Sound off in the comments section below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Tall buildings are generally just tall buildings for the most part. Unless they’re particularly tall or have some distinguishing features (see the Robot Building), there’s no real way to tell them apart. A city like New York has so many skyscrapers, they just blend together (apart from the Empire State Building and One World Trade Center). However, once in awhile, a skyscraper comes along that doesn’t play by the rules. Sure, it’s tall. However, this one is so much more than that. This skyscraper is DYNAMIC. It is a REVOLVING skyscraper, set to be completed in Dubai in 2020. Believe me, it is exactly what it sounds like, and it’s pretty amazing (and essentially, the shifting staircases in Harry Potter come to life).

The Dynamic Tower, also known as the Da Vinci Tower, is set to be built in Dubai at a cost of approximately $330 million dollars. It is proposed to be 1,378 feet tall or 420 meters with 80 floors. Each floor is designed to rotate independently, which causes the tower to constantly change shapes. Each floor will rotate a maximum of 20 feet or 6 meters per minute. This results in one full rotation in 90 minutes.

The entire building will be able to be built more quickly due to it being the world’s first prefabricated skyscraper. It has been said that 90% of the tower can be built in a factory and then shipped to the construction site. The prefabricated parts of the tower would reduce costs and the number of workers needed.

The tower would be powered by wind turbines and solar panels. There would be enough surplus energy from this to power five more similar sized buildings. The wind turbines and solar panels are capable of generating up to 1,200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy.

The main issue is actually getting the project built. It was originally proposed back in 2008 by David Fisher and was supposed to be completed in 2010. In 2009, construction was aiming for a 2011 completion. As of 2016, there has been no announcement as to where and when construction will begin.

Back in 2001, the Suite Vollard opened up with the same concept, however, the Suite Vollard is 15 floors and 160 feet or 50 meters tall, paling in comparison to the Dynamic Tower.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Should a fire break out in your home and you are unprepared, you may face dire consequences. Not knowing what to do in advance is an easy way to cause yourself some panic when you actually need to get out. Your escape route is something you should be well aware of before anything happens that would require you to use said escape route. Whether you escape via the stairs, fire escape, fire stairs, or use a SkySaver, every person should be prepared for the worst. The last thing you want is to notice a fire breaking out and have absolutely no idea how to act. See “How to Create an Action Emergency Plan” and “How to Maintain Your Composure During an Emergency Situation” for more information on this subject.

Obviously, before any of this, make sure you have all fire safety measures installed within your home or office. These include smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, SkySavers, and maybe even fire sprinklers (see 4 Fire Safety Items Ranked). The smoke detector should give you enough of a warning to escape via normal means, while fire extinguishers and fire sprinklers give you a means to combat the fire. If it is too overpowering, don’t try to do the impossible and escape. The SkySaver is there when there is no other way out. Hiding in a closet or under a bed might give you some extra time, however it increases the likelihood of becoming trapped  or succumbing to the smoke before the fire even gets to you.

As stated in a previous blog post (How to Create an Action Emergency Plan), knowing everything you must do before encountering such a situation is paramount in remaining calm and getting what needs to be done, done. Should you have no real action emergency plan in place, the least you could know is where all of the escape routes are in your domicile. Knowing every way out of your home during an emergency situation gives you the best odds of getting out, should one arise.

Once you hear that alarm, be sure to guarantee that the room you are going into is not filled with flames. Opening a door to a room of fire could be a sure fire way to cause a flashover. See our blog post on rollovers, flashovers, and backdrafts here. The way to be sure that you are not opening a door to your doom is to place the back of your palm on the door itself. If it’s cool, open it slowly. If it’s hot, do not open it and find another way. If it’s warm, open it slowly as well, because there is still a chance you can get out that way.

Once you find a clear pathway to escape, be sure to crawl on the floor. Fire causes smoke, and as you may have seen in a previous posts (5 Common Myths About Fire Safety) the thing most likely to kill you in a fire IS the smoke. The cleanest air you will find during a fire is nearest to the ground. Stay low until you make it out.

All of this needs to be done quickly. The interior temperature can raise to over 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit within 3 and a half minutes during a fire. That gives you very little leeway. Of course, make sure to contact the fire department first thing (especially if there is no clear path to leave). Even if you have called the fire department and they are on their way, that doesn’t mean you should just wait around and sit there. You never know what can happen while you wait. If you own a SkySaver and can access your anchor point, now is the time to use it. Strap it on, hook the carabiner onto the anchor, and lower yourself to safety. That is all it takes; 3 easy steps. If you do not own a SkySaver, stay low, and cover your mouth, so as not to inhale the fumes of the fire. Once the fire department arrives, adhere to their instructions and do everything they say. They are professionals and it is their duty to save your life.

Some final tips:

1. Do everything as quickly as possible and DO NOT PANIC.

2. If you catch on fire, you should, you guessed it; stop, drop, and roll.

3. DO NOT use the elevators.

4. Have a set meeting place for you and your family.

5. Do not go back inside.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

As emphasized over and over again, fire safety should be a top priority in your home or office. Without a doubt, your home or office should be equipped with proper fire safety items, such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, SkySavers, etc. But it's the year 2016, and everyone is equipped with a smartphone as well. What apps can you install to help you with your fire safety awareness and implementation? What are some of the best fire safety apps?

FireRescue1

If you are a firefighter then this app is for you. It is the best way to keep informed while on the go, with up-to-date fire news, tips, videos, and articles. This app is free and is available on IOS and Android devices.

IFP Magazine App

The IFP Magazine App is the official app of the International Fire Protection Magazine. With the app, you can stay up-to-date with all of the website’s content directly on your smartphone. It is an easy way to keep up with industry news and stay current with the newest products. It is available on IOS and Android devices.

Fire Inspection

This is a great app if you are a fire inspector. It can be a very useful tool for people who conduct fire inspections regularly. It is designed to help businesses ensure that they have all fire safety gear on the premises and that they are in working order, as well as to help businesses meet the proper fire safety guidelines. It covers fire hydrants, fire extinguishers, fire prevention, and more. All of the checklists and forms are customizable, giving you the control you need while performing inspections. It is available for IOS and Android devices.

Smoke Alarm Messenger

Smoke Alarm Messenger will send an SMS to the phone number you choose or email to the email address you choose when a smoke detector goes off in your home. The goal is to inform friends and family that you may be at risk. It monitors the smoke alarm signal, sending a message to the person you chose to prevent false alarms to the fire department. It is available on IOS and Android devices.

Fire Safety e-Learning

This app will tell you what you need to know in the case of an emergency, including evacuation procedures and what to do when you discover a fire. It is a free download, with a pro-version that is more fleshed-out. It is available on IOS, Android, and Windows phones.

NFPA Journal

An official app made by the National Fire Prevention Agency, it has an easy-to-use interface that gives you a mobile version of the NFPA Journal. You can view all of the in-depth features of the magazine, with all of the news and updates that you need. It is a fantastic tool for fire safety professionals and it is available on IOS and Android devices.

Is there anything we missed? What fire safety apps do you have on your devices? Sound off in the comments section down below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Currently, the world’s tallest skyscraper is the Burj Khalifa at 2,717 feet or 830 meters. There are six buildings in the world that stand at over 550 meters tall and only one of them was built before the year 2004 (CN Tower in Toronto). That is about to change. From now, until the year 2020, there are (at least) six more buildings that will surpass 550 meters, as well as one that will become the new tallest building in the world. Here are the six juggernauts that we have to look forward to in the next five years, four of them being from China.

Jeddah Tower

The soon to be tallest skyscraper in the entire world, Jeddah Tower, previously known as Mile-High Tower and Kingdom Tower, is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Its preliminary cost to build was $1.23 billion. It will be the world’s first kilometer-high structure when it is completed in the year 2020. It will comprise of 167 floors, 58 elevators, and over 2.5 million square feet of floor area. It was initially going to be 1.6 kilometers tall (about one mile), however, will now be 1,008 meters. It will easily surpass the Burj Khalifa by 591 feet or 180 meters. It will be a mixed-use skyscraper, having hotel space, office space, residential space, and retail space. Construction began April 1, 2013.

Suzhou Zhongnan Center

This megatall skyscraper is set to be completed in 2020 as well. It is being built in China, will be 2,391.7 feet or 729 meters tall, and has an estimated cost of $4.46 billion. It is set to be the third tallest building in the world at the time of completion, as well as the tallest building in all of China. It will comprise of 137 floors, 276 rooms, and 1500 parking spaces. It will be a mixed-use skyscraper, having hotel, office, and residential space.

KL118

Once completed, the KL118 will be the tallest building in Malaysia (succeeding the height of the 88 floor Petronas Twin Towers) and third tallest in the world. It will stand at 2,113 feet or 644 meters and have 118 floors. It will have 4,300,000 square feet of residential, hotel, and commercial space. It will have 5,000 parking spaces as well. The cost of the project is over $1.2 billion, which some have criticised, saying the money could be used for education or healthcare, however the Malaysian Prime Minister says the project will generate more economic opportunities.

Wuhan Greenland Center

Set to be completed in 2018, this skyscraper will stand at 2,087 feet or 636 meters and have 125 floors. It is located in Wuhan, Hubei, China and will have an estimated cost of $4.5 billion. It has many energy saving features and will become the tallest building in China, surpassing Shanghai Tower. It will have hotel, residential, and office space.

Goldin Finance 117

Another Chinese skyscraper, this one is also known as China 117 Tower. It is set to be completed in 2018 and stand at 1,959 feet or 597 meters. It will have 117 floors and 4,000,000 square feet of hotel, residential, and commercial office space. Construction began in 2008 and it was originally scheduled to be completed in 2014, but the date of completion was delayed, due to construction being suspended for about a year.

Baoneng Shenyang Global Financial Center

This supertall skyscraper is planned to be 1,854 feet or 565 meters tall and is located in, you guessed it, China. Construction began in 2014, with a completion eyed for 2018. It will be 114 floors and is also known as Pearl of the North.

As there continue to be more and more enormous buildings each and every year, you can’t help but wonder what the limits are. Will everyone be living in skyscrapers in 50 years? As the world’s population grows, housing desperately needs to keep pace, and tall buildings are the easiest way to house the most people in the smallest space. What do you think cities will look like in 2066? Sound off in the comments section down below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

As mentioned in a previous blog post, celebrities are NOT invincible. They can encounter emergency situations (like fire) just like the rest of us. They sometimes even rescue people from emergency situations. Every so often, danger is a part of their job. Tragic accidents can happen while filming, especially while performing risky stuntwork. Sometimes, they survive accidents that can happen to you and me. Here are 5 times that celebrities survived potential deadly situations.

Isla Fisher

Movie stunts can be incredibly dangerous, especially when the actors do it themselves. Tom Cruise, Jason Statham, and more, are well known for doing most of their own stunt work and refusing to have a stunt double. This adds a lot to the realism of the scene. It also makes for potentially life threatening situations. That’s what happened to Isla Fisher. In a scene for 2013’s surprise box office hit Now You See Me, Isla was meant to escape out of shackles while in a tank of water. Things didn’t go exactly as planned, as she ran out of air and her shackles became tangled. She was unable to reach any of the safety measures, and the crew thought she was acting. Luckily at the last minute she was able to untangle the chains and get out of the tank. Talk about your close calls.

50 Cent

Too many rappers (such as Tupac and Biggie Smalls) have lost their lives due to gang violence. 50 Cent was shot 9 times at close range in the year 2000, hit in the right hand, hip, chest, and face, and somehow survived. Ironically, the publicity helped pave the way for his successful rapping career that would later branch out into acting.

Seth McFarlane

Many people share the story of almost boarding the tragic 9/11 flights, but not many are as famous as Seth McFarlane. McFarlane got wasted the night before and ended up missing the flight. He arrived just 10 minutes late, and American Airlines Flight 11 left without the comedian on board.

Jason Statham

Jason Statham, who is very well known for doing most of, if not all of his own stunt work, narrowly avoided death while performing a dangerous stunt. While driving a 3-ton truck, the brakes gave out and it went straight into the Black Sea. Statham was very lucky that the production crew had the doors taken off because he was able to escape the truck and swim to safety (it helps that he has a background as an Olympic-quality diver).

Tracy Morgan

One of the more publicized incidents of the last few years (regarding celebrity near-death encounters), Tracy Morgan was on his way back from performing at a show in Delaware, when all of a sudden, a Walmart tractor-trailer struck the van he was riding in from behind. This caused a six-car pile up and put Morgan into a coma. He also had a broken femur, broken nose, several broken ribs, and brain trauma. One of his close friends, James Mcnair, was killed, and it was a miracle that Tracy has been able to return to comedy, after months of rehab. (Investigations found that the driver of the tractor-trailer had been driving for 24 hours straight.)

Have you survived close calls or near death encounters? Sound off in the comments section below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

New York City is home to some of the most well known skyscrapers in the world. Who doesn’t see that iconic skyline when picturing it in their heads. From the Empire State Building to Trump Tower to One57, here are all the New York City skyscraper stats you need to know.

Empire State Building

Chrysler Building

Woolworth Building

One World Trade Center

30 Rockefeller Plaza

40 Wall Street (Home to SkySaver)

432 Park Avenue

Trump Tower

One57

New York City has 49 out of the tallest 130 skyscrapers in the United States, as well as 7 out of the top 127 skyscrapers in the world. It’s impossible to cover all of them, however, we will continue to bring you interesting facts and statistics about high rises and skyscrapers throughout the world. Let us know if there is anything you want covered in the comment section below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Countries throughout the world are building taller and taller. The countries throughout North America are no exception. The United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Belize, and Panama all build to the skies (some of them more than others). Due to the United States having pretty much all the tallest buildings in North America, this list will have a rule. Only 3 skyscrapers per country. Otherwise, this would just be a list of the tallest skyscrapers in the United States, and that’s for a different blog post.

First Canadian Place

Located in the financial district in Toronto, Ontario, First Canadian Place is 298 meters (978 feet) tall. It is the tallest building in Canada, the fifteenth tallest in North America and 105th tallest in the world. It was completed in 1975, originally named First Bank Building. It has 72 storeys and is the third tallest freestanding structure in all of Canada behind CN Tower and the Inco Superstack chimney. It has many tenants including the Bank of Montreal, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, many radio stations transmitters, two TV stations, and a 120 store shopping mall.

Trump International Hotel and Tower

Named for current presidential nominee Donald Trump (and minority stakeholder in the project), Trump International Hotel and Tower is located in the financial district in Toronto, Ontario. Completed in December 2011, this tower is the second tallest structure in Toronto behind the first skyscraper on this list, First Canadian Place. Trump International Hotel and Tower stands at 908 feet tall with 57 storeys. It had a rivalry with Sapphire Tower, as both towers tried to outdo each other. Sapphire Tower would have been taller in the end (by 17 meters), however, its company filed for bankruptcy in 2007.

Scotia Plaza

The third tallest skyscraper in Canada is Scotia Plaza. Scotia Plaza, like the tallest and second tallest Canadian skyscrapers, is also located in Toronto (in the financial district). It is the 22nd tallest building in North America at 902 feet tall and includes 68 storeys. Completed in 1988, this skyscraper contains Canada’s only gold bullion bank vault within its basement levels. The majority of the building is taken up by 190,000 square meters of office space and 40 retail stores. The excavation for the tower extended 110 feet, which is the deepest in Canada’s history for a building.

Trump Ocean Club

Another building named after the billionaire, mogul, presidential nominee Donald Trump, the Trump Ocean Club stands 961 feet with 70 storeys. It is a mixed-used waterfront condominium tower which cost $400 million to build, It is located in Panama City, Panama and was completed in 2011. It has 369 hotel condominium units, 1500 parking spaces, 700 condominium units, a casino, retail shops, a yacht club and pier, a gym, a pool deck, a wellness spa, and a business center.

Vitri Tower 

Also located in Panama City, Vitri Tower is the second tallest building in Panama City and third tallest in Latin America. Construction began in 2007 and it was completed in 2012. Vitri Tower stands at 922 feet (75 storeys) and it is the tallest building in the Costa del Este area.

Bicsa Financial Center

Originally named Ice Tower, then Star Bay Tower, Bicsa Financial Center stands at 876 feet tall in Panama City. It is the fourth tallest skyscraper in Latin America. It has 68 storeys and is known for its distinctive color (gold). Bicsa Financial Center was completed in 2013, however was originally going to consist of 104 storeys and be 1,250 feet tall (when it was being called Ice Tower). It was then renamed Star Bay Tower after a developing company. A fire broke out in the garage of the building in October 2012, being extinguished by about 200 firefighters. Afterwards, Banco Internacional de Costa Rica (BICSA) rented some of the offices, hence its current name. Bicsa Financial Center has a hotel, restaurant, fitness center, offices, and residential floors.

Torre KOI

Torre KOI, a 69-storey, 917 foot tower is located in Mexico. It is currently Mexico’s tallest building. It is the third tallest building in Latin America. It topped out in May 2016, and is scheduled for a 2017 completion.

Torre Reforma

Before Torre KOI topped out in May, Torre Reforma was the tallest building in Mexico (for less than one year). It is about 800 feet tall, with 57 storeys and is set to be completed this year. It is just across the street from the next building on this list, Torre BBVA Bancomer. It will contain 35,000 square meters of office space and 35,000 square meters of retail space. Due to being right next to the Torre Mayor (Mexico’s 4th tallest building at about 740 feet), they have been dubbed together as the non-twin towers. It will contain a shopping mall, entertainment areas, and DOOM International’s Reforma Gym.

Torre BBVA Bancomer

Located in Colonia Juarez, Mexico City, the Torre BBVA Bancomer is the headquarters of BBVA Bancomer, Mexico’s largest bank. It is the third tallest building in Mexico, but will be the fourth tallest come 2018, behind the Torre Mitikah, Torre Reforma, and Punto Chapultepec. It stands at 771 feet with 50 storeys and 846,000 square feet of floor area.

One World Trade Center

One World Trade Center is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center in New York City. It was completed in 2013, opened in 2014, and stands at 1,792 feet tall, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, sixth tallest building in the world, and tallest structure in New York City. It cost $3.9 billion to build. There are 104 floors, plus 5 below ground and 73 elevators. There is an observatory for tourists on the 100th floor. It is expected to have about 3.5 million visitors per year. One World Observatory opened in 2015 and is a sight to behold.

Willis Tower

Commonly referred to as Sears Tower, Willis Tower was the tallest building in the world from 1973 to 1998. Willis Tower is located in Chicago, Illinois in the United States and stands at 1,451 feet with 108 storeys. It was renamed Willis Tower as the Willis Group leases a portion of the tower’s space. It has appeared in many films and TV shows such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, I, Robot, Man of Steel, and Monk. The top of Willis Tower is the highest point in all of Illinois. The bathrooms on the 103rd floor are the highest in the Western Hemisphere.  

432 Park Avenue

Standing at 1,396 feet, 432 Park Avenue is the third tallest building in the United States and the tallest residential building in the world. It is the tallest building in the world that is only known by its street address. There are a total of 85 floors plus 3 below ground with 6 elevators. It cost $1.25 billion to build and was completed in 2015 to the dismay of many New Yorkers who feel that it is an eyesore, and represents the increasing cost of living in the city. As an example of this, the first sale of apartment 35B was for $18.116 million. It covers 4,000 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 4.5 baths.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

There is something mesmerising about fire. You just stare at it and continue to stare and stare. You don’t know why, but you do it anyways. Something about it draws you in. Before you know it, several minutes have passed and you forgot what you were doing before staring into the fire. It’s something people have been doing since a young age, and continue to do until their twilight years. But, why is this? Why do people stare at fire? Why are they drawn to it? Is it just because the way the flames move is hypnotic or is there something more scientific involved?

Long story short, there is no conclusive answer to this question. There are different theories, however. Fire has more or less always been crucial to our survival as human beings. From mankind’s beginnings when it was first discovered, through the industrial revolution, until today, fire has been essential for mankind’s survival. In our earliest days, mankind was fascinated by fire. Since then, man has learned to control fire. Fire itself was used in a much larger capacity in those times (on a day-to-day basis), that is to say we saw fire itself a lot more whereas nowadays, when you cook on a stove, you see fire (barely), however it’s not the same.

From a young age, children are taught not to play with or go near fire. Fire is dangerous. This gives children a burning desire to go near and experiment with fire. After all, if a child is told not to do something, odds are that’ll make that thing way more appealing. An evolutionary anthropologist at the University of California, Daniel Fessler says “My preliminary findings indicate that humans are not universally fascinated by fire. On the contrary, this fascination is a consequence of inadequate experience with fire during development.”  

Basically, where fire is generally used in day-to-day activities, children only become interested in fire until they master their control of it. At that point there is a dropoff of interest. In modern civilization, where that is not the case, interest in fire (or anything dangerous) is very high for children. This can lead to tragic occurrences, as hundreds of deaths occur each year do to “fire play.” Curiosity of this type generally peaks at age 12. However, curiosity of a different type continues onward.

As we grow up we realize what’s safe and what’s not. We tend to live more cautious lifestyles then we did when we were 10 because we understand what can harm us. That doesn’t mean we aren’t curious. Sure, we won’t stick our hand into fire or start setting things on fire, but that doesn’t mean we won’t stare. That curiosity of something dangerous and uncontrollable remains. Something dangerous that fascinated you as a child that is still dangerous to you as an adult will likely still continue to fascinate you (granted, on a smaller scale).

When you’re sitting around a campfire and staring into the flames in front of you, mesmerized by the way they move, the colors, and the crackling sound it makes, you can’t help but wonder why. Why does it have that effect on people. Why do people just zone out, not see or hear anything else, and seem so peaceful when looking at fire? While no definitive scientific explanation exists, our human nature, curiosity, and ability to get easily distracted are all probably the culprits. But that’s just a theory. What do you think? Why do you think people are drawn to fire? Why do we stare? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The Fourth of July is here, and you know what that means: Celebrations, Hot dog eating contests, barbeques, and fireworks. Fire safety is crucial during this time as everyone is partying, drinking, and can easily get careless. You don’t want to be lighting fireworks while you’re drunk or starting up a gas grill while you’re smoking. Independence Day is a fantastic holiday, and you should celebrate it to your heart’s content. Just be safe. Here are some safety tips for grilling and fireworks this Independence Day.

Grilling Safety Tips

The peak month for grill fires is July (17%) due to the summer season being a time when people generally grill, as well as the Fourth of July being THE holiday for barbeques. May, June, and August come after July, which makes sense, as those are hot months as well. The leading factor which contributed to one fifth of all grill fires was failure to clean the grill. Make sure your grill is clean before using it. The next highest cause (17%) was something catching fire that was positioned too close to the grill.

Remember to make sure all flammable materials are not near the grill after it has been lit. Make sure to only use your propane or charcoal grills OUTDOORS. Do not allow children or pets to get near the grilling area. DO NOT leave your grill unattended. Check the gas tank (if it is a propane grill) for any potential gas leaks. Turn off the gas grill if you smell gas. If you turned off the gas and it continues to smell, move away from the grill and call the fire department immediately.

Regarding charcoal grills, only use charcoal starter fluids, and not any random flammable liquid. Once you’ve finished grilling, make sure to let the coals completely cool off before disposing of them in a metal container.

Fireworks Safety Tips

Who doesn’t want to see an incredible fireworks display on the Fourth of July? It’s an amazing way to celebrate towards the evening after you’ve finished grilling and watched the annual hot dog eating contest. There are many different ways that things can go wrong when using fireworks. There are 18,500 fires reported in the USA each year caused by fireworks, which resulted in 10,500 people sent to the hospital in 2014. One quarter of the injuries were caused by sparklers. About one quarter of all annual fireworks fires are reported on Independence Day. Fireworks can be extremely dangerous when used improperly.

Here are some tips so you don’t make a deadly mistake. Don’t even attempt to use consumer fireworks unless you are a trained professional. After a fireworks display, keep children away from the leftover fireworks that may still be active. Sparklers burn at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. That is incredibly hot. For reference, water boils at 212 Fahrenheit and glass melts at 900 Fahrenheit. Be safe this Fourth of July and leave fireworks to the professionals.

Being fire-safe does not mean you cannot have fun. Enjoy this year’s July Fourth. Eat a hotdog. Watch a fireworks display. Grill some burgers. Watch Independence Day. Most importantly, stay safe.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

There are over 6,000 high-rise buildings in New York City alone. If you’re not from there, and walk around long enough, it all starts to blend together. Everything looks the same. Just tall building after tall building (with the occasional stand-out). Disregarding height, however, what buildings really stand out due to being incredibly unique? What are some of the coolest high rise buildings in the world (that you never heard of), where you go “Wow!” upon seeing them (and not due to their size, but due to being different)? Here are some of the coolest high-rise buildings in the world today that you didn't know existed.

The Mode-Gakuen Spiral Towers

Located in Japan, this tower, as its name suggests, is constructed in a spiral fashion. It is one of the tallest buildings in Nagoya, at 560 feet (39 storeys). It is an educational facility, home to three vocational schools. The unusual twisting shape was thought to promote an environment which would foster creativity within the schools. It has become a landmark of Nagoya and as Gordon Gill, CTBUH 2009 Awards Chair said “Finally we see a rotated tower scheme that has real integrity. It is well planned and creatively varied in its spatial experiences.”

One57

Formerly known as Carnegie 57, One57 stands at 75 storeys tall and is located in Midtown, Manhattan. It is over 1000 feet tall, the tallest residential building in New York City until 432 Park Avenue was built. In January 2015, the most expensive residence in New York City ever sold was in this building. It was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc.

The Corning Glass Building

The Corning Glass Building has a stylistic green-glass facade and like One57, is located in Manhattan. It is 26-storeys and was constructed between 1956 and 1959. It was the first glass-walled skyscraper on Fifth Avenue. It features rotating art exhibitions in the lobby and it was designed by Wallace K. Harrison. The Corning Glass Building was recognized for achieving a pinnacle of refinement in the design of glass curtain-wall towers.

Kingdom Centre

The Kingdom Centre is the world’s third tallest building with a hole, after Shanghai World Financial Center and Tuntex Sky Tower. It has a shopping mall, a Four Seasons hotel, and apartments within. It stands at nearly 1000 feet tall and is the third tallest skyscraper in all of Jordan. It cost $453 million to build and was completed in 2002. It features a very cool looking parabolic arch as well, and was designed by Richard Tenguerian.

Robot Building

Probably the coolest looking building on this list, the Robot Building has its name for a good reason. It looks like an actual robot. It was completed in 1986 for only $10 million, the Robot Building stands at 20 storeys and is located in Bangkok, Thailand. It was selected by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles as one of the 50 seminal buildings of the century. It earned several other awards for its unique design.

Genex Tower

Also known as Western City Gate, Genex Tower is located in Belgrade, Serbia. It was designed in 1977 in the brutalist style. There are two towers connected by a two-storey bridge with a revolving restaurant on top. It stands at 35 storeys (115 meters) as the second tallest high-rise in Belgrade. The design is meant to resemble a high-rise gate, greeting people who arrive in the city.

Are there any buildings you would add to this list? Sound off in the comment section below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

See “The 4 Biggest Fire Starters” for the companion list.

Fire safety should be a high priority when starting a home, especially when you have small children. The last thing you want is to be figuring out how much your insurance will cover for damages, or worse, mourning the death of a family member. Knowing what can cause a fire is the first step in knowing how to prevent said fire. With 84% of fire deaths occurring in home fires and $11.6 billion worth of damage caused by fire in 2014, this is not something to take lightly. Here are four more fire starters:

Intentional Fires/Arson

About 282,000 intentional fires were reported during 2007-2011, resulting in 420 civilian deaths, 1,360 civilian injuries, and $1.3 billion in property damage annually. Even though 75% of these fires were started outdoors, most of the casualties and property damage were caused by structure fires. Intentional fires within the home are most likely to be set between 3 pm and 12 am. The number one area in the home where the intentional fires originate from is the bedroom, while the leading areas in public properties are in bathrooms (in places like stores, schools, and offices).

Electrical

Did you know that fire departments responded to 47,820 electrical failure/malfunction fires per year between 2007 and 2011? They resulted in 455 civilian deaths, 1,518 injuries, and $1.5 billion in property damage. Around half of these fires were caused by electrical distribution or lighting equipment. Many of these fires were caused by washers, dryers (see below), and space heaters. There is quite a bit that can be done to make your home safer from these kinds of fires. Here are a few safety tips: Make sure all damaged or loose electrical cords are replaced or repaired. If you have small children, make sure your home has tamper-resistant receptacles. Do not run your extension cords under carpets or across doorways. Have an electrician install additional outlets so you do not need to use extension cords. See “What Causes Electrical Fires and How to Prevent Them” for a more comprehensive list of these tips.

Candles

Birthdays, holidays, romance. There are many reasons to use candles. The question is, how safe are you when using them? Are you keeping them a safe distance from anything flammable? Do you make sure to not leave them lit unattended? About one-third of home candle fires from 2009-2013 started in the bedroom. We can assume that those are generally from someone making a romantic gesture. The bedroom is full of linens, i.e. flammable materials. These bedroom fires caused 32% of the associated deaths and 47% of the injuries. Eleven percent of these bedroom fires were caused by “falling asleep,” i.e. leaving the candles unattended. The peak time of year for these fires is December, and that makes sense, as there are decorations being hung and holiday candles being lit. Make sure to blow out all candles when leaving a room where they are lit. Keep lit candles twelve inches minimum from anything flammable. We will cover many more tips about candle fire safety in a future blog post.

Dryers and Washing Machines

Almost 17,000 fires reported in 2010 involved clothes dryers or washing machines. These fires resulted in 51 deaths, 380 injuries, and $236 million in property damage. Most of these fires (92%) were caused by dryers. The number one cause of these fires was failing to clean (maintain) the machine, followed by mechanical failure or malfunction, and then electrical failure or malfunction. There is equal risk for gas-fueled and electric powered dryers. Make sure to have a professional install and do maintenance on your washer and dryer. Having a lint filter is ESSENTIAL. Lastly clean the lint filter BEFORE and AFTER each laundry load, as well as remove the lint that collected around the drum.

Knowing the proper way to have a fire-safe environment at home mitigates the risk of your home going up in flames. Make sure to take any and all precautions, because when it comes to fire safety, you can never be too careful.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

See “Best Modern Survivors of Cinema” for the companion list.

Survival movies keep you at the edge of your seat, always wondering, “will he/she survive?” The best survival movies give you an attachment to the protagonist, allowing you to connect to him/her before and during the struggle he/she ends up going through. You want this character to survive. You start to sweat as the situation gets more and more dire. Your throat gets a bit dry, as you wonder if this character still has a chance. You sigh in relief, as the movie ends, and your new favorite character makes it through. Or not. Or you use your hands to cover your eyes as this character you’ve grown attached to over the course of 90 minutes (which has felt more like a decade) has been ripped away from you forever. No happy ending. No sequel. Here are the top modern survival movies.

The Grey

Liam Neeson stars in this survival thriller about a group of people, specifically Neeson’s character, trying to survive in the frozen tundra after their plane goes down. The one negative thing that can be said about this film is the way it ends, leaving you wanting more. Not in the good way of wanting more, mind you. It leaves you wanting more in the sense that you feel cheated of not being able to see potentially Liam Neeson’s most amazing action scene he has ever done. Potential wasted. A good film besides that blunder, it stars Neeson alongside Frank Grillo (Captain America Civil War) and Dermot Mulroney (Insidious: Chapter 3).

Cast Away

The most iconic movie on this list, Cast Away stars Tom Hanks, as a man just trying to survive on a desert island, with nothing but a volleyball as a friend. This movie is so good that you really feel for the relationship between Hanks and the volleyball, Wilson, no joke. Hanks is amazing, acting for the majority of the movie on his own, and really makes you feel his hopelessness and despair.

127 Hours

Based off a true story, James Franco plays Aron Ralston, a hiker who gets his arm trapped under a rock and needs to do anything he can to escape. That may sound like a boring premise, however the movie is anything but boring. The tension you feel throughout the movie is heart-pounding, and there is a moment where you hold your breath and don’t really want to even look at the screen. As basically a one actor performance, this movie shines. Danny Boyle does a fantastic job of directing a film which requires you to really connect with this one character and not get bored, despite the fact that there is no one around for him to interact with. This movie was nominated for six Oscars and three Golden Globes.

Life of Pi

First time actor Suraj Sharma does an amazing job, interacting with essentially non-existent animals, as the majority of this movie is CGI (computer generated images). That, in it of itself is incredible, as you really do believe that this character is on the same life raft as a tiger. This movie was critically acclaimed as well, winning and being nominated for many awards, including four Oscars, for directing, cinematography, music, and visual effects. This is a protagonist that you are truly rooting for (in addition to Richard Parker, Pi’s tiger companion throughout the film). This film is a must, and not just for those who read the book it's based off of.

The Martian

The Martian stars Matt Damon as a stranded astronaut trying to survive on Mars until the crew that unknowingly abandoned him returns to save him. It features an ensemble cast of Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Pena, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover. It received seven Oscar nominations, including for best picture and best actor in a leading role. Matt Damon is fantastic, as you really feel his despair and hopelessness grow throughout the movie (even though he tries to mask it with humor). It was directed by Ridley Scott and written by Drew Goddard, so you know it’s gotta be good.  

The Revenant

Being responsible for Leonardo DiCaprio’s first Oscar win (after six nominations) is reason enough to see this movie. Aside from that, it won three Oscars total including for directing and cinematography. Tom Hardy and DiCaprio star as fur traders who are fighting for survival, with DiCaprio’s character being betrayed and left for dead. It is a beautifully shot film, which was shot on location in Canada and Argentina, with mostly natural light being used throughout production. DiCaprio’s character Hugh Glass is put in some of the most dire situations throughout this film, fighting a grizzly bear at one point and escaping Native Americans trying to kill him. It is a true tale of survival, and while slow at times, it really pays off in the end.

What movies on this list have you seen? Would you add any to this list? Sound off in the comments section below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Considered to be the world’s first modern skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building in Chicago was constructed in the late 1800’s. When, however, were some of the first multi-story buildings constructed? How far back into history must we go in order to understand how long this architectural ability has existed to build multiple stories?

The Bible has probably the most famous and oldest mention of a multi-story building: the Tower of Babel. This was a tower that was built to reach as high as they could in the heavens to reach G-d. This backfired, and as the story goes, G-d destroyed the tower and caused everyone to speak many different languages.

Back in ancient Rome, the Romans built some of the first multi-story buildings. It was the opposite of today, however, where a penthouse, i.e. the top floor, is incredibly expensive. Back then, it was the higher the floor, the smaller the rooms, and the cheaper the cost. This was due to the fact that if there was a fire, the people in the higher floors were practically guaranteed to perish, due to a severe lack of fire safety measures back in those days. See The Early Days of Firefighting Technology to learn more about the evolution of how people fought fires.

An “insula” in Roman architecture was kind of like an apartment building that housed most of the population, all except those from the upper-middle class to the wealthiest citizens. The ground level of the insula was for shops and businesses, while the upstairs was living space. It was sometimes given a name, generally referring to the owner of the building. Usually, a single insula could house over 40 people. The entire structure would have about six to seven apartments. Often, the upper floors were without heating, running water, or bathrooms. Reforms were made under Augustus to increase safety in these buildings. There were dangers of fire and collapse, so the height of these buildings were restricted to 70 feet. Emperor Nero restricted the insula even more, down to 60 feet. The entire city had around 42000 to 46000 insulae.

There is a town in Yemen with a population of just 7,000 by the name of Shibam. It is famous for mudbrick-made high rises. Its history can be traced back to the third century AD. It is famous for its distinct architecture. Its houses are all made of mud brick and about 500 of them are five to eleven stories high. Most of the city’s houses originate from the sixteenth century. It is often called the “oldest skyscraper city in the world” as well as “the Manhattan of the desert.” It has some of the tallest mud buildings in the entire world, some of them reaching over 100 feet high.  

Multi-story buildings of the past are nothing near what we have today, with skyscrapers such as the Burj Khalifa and One World Trade Center. One day, they may look back on skyscrapers now, and think they seem rather small. What do you think multi-story buildings will look like in several hundred years? Sound off in the comments below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Many fictional works, whether movies, TV, video games, or literature, use real cities, locations, and buildings, in order to instill more realism or to make them more relatable. When playing a video game set in New York City (such as True Crime: New York) you feel like you know where you are because you’ve been there. There are many fictional works, however, that create their own fictional worlds, cities, and buildings. When you are a fan of one of these fictional works, you remember these fictional places like they were real. That is when an author has created a ‘real’ place from nothing. You know the layout. You know its history. Essentially, to you, it’s real. Here are some of the coolest and most iconic fictional skyscrapers, in no particular order.

 Nakatomi Plaza

This skyscraper is known for the greatest action movie of all time taking place within its walls: Die Hard. During a Christmas party hostage situation, John McClaine maneuvers his way up this skyscraper and through its vents and stairwells to reach the villainous mastermind known as  Hans Gruber and “diffuse” the situation. This movie is one of the best of all time and pretty much all takes place within this now iconic fictional skyscraper. In real life, it is a 35-story skyscraper known as Fox Plaza in Los Angeles. However, it is probably better known for its appearance in Die Hard, and it will forever be immortalized in film as Nakatomi Plaza.

 Stark Tower

Located at 58th and Broadway, near Columbus Circle, this 93-story fictional skyscraper has appeared in numerous Marvel comics, as well as many movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Located in Manhattan, it is the headquarters of the superhero team the Avengers. It has also made appearances in many video games based off of the Avengers as well as several animated series. It is probably the most iconic structure across all of Marvel. It is located about ten blocks from the Baxter Building, the headquarters of the Fantastic Four.

 Wayne Tower

Owned by Wayne Industries, Wayne Tower is one of the most well known and iconic skyscrapers of DC Comics. Bruce Wayne, Batman’s alter-ego, is the chairman and owner of Wayne Industries. He uses its technology to help his crusade against crime whenever necessary. Wayne Tower has appeared across countless comics, movies, video games, and animated series, and will continue to appear as long as Batman is DC’s biggest cash cow (not a bad thing). It is the tallest building in Old Gotham City (pre earthquake) at over 1,000 feet tall, built as a symbol to welcome all those who entered Gotham. It has an observation deck, penthouse suite, and an underground research and development lab. It has 12 gargoyles across the top to “guard” each entrance into Gotham City.

 Citadel

The Citadel is the headquarters of the Combine in City 17 in a video game which is considered to be one best of all time: Half-Life 2. It stands an incredible 2.5 kilometers or 1.5 miles tall. To put that in perspective, that’s about THREE TIMES the height of the current tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. You play through much of this behemoth in Half-Life 2, in some of the most entertaining levels of the game (mostly due to the amped up gravity gun).

 There are many other iconic fictional skyscrapers from books, movies, TV, and video games. These were but a few of them. What would you add to this list? Sound off in the comments below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Fire safety should be of paramount importance when living or working in a high rise building. Getting stuck with no way out should never happen, yet sadly, even in today’s day and age, people still get trapped in fires. There were many deadly fires over the course of 2015, throughout the USA and the entire world. These types of tragedies are ones that should and can be prevented. As we advance more and more technologically, hopefully death by fire becomes a thing of the past. As the statistics on fires of 2015 have not been put out by the National Fire Prevention Agency just yet, here are five of the many deadly fires that happened in 2015.

Tianjin, China

On August 12, 2015, an explosion hit a warehouse in Tianjin, China. This warehouse contained “dangerous goods.” Over 50 people were killed, including 12 firefighters and over 700 were injured (70+ of which were injured seriously). It was reported that there were 2 explosions, which were tracked by seismologists. The first was the equivalent of 3 tons of TNT, while the second was the equivalent of 21 tons of TNT. The explosions could be felt from miles away. About 100 fire trucks were sent to the scene. Canadian teacher Monica Andrews told the BBC "I ... looked out the window and the sky was red ... I just watched a second explosion go off and (it was) just pure chaos, everyone leaving their apartment buildings thinking it's an earthquake, cars trying to leave the complex and ...it was crazy the amount of light that this explosion and fire lit up.”

Brooklyn, New York (USA)

Tragedy struck on Friday night, as the deadliest fire in New York City since 2007 killed seven children, ages five to sixteen. An Orthodox Jewish mother was using a hotplate to keep food warm on the Sabbath for her family. A malfunction of the electric hotplate caused the fire which only had two survivors, the mother and one of her daughters. They managed to jump out of the second floor windows to safety. Mayor Bill de Blasio arrived on the scene on early Saturday afternoon and said “You can literally see what was a home for a large, strong family and now it’s wiped out, every room empty, burned and charred...This is a tragedy that has very few examples to look at, it’s so painful, it’s so difficult.”

Paris, France

On an early Wednesday morning, a fire broke out in the 18th district of Paris. Over 100 firefighters were needed to contain the fire which killed eight people, including two children. There were four survivors of the blaze. Some reportedly tried to escape the building via the windows. About fifteen other buildings were said to have been affected by the fire. This fire is believed to be one of the deadliest in Paris in the last decade.

Maysville, Kentucky (USA)

A Tuesday morning house fire in northern Kentucky killed five, including three children. The mother and three children were found in the same area of the apartment, possibly indicating that they were trying to escape or make a plan to escape together. "It's just a tragedy," said Ron Rice, the Maysville fire chief.

Uijeongbu, South Korea

Four were killed and more than one hundred injured in an apartment fire in a town north of Seoul, South Korea in January 2015. It started in a 10-story apartment block and spread to neighboring buildings. About 160 firefighters were needed to bring the fire under control. At least seven were left in critical condition, suffering smoke inhalation.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

In modern times people take technology for granted. In pretty much every profession, from the medical field to architects and from teachers to lawyers, vast technological advancements are constant. Technologically speaking, these fields are constantly changing throughout the decades. The same goes for firefighting. There have been recent advancements in firefighting like the addition of jet packs, thermal imaging, and exoskeletons. It makes you wonder what the early days were like. It makes you wonder how difficult it must have been to fight fires centuries ago.

• The first Roman fire brigade was created under Marcus Licinius Crassus. He preyed upon Rome having no fire department. His fire brigade would arrive at the scene of a fire and Crassus would negotiate the price of their services. If he did not receive a satisfactory offer, he would let the building burn to the ground. Afterwards, he would offer to buy what was left for a highly discounted price. This shows how lacking firefighting technology was back then, and how far we have advanced technologically to this day.

• In around the 2nd century BCE, a water pump was invented in Alexandria, Egypt. The technology was lost and reinvented in the 16th century. Eventually, mobile pumps made their way onto the scene.

• In 1658, people began using wooden rattles to warn the public of a fire.

• The first fire hose was developed in 1672. It was invented by Dutch painter, Jan van der Heyden. It was made of leather with copper fittings.

• The first fire engines arrived in the 17th century.

• In 1721 a British inventor by the name of Richard Newsham patented the first fire-engine pump. It was on a wheeled cart and required a few men to work the cross handles. It shot at fire up to 135 feet.

• The first protective capes used for firefighting were made in 1794 in Philadelphia.

• The first fireboat was in New York City in 1800.

• In 1801, the chief engineer of the Philadelphia Water Works, Frederick Graff, patented a fire hydrant that resembles what is used in modern times.

• George Manby invented the Extincteur, the fire extinguisher of that time, in 1813. He later invented device made to catch people jumping from burning buildings.

• The first practical steam fire engine was invented in 1853 by Miles Greenwood in Cincinnati.

• The fire extinguisher we know today was patented in 1863.

This is but a small part of the illustrious history of firefighting technology throughout the years. There is so much more, but that information is for another time. We take today’s technology for granted, not knowing how good we have it. Can you imagine if firefighters showed up at your doorstep as your house was burning to the ground and started negotiating a price for their services? It’s unthinkable today. Technological advancement for regular citizens is improving as well, with sprinkler systems, SkySavers, high tech smoke detectors, and much more. What firefighting technology today do you think we take most for granted?

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Everyone has flammable materials and liquids lying around their house. Some you may know about and some you may not. Many common household items contain flammable contents. It is important to know which items in your house would be dangerous next to a flame. There are also much less common substances that are EXTREMELY flammable. You are a lot less likely to come across such substances. Due to how extreme they are, we thought it best to inform you of one such substance. Flammable or combustible liquids are responsible for more than 43,000 home fires each year. These fires result in 200 deaths and 2,500 injuries (not to mention $469 million in property damage) according to the NFPA. Precautions must be taken. All flammable or combustible items must carry a precautionary label. This is required by the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. That doesn’t mean you can throw caution to the wind. Here are five common and one uncommon flammable substances.

Lighter Fluid: If you own a grill, odds are you have lighter fluid. It’s common knowledge that lighter fluid is highly flammable. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be extra careful when using it. Don’t use more than absolutely necessary. That’s just an easy way to create an out-of-control fire. Remember to douse the coals in lighter fluid BEFORE lighting them and not after.

Nail Polish Remover: Nail polish remover contains acetone, which is highly flammable. It’s rare but not unheard of to start an accidental fire with nail polish remover. It is not as dangerous as other substances on this list due to the small amount in a container. You’re better safe than sorry.

Aerosol: Aerosol cans can explode when overheated. It’s definitely best to store them away from heat sources. A puncture can cause them to explode as well. Generally, a flammable propellant is used in aerosol spray cans, like propane or butane. Never spray aerosol near an open flame.

Flammable Fabrics: Cotton, cotton/polyester blends, acrylic, and rayon are highly flammable fabrics. They are generally more combustible than nylon, wool, silk, and one-hundred percent polyester. The weave also determines the flammability. Heavier, closed weaves are less combustible than fine threads with open weaves.

Rubbing Alcohol: According to the EPA, many house fires started when people poured rubbing alcohol to get rid of bedbugs. Rubbing alcohol is highly flammable as is all alcohol, and it vaporizes quickly. Be sure to remember that, next time you have a bedbug problem.

Chlorine Triflouride: This substance is so flammable that even the Nazis refused to work with it. This substance is said to have burned through 12 inches of concrete and a meter of sand and gravel before extinguishing. Stay away from this substance, period.

There are plenty more substances that you may come across on a daily basis that are quite flammable. They shouldn’t be used near a flame or stored near intense heat. Here are just a few we left off this list: gasoline, antifreeze, motor oil, WD-40, silly string, black shoe polish, and ping pong balls. Be wary of using these items when a flame is nearby. Are there any more flammable items you would add to this list? Have you accidentally started a fire with one of these? Sound off in the comments below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The Empire State Building. The Burj Khalifa. Sears Tower. One World Trade Center. Everyone knows what a skyscraper is. The dictionary.com definition of a skyscraper is:

“a relatively tall building of many stories, especially one for office or commercial use.” and

“Architecture. a building of exceptional height completely supported by a framework, as of girders, from which the walls are suspended, as opposed to a building supported by load-bearing walls.”

These are the common definitions that everyone knows. But where did the word “skyscraper” come from? Has it always meant the same thing? What were tall buildings called before the word “skyscraper?”

Before the word skyscraper described enormous buildings, it was used to describe anything that “stood out.” You could refer to a tall man, a high-standing horse, a sky-sail, etc. by using the word skyscraper.

The Italian word grattacielo means scraping the sky. This was pointed out by  Dutch skyscraper researcher Gerard Peet. It was in use since the early 13th century, and described a tall man. It is now the modern day word for skyscraper.

Skyscraper comes from the combination of the word sky and the word scraper. The word scraper dates back to the Old Norse word skrapa, which means to erase. Today, it means to use a tool to apply pressure to something. A skyscraper essentially erases the sky by sticking out and blocking it.

Sources for the first usage of the word skyscraper are unclear. The oldest confirmed reference in print was in The Chicago Daily. It appeared on February 25, 1883, in the New York Gossip section. The subtitle under "The High-building Craze," read "Our skyscrapers." It can't be a coincidence that the Home Insurance Building, known as the first skyscraper, opened in 1884. It stood 10 stories (138 feet) and was located in, you guessed it, Chicago. And so began the "skyscraper craze" that continues to this day.

Currently, a skyscraper refers to a building over 492 feet. It's only a matter of time before that height requirement rises, as the Home Insurance Building was only 138 feet. New terms such as Supertall (984 feet) and Megatall (1,969 feet) have already been coined over the years and it won't be surprising when a new term is used to describe buildings over 2500 feet. It will definitely take some time, as there is only one building today standing at that height, the Burj Khalifa.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Memorial Day weekend right around the corner. On Memorial Day, Americans remember those who died while serving in the armed forces. Many visit cemeteries and memorials on that day. People tend to barbecue on Memorial Day as well. With barbecues come the proper precautions that should be taken prior, during, and after.

Did you know that July is the peak month for summer grilling fires? May ranks second on the list, followed by June and August. On average, between 2007 and 2011, there were 7,200 home fires started by gas grills. Charcoal and solid-fueled grills were responsible for 1,400 homes fires a year. More than one quarter of these grill fires started on a patio, terrace, or courtyard. Almost thirty-percent started on a balcony or open porch. Only six percent began in the kitchen. Dealing with fire in any capacity is unsafe, without a doubt. So what precautions can be taken this Memorial Day before firing up that grill? What can be done during the grilling to make sure nothing goes wrong? And, what is the safest way to wrap it up when finished with your barbecue?

• NEVER leave your grill unattended
• Always be alert while grilling.
• Keep the kids at least 3 feet away from the area.
• No flammable (or inflammable) materials near the grill.
• Only use propane and charcoal grills outdoors.
• Make sure your grill is not situated near deck railings or overhanging branches. Seventeen percent of grill structure fires occurred due to not following this tip.
• Each year, before using your gas grill, make sure to check the hose for leaks. Leaks were the cause of 11% of grill structure fires, as well as 23% of outside grill fires.
• Only ignite your gas grill when it is open.
• If while cooking you smell gas, immediately move away from the grill. Call the fire department and DO NOT move the grill.
• If the flames go out somehow, turn of the grill and the gas and wait at least fifteen minutes before relighting it.
• Make sure your grill is clean before using it. Remove grease and fat buildup. A whopping 19% of grill structure fires started due to failure to clean the grill.

 It is imperative that you are careful when grilling. Almost 17,000 patients went to the ER in 2012 due to injuries involving grills. This includes 7,400 for thermal burns. In 2014, the numbers were almost the same. 16,600 patients went to the emergency room due to grilling injuries. Be sure to stay safe and enjoy your Memorial Day weekend.

See http://www.nfpa.org/grilling for more safety information and tips.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

There's something about survival movies that make them way more intense than any genre. The constant possibility of the main character dying throughout the film definitely contributes most of that tension. The best survival movies initially let you get attached to the character before putting him in dire straits. That way, you care about the main character, and want him to survive until the end of the film. It’s those characters that will make this list; great movie survivors. These aren’t necessarily the survivors that overcame the greatest odds. They are the survivors that you fell in love with and then were at the edge of your seat until the very end of the film, wondering whether or not he or she would survive. It goes without saying but just so there is no confusion, SPOILER ALERT for these movies:Cast Away, Buried, The Revenant, 127 Hours, Life of Pi, The Grey, The Road, and I Am Legend.

Chuck Noland, Cast Away (2000)

Tom Hanks plays Chuck Noland, a man just minding his own business on an airplane, when it crashes into the ocean. Chuck is the only survivor and makes his way to a deserted island where he survives for FOUR YEARS before he is rescued. He learns all kinds of survival skills and befriends a volleyball named Wilson (you read that correctly). This is a fantastic movie that won a Golden Globe and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

Paul Conroy, Buried (2010)

Paul Conroy wakes up one day and realizes he is buried in a coffin, with no clue how he got there. Armed with just a lighter and a cell phone, he does everything he can to escape the situation and survive. This is an intense, suspense thriller, and Ryan Reynolds (who plays Paul Conroy) does an amazing job at giving the audience that same claustrophobic feeling that he feels throughout the movie.

Hugh Glass, The Revenant (2015)

In Leonardo DiCaprio’s first Oscar win, he plays a fur trader who is betrayed by one of his own and left for dead. His situation gets more and more bleak throughout the film, as he fights a grizzly bear, is chased by Native Americans, and is hunted down by his former fur trading partner (played by Tom Hardy). It’s definitely more of an artistic, slow-paced movie, but it is beautifully shot and has a strong cast. It won three Oscars and three Golden Globes.

Aron Ralston, 127 Hours (2010)

Based off a true story, Aron Ralston, played by James Franco, finds himself in dire straits when a boulder traps his arm while hiking. He is unable to call for help in the conventional manner and he does everything he can to signal his whereabouts to anyone who may cross his path. Nothing works, and he eventually is forced to cut off his own arm, in one of the most gruesome scenes ever put to film (excluding horror movies). It was nominated for six Oscars and three Golden Globes.

Pi Patel, Life of Pi (2012)

First-time actor Suraj Sharma (Pi Patel) was incredible in this terrific adaptation of the book of the same name. Pi Patel gets stranded on a small boat in the middle of the ocean, and befriends a Bengal tiger. This is an epic journey of discovery and adventure and has some of the best special effects that you didn’t realize were special effects you’ve ever seen. It won four Oscars and one Golden Globe.

Ottoway, The Grey (2011)

Who wouldn’t want Liam Neeson on their side when trying to survive in the wilderness. The Grey is about six oil workers who crash in the wilderness and must do what they can to survive. Throughout most of the movie, they being hunted by a pack of wolves. The movie is tense throughout, however, the ending is incredibly disappointing (it does leave you wanting more, but not in a good way).

Unnamed Main Character, The Road (2009)

Viggo Mortensen is terrific in this post-apocalyptic survival movie, in which he and his son make their way to the sea. One thing that is similar about all of these movies is that you spend your time (mostly) with one character. That actor has to have the acting chops to make the movie effective. The Road is no different.

Robert Neville, I Am Legend (2007)

In this post-apocalyptic zombie movie, Robert Neville, played by Will Smith, must find a cure to a plague that has wiped out most of humanity. It’s just him and his trusty dog against swarms of zombies. Many people do not like the way the movie ended, however, there is an alternate cut to the ending which is thought to be much more accepted as canon.

As stated earlier, most of these movies, with the exception of The Revenant, are carried by more or less one actor. Tom Hanks, Ryan Reynolds, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Franco, Suraj Sharma, Liam Neeson, Viggo Mortensen, and Will Smith all do incredible jobs at having you connect with their characters and feel what they are going through. It’s no surprise, as all of these actors, with the exception of Suraj Sharma, are proven talents, that elevate pretty much every film they are in. What movie survivors would you add to this list? Sound off in the comment section below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Technology is always improving throughout all professions, from doctors to athletes and from teachers to pilots. The human race is constantly making advancements and that also applies to firefighting. From the early days of firefighting back in ancient Rome until today, firefighting technology has always been moving forward, as the profession is unsafe, and any technology that can make it even a little safer is worth the investment. From jetpacks to smart masks and from drones to exoskeletons, firefighting tech has skyrocketed over the last several years. Here are some of those amazing advancements which we will be seeing in the coming years.

Jet Packs

Yes, jet packs. Back in November of 2015, the United Arab Emirates signed a contract to purchase 20 jet packs and 2 training simulators to be used by firefighters in a first-responder role. With Dubai’s numerous tall buildings it’s no wonder they signed this deal. They plan on modifying them with thermal imaging cameras as well. These jetpacks can fly up to 3000 feet in the air at speeds of up to 74 kilometers per hour. The current estimation of the cost per unit? $150,000.

Smart Masks

It’s about time the smoke masks that firefighters use when walking into burning buildings got an upgrade. A firefighter mask with thermal imaging built into it is being developed by Scott Safety, a firefighting equipment manufacturer. As these masks are used so often by firefighters, the impact felt by them being introduced to the profession should be immediate and significant.

Drones

As drones are becoming more and more popular, especially for private citizens, it makes sense that someone thought to use them to help mitigate loss of life during wildfires. Researchers in Nebraska are developing drones that start small controlled grass fires in order to prevent large ones from breaking out. There is a fear, however, of these drones replacing actual firefighters.

Exoskeletons

With superheroes being so popular nowadays, it was only a matter of time until some of the tech in their movies became actualized in real life. The average weight a firefighter carries on his or her back is around 50 pounds, but can even reach 125 pounds for certain situations. Think about how difficult it must make it for them to do their job while carrying so much weight. This is where the AFA Powered Exoskeleton comes in. It supplements muscle performance and helps the firefighters carry all of that extra weight, minus impeding the firefighter’s movements. Something like an Iron Man suit for firefighters. It can help them carry about 200 pounds and is designed to fit over the top of the their gear.

As the world’s technology becomes more and more like a sci-fi movie, firefighters are definitely benefitting. Hopefully when all of this becomes available and is widespread, firefighters getting hurt or killed on the job will be a thing of the past.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Behind all of their fame, talent, and looks, celebrities are just normal human beings like you and me. As "Us Weekly" shows, celebrities tie their own shoes, walk their own dogs, take their kids to school, etc. However some celebrities do a bit more than that. Some celebrities have put their lives on the line to save people's lives. These celebrities should be lauded, as they do what needs to be done, and what your everyday Joe might not necessarily do. They go above and beyond and that’s what makes them celebrity heroes (at least in that moment). Here are four celebrity heroes:

Kate Winslet

Were you aware that Kate Winslet (Titanic, Steve Jobs, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) saved a 90-year-old woman from a burning house? While staying by Sir Richard Branson’s mansion in the Caribbean, the house was struck by lightning causing it to go up in flames. Winslet realized that a quick evacuation was necessary, which is why she brought Branson’s 90-year-old mother out of the house to safety.

Jamie Foxx

Actor, singer, and comedian, Jamie Foxx heard a car crash and immediately looked to help. He noticed that the driver was still buckled in the car that was on fire. He pulled the man to safety, despite the flames. If Jamie hadn’t come to the rescue, who knows what might have happened.

Garth Brooks

An unexpected knock at the door was heard, and when two young brothers opened it up, they saw country music star Garth Brooks (and another man) telling them to leave their home due to a grass fire heading in their direction. Brooks drove them in his truck to safety, away from the fire, which burned over 600 acres of land. Luckily, the fire stopped just a few feet from the house of the two young brothers.

Vin Diesel

While riding through Hollywood on his motorcycle, the car in front of Fast and the Furious star Vin Diesel lost control and burst into flames. Diesel, acting like his on-screen character Dominic Toretto, quickly stopped his bike and pulled two children from the backseat of the wreckage. He also talked the driver through climbing over the backseat in order to escape. A short time later, the car was completely engulfed in flames. Thanks to Vin Diesel, all three people in the car made it out alive.

Rescuing someone from fire is no easy task. It’s definitely going above and beyond. Risking your life for your fellow man in order to do it definitely warrants some recognition. These stars didn’t think about their own lives and were completely selfless during the (literal) heat of the moment. They didn’t do it for fame, as all of these celebrities could not get much more famous than they already are. They did it because it’s the right thing to do, no strings attached.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

After just having covered the tallest skyscrapers until the Chrysler Building in 1931, spanning 11 behemoths over 47 years, the following post will be covering everything from the Empire State Building until today, spanning 86 years There have only been 6 tallest buildings in the world during that time frame. They are, however, some of the most famous buildings in history. Whether you live in one of the cities these buildings are located in, or seen them in your favorite TV show or movie, these architectural wonders have definitely made their presence felt.

1931-1972 Empire State Building: Being the first building in history to surpass 100 stories (102 stories) is an enormous feat in it of itself, however, that’s not the only notable fact about this New York skyscraper. The Empire State Building is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world and held the world’s tallest building record record for nearly 40 years. It currently stands as the 32nd tallest building in the world and is the 5th tallest building in the United States. It stands at 1,454 feet or 443 meters. In 2007, it was ranked number one on the AIA’s list of “America’s Favorite Architecture.” You can see the Empire State Building in movies and TV such as King Kong, The Time Machine, Enchanted, Superman II, Independence Day, Fringe, How I Met Your Mother, and many more.

1972-1974 World Trade Center: The World Trade Center became the world’s tallest building in 1972. It was tragically destroyed in the infamous 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The World Trade Center was so big that it had its own zipcode. It was generally visited altogether by about 250,000 people per day. It was and will always be remembered as an icon, on the same level as the Empire State Building. It has been seen in an incredible number of films and TV shows including American Pie 2, Armageddon, Back to the Future II, City Slickers, Ghostbusters, The Godfather Part III, Friends, Fringe, The Simpsons, Full House, Rescue Me, NYPD Blue, and much, much more.

1974-1998 Sears Tower: Officially Willis Tower, but commonly referred to as Sears Tower, this Chicago skyscraper held the world’s tallest building title for almost 25 years. It stands at 1,450 feet or 442 meters and is currently the 15th tallest building in the world and the second tallest in the United States, behind One World Trade Center. It can be seen in major films such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Divergent, I, Robot, and TV shows such as Monk, Kenan and Kel, and Stargate SG-1.

1998-2003 Petronas Towers: Also, known as the Petronas Twin Towers, the Petronas Towers are the first skyscrapers outside of the United States to be the world’s tallest. They are located in Malaysia, and are currently the tallest twin towers in the world. They stand at 1483 feet or 452 meters tall, barely eclipsing the Sears Tower. On the 41st and 42nd floors, there is a double decker skybridge that connects the two towers. It is the highest 2-story bridge in the world. These towers are prominently featured in the movie Entrapment, the TV show 24, and the video game Hitman 2: Silent Assassin.

2003-2010 Taipei 101: Formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world until 2010. It is 101 stories (as its name suggests), and stands at 1671 feet (the first building to surpass 1500 feet) and 509.2 meters (the first building to surpass 500 meters). It is located in Taiwan.

2010- Burj Khalifa: There is an entire blog post you can see about the current tallest building in the world, which is located in Dubai. Check it out HERE.

In a future blog post, we will be covering what you can expect from the future tallest buildings in the world. Just recently it was announced that a skyscraper taller than the Burj Khalifa will be built in Dubai. How many of these tallest buildings have you visited? Sound off in the comments below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Currently, the world’s tallest building is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It stands at 2,722 feet or 829.8 meters, holding many other records as detailed in this blog post. Over the coming years, this record will be broken, as countries continue building towards the skies. It seems like the goal is to build higher and higher because that’s what’s actually happening. But what buildings throughout history held this prestigious title of “World’s Tallest Building?” The following are the world’s tallest buildings (and a few interesting tidbits about each one), ever since the concept of a skyscraper existed in 1884 until the Empire State Building took the title in 1931. Don’t worry. Next week's blog post will cover everything from 1931 until today.

1884-1890 Home Insurance Building: Generally thought of as the world’s first skyscraper, this building stood at 138 feet or 42 meters until it was demolished in 1931. It was the first tall building to use structural steel in its frame and was 10 stories tall. Compare that to the current tallest building, which stands at 163 stories and you see how far we’ve come.

1890-1894 New York World Building: Standing over double the height of the previous record holder for world’s tallest building, this skyscraper was New York’s first and housed the George Browne Post. It stood at 308 feet or 94 meters tall, and was demolished in 1955

1894-1895 Manhattan Life Insurance Building: This was the first skyscraper to pass 100 meters in Manhattan. That being an accomplishment is crazy to think of, considering how many skyscrapers above that height exist today. It stood at 348 feet or 106 meters and was demolished in either 1963 or 1964, depending on what source you’re looking at.

1895-1899 Milwaukee City Hall: The first building on this list that still stands today, Milwaukee City Hall is 353 feet or 108 meters tall. When built, it was the second tallest structure in the USA, behind the Washington Monument. It was Milwaukee’s tallest building until the First Wisconsin Center in 1973.

1899-1901 Park Row Building: Known as 15 Park Row, this skyscraper was designated a landmark in 1999 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. It stands at 390 feet or 119 meters (29 stories) tall, and is the first New York skyscraper on this list that still stands today.

1901-1908 Philadelphia City Hall: Standing at 548 feet or 167 meters tall, this skyscraper was the tallest habitable building from 1894-1908. It was voted #21 on the American Institute of Architects’ list of Americans’ 150 favorite US structures. It remained the tallest building in Philadelphia until One Liberty Place was constructed in 1984.

1908-1909 Singer Building: Located in Manhattan, Singer Building, also known as Singer Tower was completed in 1908 and stood for 60 years. When demolished, it was the tallest building ever to be demolished. It is currently the third tallest building ever to be destroyed.

1909-1913 Metropolitan Life Tower: Known as the Met Life Tower, this skyscraper is located on Madison Avenue in Manhattan and stands at 700 feet or 213 meters tall. It is 50 stories tall. It has been seen in pop culture, including the animated series, Futurama and the video game, Bioshock Infinite.

1913-1930 Woolworth Building: Costing $13.5 million to construct, the Woolworth Building stood at 792 feet or 241 meters tall. It remains one of the one hundred tallest buildings in the USA and one of the thirty tallest buildings in New York City. It can be seen in movies, TV shows, and video games such as Enchanted, Cloverfield, Ugly Betty, Grand Theft Auto IV, The Great Gatsby, and in the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

1930 Bank of Manhattan Trust Building: Also known as The Trump Building, the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building stands at 927 feet or 283 meters tall, eclipsing 70 stories. It is located in New York City, at 40 Wall Street. It was constructed in just 11 months.

1930-1931 Chrysler Building: The Chrysler Building is the first to eclipse 1000 feet. It only held the prestigious honor of being the world’s tallest building for 11 months, before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building. It is considered by many to be one of the finest buildings in New York City. It was ranked 9th on the list of America’s Favorite Architecture.

Eleven different buildings held the title of world’s tallest building over the course of 47 years. On average, that’s a new record holder a little over every 4 years. From 1931 until today (85 years), there have been only 6 buildings to hold that title. That might say something about the difficulty of building higher and higher, once 1000 feet was reached. The years 1931-2016 and beyond will be covered next week. Check it out, as the buildings in that list are some of the most prominent and famous buildings on the planet.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

We’ve covered what fire is, how it spreads, how hot it gets, and more. The answers to these questions may have been interesting, however, what are some things that may surprise you about fire? From its history to its chemical makeup to other random tidbits, here are 10 surprising things you didn’t know about fire.

1. Did you know that fire makes water? Crazy, right? If you put a cold spoon over a flame, water vapor will condense on the metal.

2. Which planets can fire burn on? Trick question. Just earth. No other planet has enough oxygen (even if you include Pluto).

3. The deadliest fire in American history took place April 27, 1865. It occurred on the steamship "Sultana." The boilers exploded and the ship was 6 times over capacity, which is not a good combination. The death toll? 1,547

4. The color of a flame is influenced by the oxygen supply. Low-oxygen flames give off a yellow glow while high-oxygen flames burn blue.

5. The more oxygen, the hotter the flame. An oxyacetylene welding torch, which is pure oxygen plus acetylene, burns at over 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit. You can’t get much hotter than that.

6. A house fire will double in size every minute. Read this blog post about how fast fire spreads.

7. The second deadliest fire in United States history took place on October 8, 1871. It claimed 1,200 lives. It is known as the Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin.

8. The Greeks used concentrated sunlight to start fires. Solar rays are still used to light the Olympic torch via a parabolic mirror.

9. Spontaneous combustion CAN happen. There are some fuel sources that generate their own heat, sometimes by rotting. This can cause spontaneous combustion to occur, so be careful.

10. The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed 80 percent of the city, subsequently ending an outbreak of the bubonic plague.

There are many more interesting and surprising facts about fire and its history, too much for just one post. Sound off in the comments below if there are any facts you would like to add.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

There are plenty of TV shows about cops, but what about firefighters? There really aren’t a lot of them, especially compared to shows about other professions. There are countless shows about hospitals, cops, lawyers, crime scene investigators, however, firefighters seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to television. Movies will be covered in a future blog post, but for now, here are the top firefighter TV shows. Note, this list is not definitive, nor is it in any particular order. If you disagree with a specific choice or think the list is missing a particular show, sound off in the comments down below.

Chicago Fire

Having just aired its 85th episode (all on NBC), Chicago Fire is the only show on this list that’s currently airing. It has already been renewed for season 5 and has crossed over with the likes of Chicago PD and Chicago Med. Chicago Fire was created by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, responsible for the screenplays of movies such as Invincible, 3:10 to Yuma, and Wanted. It has a 7.9 on IMDB and it sparked 2 spinoffs, Chicago PD and Chicago Med.

Emergency!

Running 129 episodes from 1972-1977, Emergency!, another NBC show, stars two specially trained firefighters authorized to provide initial emergency medical care to the victims of incidents in the field. Memorabilia from the show is part of the National Museum of American History’s public-service section. The show introduced many people to the concept of pre-hospital care, CPR, and fire prevention. Emergency! was nominated for one Golden Globe.

London’s Burning

This British drama lasted 170 episodes, being broadcast from 1988-2002. It focused on the lives of members of the London Fire Brigade at Blackwall fire station. It has the prestigious honor of being the longest running show on this list. Fun Fact: One of the characters in the show is played by movie star Kate Beckinsale’s half-sister, Samantha Beckinsale. London’s Burning actually started as a TV movie in 1986, which was so successful that it spun off into its own show. It received one BAFTA nomination.

Rescue Me

This Dennis Leary lead dramedy aired on FX from 2004-2011. It focuses on the personal and professional lives of a group of New York City firefighters, post 9/11. It was the number eight all-time series premiere in basic cable, being watched by almost 4.1 million people. It’s been nominated for 7 Emmys, winning one, and was nominated for a Golden Globe as well. It has an 8.4 rating on IMDB, and is very high up on the top TV show list.

Third Watch

This crime drama, revolving around both the NYPD and FDNY, also aired on NBC, from 1999-2005, lasting 132 episodes over 6 seasons. One of Third Watch’s creators, John Wells, was the executive producer and showrunner on ER, The West Wing, and is currently the showrunner of Shameless airing on Showtime. It was nominated for seven Emmys, and won one.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Throughout cinema history there have been countless characters that absolutely would have benefited from owning a SkySaver. I’m not even referring to the multitude of villains that always end up falling to their deaths, as those deaths would not have been prevented. It’s not like they would have had the foresight to put it on before being knocked off the building, and anchor it right before falling. These are characters that would have been better off if they had a SkySaver in reach. The movie would have continued entirely differently (in most cases) from that point onward and it would be interesting to see how these movies might have ended. Anyways, the following are five actors whose characters needed a SkySaver.

Mr. Deeds

In this scene, a woman is trapped inside her apartment building, which happens to be on fire. Along comes Mr. Deeds, played by Adam Sandler, to rescue her. She refuses to evacuate until they find and evacuate all of her cats to safety. When they finally do, the two of them jump down, unrealistically I might add, onto a trampoline of sorts, fly up twenty feet in the air, and break through the trampoline onto the ground. A SkySaver would have come in very handy in that situation, as the woman could have easily lowered herself to safety without Adam Sandler’s assistance.

The Other Guys

Every buddy cop movie is about two cool, competent police officers, solving a major case. The Other Guys is about the cops who never go on any of these romps, hence, The "Other" Guys. In this scene, the cool cops, played by Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson, jump from a building in order to catch some bad guys who just ziplined down. Going against the trope of them making an incredible landing, getting the bad guys, and being the heroes, the two tragically, and hilariously, fall to their death. Had they been in possession of a SkySaver, they could have used it to get down safely (we only condone using a SkySaver in an emergency situation with no way out, however, this is a movie). This would have been a much different movie, as they would have taken on the big case that Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell took on. However, who’s to say that would have made for a less entertaining movie?

Naked Gun

Frank Drebin, played by the late, great Leslie Nielsen, is hilarious in the Naked Gun movies. In this scene, he is investigating a suspect’s apartment, when he accidentally causes the room to catch fire. His hilarious escape would not have happened, had he had access to a SkySaver, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Furious 7 (SPOILER ALERT)

In this scene, Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Shaw (Jason Statham) duke it out. Hobbs jumps to save his partner and they both fall out the window. If a SkySaver had been in reach, his partner might have been able to use it earlier, and Hobbs may have been able to take Shaw down, without being put out of commission for the majority of this crazy action romp (which was definitely the worst aspect of this entry into the franchise).

Every Slasher Movie Character EVER

There’s no need to mention a specific movie. In a large amount of slasher movies, the killer chases the protagonist around his/her house, with the protagonist running from room to room, upstairs, downstairs, and pretty much ending up trapped. A SkySaver would allow the protagonist to escape to safety, and run to the neighbors to call the cops and get help. This would definitely add a new dimension to the slasher genre.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

A one-alarm fire in Joppa. A two-alarm fire on Malvern Road. A three-alarm fire in Staten Island. A four-alarm fire on Washington Avenue. A five-alarm fire in Fresno. A six-alarm fire on Canal Street. A seven-alarm fire in Lower Manhattan. An eight-alarm fire in Haverhill. A nine-alarm fire in Olive Hill. A ten-alarm fire in Brooklyn. An ELEVEN-ALARM fire in Delanco? A TWELVE-ALARM fire in Camden? A THIRTEEN-ALARM FIRE in Philadelphia?? What do the numbers mean? How many alarms can there be? When and where did this term originate? Is this the general terminology across the United States?

What do the numbers mean? As can be expected, the different numbers refer to the different categories of fires, indicating the level of response by local authorities. However, it is not exact. It’s not that one-alarm means X amount of emergency response vehicles required and two-alarm means Y amount of emergency vehicles required, etc. It is true, however, that as the severity of fire increases, the number increases. The initial dispatch is known as the “first alarm,” and subsequent alarms are calls for additional units because the fire has grown and more resources are needed to combat the fire.

Where does this “alarm” system come from? It originates from the tradition of using pull stations to alert fire departments of local fires. A message would be sent to all local fire departments that there was a fire, and it would indicate the location as a number.

For the purposes of showing the varying degrees of the system, the following is a list of the alarm levels used by the New York City Fire Department, followed by a list of the alarm levels used by the Toronto Fire Service:

NYC Fire Department

1st Alarm Assignment: 3 Engine Companies, 2 Ladder Companies, 1 Battalion Chief

Working Fire Assignment: 1 Engine Company, 1 Ladder Company, 1 Squad Company, 1 Rescue Company, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Division Chief

2nd Alarm Assignment: 5 Engine Companies, 2 Ladder Companies, 2 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Satellite Unit, 1 Recuperation and Care Unit, 1 Tactical Support Unit, 1 Field Communications Unit

3rd Alarm Assignment: 4 Engine Companies, 2 Ladder Companies, 3 Battalion Chiefs, 2 Deputy Chiefs, 1 Mask Service Unit

4th Alarm Assignment: 4 Engine Companies, 2 Ladder Companies, 1 Battalion Chief

5th Alarm Assignment: 4 Engine Companies, 2 Ladder Companies, 1 Assistant Chief, Chief of Operations

Toronto Fire Services

Alarm Level 0: Initial Response

Alarm Level 1: Working Fire Response

Alarm Level 2: 10-13 Emergency Vehicles

Alarm Level 3: 14-17 Emergency Vehicles

Alarm Level 4: 18-21 Emergency Vehicles

Alarm Level 5: 22-25 Emergency Vehicles

Alarm Level 6: 25-29 Emergency Vehicles

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

When there is an emergency, the danger rises exponentially when you are in a high rise. The potential of becoming trapped, with no way out increases, and in those situations, what can you really do? Mass panic can break out if a large number of people are trapped in a high rise and that can lead to further problems. Safety precautions must be taken in order for the chances of being trapped in a high rise to be minimized.

An elevator is an easy escape out of a high rise during an emergency. Simply push the button, enter, wait, and exit to safety. The elevator can malfunction, however, due to a power shutdown or system failure because of the current situation. You may even be brought directly to the fire itself. So, what can be done to ensure this never happens? Elevators must be code compliant with elevator recall. What is elevator recall, you ask? Elevator recall occurs when a fire alarm is activated. All of the elevators are then recalled to the floor where all of the fire safety system controls are located in the building. The fire department can then set up a command center from that point. This allows any of the firefighters to reach the necessary areas and rescue whoever needs rescuing. Elevator recall also prevents occupants from using the elevator, which in turn, keeps them out of harm’s way, and allows firefighters to get to where they need to go.

Another precaution to be made is to make sure your stairwell doors have unlocking systems. There are stairwell doors in buildings which automatically lock behind you. Six people died from smoke inhalation after being trapped inside a stairwell because of a locked door. This also allows firefighters to access different floors in the building quickly, without being hindered.

A third precaution to take is to make sure crowd control systems are in place, such as a voice communication system or digital voice command system. This allows the guidance of people on the upper floors to safety and is the most efficient and safest way to make sure people get to safety, stay calm, and remain unharmed.

Lastly, due to the possibility of being trapped, and the elevator is shut down, the stairs are blocked, and there is no possible way to escape, make sure to have a SkySaver. It happens too often that people have no choice but to jump out of their windows because they literally have no other options. With SkySaver, you can be on the ground, safely, and out of harm’s way in about 3 minutes flat (depending on which floor you are located on).

Always make sure you have a way out. Make sure you never have the possibility of being trapped. Find out if your building is up to code, and have a SkySaver just in case. As stated in a previous blog post, a SkySaver is not just for fire safety. In any kind of emergency, be it a fire, a terrorist threat, or an earthquake, make sure you're never helpless. Don’t be a damsel in distress, and have the ability for self-rescue.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The following is a list of 10 must-have apps for preppers. These aren’t necessarily the top 10 apps, as we wanted to list a variety of different apps with different functions, and not 5 survival guide apps. It gets boring that way. Ideally, you should only need one of those. This list is meant to be diverse, so that it would not be superfluous to download all 10 of these apps, as they all serve different functions.

1. Bug Out Bag Survival Guide - Do you not know what to put in your bug out bag when packing? Do you want to keep track of what’s in your bugout bag? This app, offers a comprehensive bug out bag checklist, calendar reminders to renew or replace items, and allows you to easily keep track of what you have and what you still need. The app will help you decide on the perfect survival gear to keep you alive during an emergency. Android, IOS

2. Disaster Readiness [HD] - This must-have app was seen on CNN and USA Today. It will help you and your family be prepared when disaster strikes. The app has information on all kinds of emergencies, including terrorism, fire, wildfire, thunderstorms, floods, flash floods, tsunamis, landslides, winter storms, tornados, hurricanes, cyclones, heat waves, earthquakes, chemical emergencies, and nuclear blasts. It has other features such as information on purifying water, disaster aftermath information, and more. Andoid, IOS

3. High-Powered Flashlight - Having a high-intensity flashlight available at all times is a must for preppers. If there’s a power outage, odds are it will be difficult to find your flashlight in the dark. Having a flashlight on your phone is the obvious solution. This app has a strobe mode with 10 different frequencies, a built-in SOS signal, and an elegant user interface. It features a compass as well. Android, IOS

4. First Aid - American Red Cross - If someone happens to get hurt during a crisis, knowing first aid definitely comes in handy. This app includes an enormous amount of useful information, such as step-by-step instructions through everyday first aid scenarios, videos and animations, safety tips, interactive quizzes, and more. It is even fully integrated with 911 so you can make the call directly from the app. It won’t be a problem if your internet fails, because all of the content is preloaded. Android, IOS

5. iTriage-Health,Symptom,Doctor - If you need more in depth info than #4, this app is for you. This app was created by 2 ER doctors and gives you access to a huge healthcare and medical database. The information is clear, concise, and useful. The app can even help you find the nearest hospital, mental health clinic, emergency room, pharmacy, physician, community health center, and much more. You can also save your personal health care facilities, health conditions, doctors, etc. with the touch of a button. Android, IOS

6. Medicinal Herbs - Let's suppose all natural is the route you want to take. This app is the one for you. It gives you the best information on traditional herbs and botanicals used in alternative and complementary medicine. It contains information on more than 100 medicinally useful herbs and allows you to manage your favorites. Android, IOS

7. Radioactivity Counter - No joke, this app will detect radiation. It uses the camera sensor to do so, like a geiger mueller counter. You just need a black tape to cover the lenses. Make sure to use this one safely, as the type of radiation picked up can be detrimental to the user’s health, and may damage the device. Android, IOS

8. WeatherBug - By downloading this app, you will be getting the weather from the largest professional-grade weather network in the world. You will have the ability to check the national allergy forecast, as well as track any weather condition. The app has forecasts for over 2.6 million locations, with live weather and traffic cameras available. You can set alerts for yourself and choose to receive all National Weather Service watches and warnings. Android, IOS

9. Wild Edibles - Learn what you can and cannot eat with this useful app for interacting with nature. Add your own notes and learn to identify, cultivate, and prepare over 200 plants. If you love to forage then this app is for you. It is suitable for beginners and experts alike and is great as a quick reference. Android, IOS

10. ViewRanger GPS - Trails & Maps - This one is for the "traveler", the "hiker", the "navigator." Use this app which is trusted by over 200 search and rescue teams. You can create and follow your own trails or hike through ones which have been published by guide book publishers, outdoor brands, and tourism agencies. You do not need an internet connection to navigate with this app, just your phone’s GPS. You can record your adventure, share your location, and synchronize across your devices. For $19.99 you can get access to all of the premium features. Android, IOS

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

When it comes to safety, there is a lot that can be done to prevent fire, fight fire, and escape fire. Knowing there is a fire in your home or office is the first step. Attempting to put it out is the second (assuming it is not yet out of control). The third step is evac. It is pointless to risk your life once the fire is out of control and you have means of escape. What items should you have in your home or place of work to detect, fight, and escape fire? We rank 4 items (based on practicality, ease-of-use, cost, and effectiveness) that everyone should keep or have installed in their home or place of work, just in case.

4.    Fire Sprinklers

Fire sprinklers were only present in 10% of structure fires between 2007 and 2011. Structures with sprinklers had an 82% lower fire death rate per 1000 reported home structure fires. Property damage was 68% lower. When operated, the fire sprinklers were successful 96% of the time. Due to the high cost of installation ($1.35 per square foot according to the National Fire Protection Agency), fire sprinklers are number four on the list.

3.    SkySaver

Fire sprinklers will not help against electrical fires. In fact, it is dangerous because you may receive an electric shock. SkySaver is very easy to use and much faster than regular means of escape. It only takes 45 seconds to descend from 8 floors, whereas it can take from 5-10 minutes to evacuate the 8th floor by foot. It can take between 3-5 minutes for first responders to arrive, whereas after minute 1 you have the SkySaver on, after minute 2 you have begun your descent, and after minute 3, when first responders have just arrived, you are safely on the ground.

2.    Fire Extinguisher

A UK study in 2002 found that fire extinguishers put out 80% of all fires, and in 75% of those cases, the fire department was not required to attend. In 60% of all fire incidents, the fire department is not notified, most likely due to fire extinguishers. There were 1,997,250 fires handled by fire extinguishers in 2010, without the fire department being notified. The estimated property loss savings due to fire extinguishers is $4.998 billion.

1.     Smoke Detector

The smoke detector gets the number one slot. Your chances of death in a fire are reduced by half with a working smoke detector. About 900 lives annually would be saved in the United States if all homes had working smoke detectors. Nearly half of all survivors remember hearing the smoke alarm. Since the smoke detector was invented (ionization smoke detectors started being sold in the US in 1951), deaths due to fire have decreased by half. The majority of fire deaths happen at night, when people are asleep. The reason the smoke detector receives the number one slot is that even if you have all of the other items on the list, if you are unaware that there is a fire, it won’t matter. Smoke detectors are the first step, the warning to use items two through four.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

When starting a business, the first thing on your mind is most likely related to how you can be successful. This is completely natural, as in order to keep a business afloat, it must make sales, reach goals, and convert. One major factor relating to the success of a business that not everyone understands, is employee morale. Unhappy employees are disengaged, and that leads to big financial losses. Seventy percent of US workers are disengaged at work, resulting in $450-$550 billion in lost productivity each year. Engaged employees perform twenty percent better than disengaged employees. Companies with engaged employees outperform ones with disengaged employees by over two hundred percent. It’s clear that disengaged employees are bad for business. But, what can you do to make your employees feel more engaged? How can you make sure they feel important and are happy?

Nearly half of employees say that “feeling safe” affects their job satisfaction, i.e. happiness. Twenty-two percent are unsatisfied with their level of personal safety where they currently work. Feeling safe at the office, clearly, can be a major factor for employees feeling engaged while working. If your office is riddled with fire safety code breaches, frayed wires, overloaded power strips, and unmaintained machinery, they are likely to feel that you don’t deem them important enough to be given a safe workspace. This will lead to lost productivity, which will lead to losses for the company.

Twenty percent of employees don’t know if the company they work for has a strategy to deal with fires, floods, and other disasters. Forty percent don’t know if there is an emergency plan to deal with a physical attack or technology security breach. A lot can be done to keep your employees feeling safe and secure. One is to practice your action emergency plan regularly. This gives your employees more awareness that you are doing all you can to keep them safe. Keep your whole office well-practiced in the plan’s implementation. Another thing you can do is make sure your office is well-equipped with all proper fire safety items, ranging from working fire extinguishers, to maintained smoke detectors, to SkySaver Rescue Backpacks (for any kind of emergency). Make sure all office equipment is properly repaired and serviced when required and that there are no frayed wires or overloaded powerstrips. Lastly, bring in a professional to assess the office, and follow any recommendations he or she may have. Each of these tips will give your employees more of a feeling that they matter, that their lives matter, and everyone wants to matter.

Your employees knowing that you hold their safety and security as top priority goes a long way towards job satisfaction and happiness. Sales, conversions, and goals might be the first thing on your mind when starting a business, however, employee satisfaction should be high up on your list as well because unhappy, disengaged employees can majorly impact your company in a negative way.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

It’s possible to get by in life and not take emergency preparedness seriously. People do that all the time, as only 43% of Americans have an action emergency plan in their home. It’s not ideal or recommended, as an emergency can happen to anyone at any time. You never know, and it’s better to be prepared and nothing happen to you than to not be prepared and something happen. However, as a country, it is essential to be prepared for whatever emergency may come. Many countries have built up their emergency infrastructure, in case of earthquakes, floods, etc. and even upgraded their defenses in the wake of this new wave of terror throughout the world. The following three countries, Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, take their disaster preparedness very seriously, and have great resiliency in the face of emergencies.

 Japan

On September 1, 1923, Japan’s Kanto Plain suffered an earthquake so massive, that Japan even considered moving its capital city. Buildings were leveled and many cities were left in ruins. This devastating earthquake registered a 7.9 and launched a typhoon, leaving thousands dead. Instead of moving the capital, Japan decided to rebuild. Wood and brick buildings were replaced with concrete and steel. They built motorways, a subway system, and an airport. Sitting near the Pacific Basin, Japan is incredibly prone to earthquakes, at least more so than most countries. This has motivated Japan to become arguably the world leader in disaster preparedness. Disaster Prevention Day has been held every year since 1960, on September 1st, the anniversary of the devastating earthquake. Many schools conduct an evacuation drill. The Prime Minister participates as well, stating “I would like to ensure that the government will prepare itself for disaster, together with the people, so that it can confidently say that ‘Providing is preventing’.” Japan has the world’s most advanced earthquake early-warning systems, as well as a tsunami warning service which consists of 300 sensors and 80 aquatic sensors that monitor seismic activity. Hundreds of earthquake and tsunami proof shelters are located on Japan’s east coast. Tsunami walls and floodgates have been built in some cities as well. Japan is constantly revising and upgrading its safety codes and building guidelines and is a great example of disaster preparedness.

 Indonesia

Indonesia has a constant threat of floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruption, and tsunamis. Southern and western islands, specifically Sumatra and Java are at great risk to a number of hazards, including landslides. Close to 25 million people are living in informal settlements, exposed to disasters. Large earthquakes can cause up to three percent of GDP in damage. Food security and agricultural livelihoods are at risk from tsunamis, floods, droughts, and earthquakes. Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta is sinking at 3.5 centimeters per year, with approximately forty percent of the city below sea level, making it highly susceptible to flooding. So, what has Indonesia been doing to mitigate and prevent natural disasters? Many structures and processes have been put in place for disaster management. The Natural Disaster Management Agency was established in 2008. It has begun to be established in provinces and districts throughout the country, as local disaster management agencies. Indonesia received $558.4 million for development assistance for disaster risk reduction from 2006-2010, mostly funded by Japan. In 2012, roughly one percent of Indonesia’s GDP was allocated to disaster risk reduction investments, up from 0.6 percent in 2006. Indonesia is definitely on the right path to mitigating natural disasters, and definitely takes the threat seriously.

 Philippines

With over 7,000 islands and 36,000 kilometers of coastline, the Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to natural disasters. Seventy-four percent of the population is vulnerable to natural disasters. The capital city of Manila is considered at ‘extreme risk.’ Fifty-eight percent of disasters in the country are typhoons and storms, with flooding and landslides thirty-one percent. From 1983-2012, 24,281 people were killed by storms. Nearly 100 million people were affected by said storms. Economic losses totalled $5.9 billion. In order to stay on top of potential natural disasters, $834.6 million was received by the Philippines in disaster risk reduction grants from the international community (again, mostly from Japan). Over $500 million of that funding is estimated to have gone towards emergency response. The government has passed laws and policies regarding building codes and land-use management, however the regulations are not heavily enforced. There is a lot to work on regarding disaster preparedness in the Philippines, however things are definitely going in the right direction.

How does your country’s disaster preparedness compare with these three? What do you think can be done to improve your country’s disaster preparedness? Sound off in the comments below.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

In a previous blog post, the chemical makeup of fire was discussed. This included the fact that fire needs an oxidizer. This allows fire to thrive and spread. With the proper conditions, fire can spread quite rapidly. But, how fast does fire actually spread? How much time would you have to escape if a fire broke out in your home?

With regards to the second question, each situation is different, so answering that one would be tricky. With regards to the first question, the following is a timeline from an actual 2-story house fire courtesy of the Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department:

 0:30 Fire Ignites and Grows Rapidly

1:04 Fire Spreads from the First Flame, and Smoke Begins to Fill the Room.

1:35 Temperature Exceeds 190 Fahrenheit (87.7 Celsius) as the Smoke Layer Descends Rapidly.

1:50 At the Foot of the Stairs, the Smoke Detector Goes Off. There is Still Time to Get Out.

2:30 About the Couch, the Temperature Rises to Over 400 Fahrenheit (204.4 Celsius).

2:48 Smoke Pours into the Other Rooms.

3:03 The Temperature in the Room of Origin, Three Feet Above the Floor is Over 500 Fahrenheit (260 Celsius). Nothing Can Survive That Kind of Heat.

3:20 Escape Becomes More Difficult, as the Upstairs Hall Fills With Smoke.

3:41 There is a Flashover. Everything in the Room of Origin Ignites. The Temperature is Over 1400 Fahrenheit (760 Celsius).

3:50 The Smoke Detector Went Off Two Minutes Ago, and Now the Second Exit is the Only Way Out.

4:33 The Flames Are Now Visible From the House’s Exterior. Rescue May Not Be Possible.

 Less than five minutes is all it took. This leaves you very little time to sit around and think about what you are going to do. Fire does not sit around and wait for you to decide. When a fire breaks out in your home, have a plan of action. Know what you are going to do, because the hesitation you may have if you are unprepared can mean the difference between life and death. Own fire safety equipment and be well versed in its use. Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, SkySavers, etc. These items will help save your life. From the fire igniting until flashover took a little more than 3 minutes. In 3 minutes, you can be safely and securely on the ground with the help of your SkySaver.

To end with another example, watch how quickly this fire spreads in this small building:

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Office fires in the United States are a regular issue, causing 44 injuries, 4 deaths, and $112 million in direct property damage on average each year. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire departments in the USA respond to an average of 3,340 office fires annually. These fires generally occur between noon and 2 PM, and are most likely to be caused by cooking equipment, electrical distribution, lighting equipment, and heating equipment (accounting for 60% of the total office fires). So, how can you prevent these fires from occurring? What precautions can be taken to make fire safety your office’s priority? Here are five ways to prevent high-rise office fires:

1. The first thing you should be doing is making sure your office has an action emergency plan in place, that it is updated, and that everyone is trained and educated in its implementation. The importance of action emergency plans was mentioned in a previous blog post. These plans are just as important for offices as they are for residences. Businesses are actually legally required to have an action emergency plan in place by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The plan should include but not be limited to the procedure for reporting fires, having an evacuation policy, the procedure for accounting for all of the employees, and assignment of rescue and medical duties. Make sure all emergency exits and escape routes are always clear of any blockages, so the action emergency plan does not run into any problems.

2. Make sure all fire safety equipment is maintained and undergoes routine checks. This includes fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and smoke detectors. If there is a fire and any of these malfunctions, there can be fatal consequences.

3. When non-essential office equipment is not in use, make sure it is unplugged. Keep the areas around these appliances are clean, and make sure there isn’t an overabundance of appliances plugged into one powerstrip at the same time. Lastly, make sure the wires from these appliances are not frayed.

4. Keep all office equipment regularly repaired and serviced. Maintenance is key. If one device malfunctions and sparks, the whole place could go up in smoke. Avoid that by making sure all office equipment works properly.

5. Have your office assessed for fire risk and follow any recommendations. All recommendations, from rearranging office equipment so it doesn’t overheat, to purchasing new fire safety equipment such as new fire extinguishers or smoke detectors, should be taken seriously.

Fire safety in the office is something to take seriously. The last thing you want is an employee getting injured or worse, due to all the proper precautions not being met. People’s lives should come first and foremost, and that is why safety should be a top priority when setting up and maintaining an office.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The first thing you may be asking is, “What is an ICE List?” ICE or In Case of Emergency is a vital list which every person should highly consider having because you never know when the next emergency may happen.

Bob Brotchie, a British paramedic, conceived the ICE program in 2004. His program encourages people to make an ICE list in their phones and to save the contacts of their ICE list as “ICE1,” “ICE2,” and so on and so forth. At a time when there are over 6.8 billion cell-phone subscriptions, there’s no excuse not to have your “In Case of Emergency” contacts in your phone. Vodafone conducted research which revealed that less than 25% of people carry emergency contact information on them. This prompted Brotchie to begin a campaign in May 2005. Since the 2005 London bombings, the idea has gained traction.

Brotchie said on BBC Radio 4 Today on July 12, 2005 “I was reflecting on some difficult calls I've attended, where people were unable to speak to me through injury or illness and we were unable to find out who they were. I discovered that many people, obviously, carry mobile phones and we were using them to discover who they were. It occurred to me that if we had a uniform approach to searching inside a mobile phone for an emergency contact then that would make it easier for everyone.”

But, what about locked phones? How can first responders access your ICE list if your phone is inaccessible? Nowadays, many people have their smartphone locked, and only people with the code are allowed access. In situations like these, it would be pretty difficult to get the code in order to access the ICE contacts. Many manufacturers allow some text to be displayed while the phone is locked, such as the kind of information you might want displayed during an emergency. Apps exist as well which make it easier for first responders to access your ICE list, including the ICE app. The ICE app displays your ICE list on your phone’s lock screen. Not only can you list your emergency contacts with the app, you can also list what blood type you are, if you are diabetic, etc. But in today’s society, phones are not the only things which can be used to help contact the right people during emergency situations.

Facebook now has a feature called “Safety Check.” It’s not surprising that in the age of social media, a crisis feature would exist on the largest platform. When a disaster happens, many people look to Facebook to find out if their friends and loved ones are OK. Safety Check allows friends and family to know that you’re safe, allows you to check on others in the area which the crisis has affected, and to allows you to mark your friends as safe as well. Facebook was influenced to create this by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, in which more than 12.5 million people were affected and more than 400,000 people were evacuated.

If you are unwilling to put your ICE list on your phone’s lock screen, you can fill out an ICE card and keep it in your wallet. You should make sure to update it on an annual basis, and include all relevant medical details, emergency contacts, and anything else you think may help first responders.

Now, you may be asking yourself “Who should be on my ICE list?” You should add your closest family and friends (make sure they know about it before adding them). This includes your spouse, siblings, and parents. Information which may be relevant to your list includes; allergies, blood type, prescriptions, chronic conditions, immunizations, procedures you’ve been through, and insurance information.

In addition to having ICE contacts available for first responders, you should have emergency contacts available for yourself in case you are able to make a call. This includes your local fire and police departments, poison control, nearby hospitals, your doctor, animal control, and others. These are not numbers you want to have to spend time looking up when you need quick access to them. Make sure they are in your phone now so you will have no problems later.

So, what are you waiting for? If you don’t have an ICE list, go make one. If you already have one, make sure it’s up-to-date with all relevant information. Even neglecting to list one minute detail (an allergy) could mean the difference between life and death.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

As mentioned in a previous blog post, SkySavers are for more than just fire safety. A SkySaver can be used to escape terrorism, an earthquake, and an active shooter. However, there is something that we neglected to mention. Permanently installed powered platforms are used for window cleaning, typically for buildings over 300 feet tall. There are currently between 500-700 in use throughout the USA, 70-80 percent of which are located in New York City.

This past November, two window washers were trapped 22 stories up a 30-story skyscraper in New York City on Fifth Avenue. The electricity died on the movable scaffold, which prevented it from being able to move up or down, trapping the workers. Luckily, FDNY crews rescued them and they were uninjured. The SkySaver 260 would have easily been able to lower the workers safely to the ground. This is just one instance of this happening, though. There have been others over the years, and a SkySaver would have been a simple solution for escaping a situation where one of these platforms gets stuck.

Obviously, the important thing is that neither of the window washers were harmed. Things could have been a lot worse. With SkySaver, these kinds of incidents can become a thing of the past.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

When living in a multistory building, fire safety should be a top priority. Each resident should make it their business to have preventative measures put in place. This includes organizing an action emergency plan, owning a fire extinguisher, and owning a SkySaver. The one thing that precedes usage of any of these measures is your warning system i.e. your smoke detector. There is no reason every home should not have working smoke detectors installed. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 900 lives per year could be saved if working smoke detectors were installed in all homes. Smoke detectors give you the extra time needed to put the fire out before it gets out of control or to escape if it is already out of control. But, what makes a good smoke detector? What should you be looking for?

Smoke detectors are inexpensive and extremely easy to install, so there is no reason every home should not have them. Basic ones start at fifteen dollars. The more advanced you go, the more it’ll cost, however the basic ones are definitely enough, especially if you’re not looking to spend the extra dime. Make sure to check any regulations in your region before you shop. The regulations for placement and smoke detector type can vary. In addition, there are some insurance companies that offer a five percent discount for homes that have smoke detectors.

Make sure to purchase a smoke detector that can detect both fires that flare and fires that smolder. There are 3 types of smoke detectors you should be choosing from; ionization, photoelectric, and dual-sensor.

Ionization: Best at detecting small particles of fast flaming fires but have more difficulty in detecting smoldering fires. Prone to false alarms from steam and burnt food.

Photoelectric: Best at detecting smoldering fires but more difficulty in detecting fast flaming fires. Less prone to false alarms.

Dual-sensor: Can detect both fast flaming fires as well as smoldering fires.

You might be thinking “What features should I consider when purchasing a smoke detector?” I’m glad you asked. All of the following should be considered: power source, battery backup, interconnectability, hush button.

With regards to the power source, do you want one that uses batteries, or one which needs to be installed into your home’s wiring, in which case you would need a professional installation. The advantage of batteries is that they will work during a power outage, however the disadvantage is that they generally need to be changed yearly. For hard-wired smoke detectors, sometimes you have the option for a battery backup so if the power goes out you will still have a working smoke detector. Battery powered smoke detectors will warn you when the power is low, some with a voice message or visual display. Some smoke detectors can be interconnected, meaning if one triggers, they all go off. This is an important feature for multi-story homes, however for a small single-story home it may not be necessary. A hush button is convenient for turning the smoke detector off after a false alarm, rather than completely disabling it, and having to remember to turn it back on.

Make sure your smoke detector meets the Underwriters Laboratories Standard. The UL label should be on the package. Make sure you check the date of manufacture. Install the smoke detector on the ceiling for the most effective location and make sure to replace it every 10 years.

What brands should I use, you ask? Here are 2 recommended brands that represent three-quarters of the smoke detector market; First Alert and Kidde. First Alert has plug-in, hardwired, battery, and hardwired with battery-backup units. They also make dual sensor units. Kidde makes battery operated and plug-in units, as well as hardwired. They also make dual sensor units.

In the end, what really matters is that you have working smoke detectors installed in your home. They aren’t expensive, aren’t difficult to find online, easy to install, and will save your life. What could your reason possibly be for not having a smoke detector? Be smart and keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Source: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/co-and-smoke-alarms/buying-guide.htm

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Forty-six percent of US residents believe they will experience a disaster in the coming years, yet very few are actually preparing. Only one third of Americans participated in a preparedness drill this past year. Maintaining your composure during an emergency situation is easier said than done. No one really knows how they will behave when it comes to a moment of life and death. You can just as easily freeze-up as you can keep calm and maintain your cool. How can you know for sure? What can you do to help assure yourself that when fire breaks out in your home or any other kind of urban emergency occurs, you stay level-headed and do what needs to be done?

During a high stress situation, your body goes into fight or flight mode. This causes your body to overproduce the stress hormone known as cortisol. This hormone slows down the part of your brain responsible for executive function and critical thinking. Your hippocampus is temporarily narrowed as well. This is the part of your brain that is responsible for learning and memory. Basically, the overproduction of cortisol during an emergency situation can greatly inhibit your ability to survive.

So, how do you stay calm? How can you prevent the overproduction of cortisol? One thing you can do to remain calm is to be prepared. This means practice. Every building should have an action emergency plan and should run drills in order to know exactly how to act during emergency situations. Obviously, if your smoke detector goes off and you haven’t the faintest clue of what to do next, you’re going to panic. This is the equivalent of having a pop quiz without ever having paid attention or done any homework. You are practically guaranteed failure, generally with a bit of panic beforehand. Knowing exactly where you will go, what you will do, and where all of your emergency items are located, such as your SkySaver, are the key factors in maintaining your composure during such a situation. Knowing what you will do goes a long way towards remaining cool, calm, and collected when facing dire circumstances.

Generally, when an emergency situation arises, there is some kind of warning beforehand. With a fire, you smell smoke, or hear the smoke alarm. With an active shooter/terrorism situation, you generally hear gunshots. It might not be a large period of time, but use it wisely. Take a moment to think clearly about what actions you will take and then take those actions. Do not do anything rash. Breathe and do what you practiced.

Lastly, get yourself to safety. Having advanced warning, being well-practiced in your buildings action emergency plan, and knowing where all of your emergency supplies are located is more than enough to give you the chance you need to make it to a secure location. Depending on the emergency, you can either wait for first responders to arrive, escape via emergency exits, or use your SkySaver when conventional routes are unavailable and little time remains to wait.

So just to reiterate:

1. Be Prepared

2. Think

3. Get Yourself to Safety

Being level-headed during dangerous circumstances can be the difference between life and death. Even being well-practiced in your action emergency plan, knowing where everything is located, and remembering to think the situation through might not be enough, as no one can possibly know how they might react when tensions rise and their adrenaline kicks in. These tactics can certainly raise the odds in your favor. Being prepared for any possibility will give you a much better chance at survival.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Looking for a place to live isn’t easy, as many factors play into the decision. Probably the two things people take into account more than anything else are location and price. You might consider other factors, such as schools, health care quality, etc. One thing that people don’t always consider, and should, is the safety of the neighborhood that they will be living in. WalletHub.com compared the safest and most dangerous states to live in, not based on crime, but based on emergency preparedness, workplace safety, road safety, home and community stability, and financial security. It’s difficult to decide, when so many factors are contributing to the question of if a place is “safe.” WalletHub used 20 key metrics to analyze all 50 states (plus Washington DC).

Overall Rankings (Top 10 and Bottom 10)

1. Massachusetts

2. Vermont

3. Minnesota

4. New Hampshire

5. Hawaii

6. Utah

7. Connecticut

8. Rhode Island

9. Virginia

10. Maine….

     42. Kentucky

     43. Arkansas

     44. Arizona

     45. Louisiana

     46. Nevada

     47. New Mexico

     48. Tennessee

     49. Oklahoma

     50. South Carolina

     51. Mississippi

Breakdown of the Factors that Contributed to the Overall Rankings:

Financial Safety Rank - Highest: Minnesota Lowest: Nevada

Road Safety Rank - Highest: Massachusetts Lowest: Montana

Workplace Safety Rank - Highest: Rhode Island Lowest: North Dakota

Natural Disasters Rank - Highest: Rhode Island Lowest: Oklahoma

Home and Community Safety Rank - Highest: New York Lowest: Arkansas

Rankings by Region:

New England States Average Rank Overall: 5th

Mid-Atlantic States Average Rank Overall: 18th

Midwest States Average Rank Overall: 22nd

Southern States Average Rank Overall: 36th

Mountain States Average Rank Overall:32nd

Pacific States Average Rank Overall: 22nd

Other Factors to Consider:

Unemployment Rate -  Lowest: North Dakota Highest: T- Washington DC, Mississippi, Nevada

Share of the Population with No Health Insurance - Lowest: Massachusetts Highest: Texas

Estimated Property Loss from Climate Disasters - Lowest: California Highest: Oklahoma

Fatal Occupational Injuries per Total Employees - Fewest: Connecticut Most: North Dakota

Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles of Travel - Fewest: Washington DC Most: Montana

Number of Law Enforcement Employees - Highest: Washington DC Lowest: New Mexico

Number of Assaults - Lowest: Maine Highest: Washington DC

Bullying Incidents Rate - Lowest: Washington DC Highest: T-Idaho, Montana

When trying to find your next home, safety should be high up on your priority list and should not be overlooked. The New England states seem to have a distinct advantage with these rankings, while the Southern region states on average rank the lowest. Moving is a big and complicated decision. Hopefully, it's a little more simplified now.

Source: https://wallethub.com/edu/safest-states-to-live-in/4566/

 Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

You might think that SkySaver’s only use is to escape a fire when there is no other way out. Fire safety is the focal point of our promotional video, as well as many of our blog posts (How to Create an Action Emergency Plan, Rollovers, Flashovers, and Backdrafts, Inflammable or Flammable, How Hot Can Fire Get?). This is due to fires being a relatively common occurrence. There were nearly 1.3 million fires responded to by US fire departments in 2014. Many people have either experienced a fire breaking out in their home or know someone who has. However, there are other situations in which a SkySaver can save your life; during an earthquake, during work related violence/active shooter situation, or during a terrorist attack. None of these are as common as fire, but it’s essential to know that SkySaver can be used to save your life during a variety of different emergencies.

The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) estimates that 50 earthquakes happen per day, or about 20,000 per year. Most of them go undetected because of the minimal magnitude or lack of population in those areas. According to the NEIC, between 1900 and 2014 there were about 120 earthquakes in which 1,000 or more people were killed. During an earthquake, entrance and exit areas can easily be blocked by falling debris and elevators automatically shutdown. Your only way out might be the window. You might have read that if you are indoors during an earthquake, your best bet would be to stay where you are and duck for cover. You might have read that you should hide under a desk. This would be true, assuming you don’t have a SkySaver. You would run the risk of falling debris knocking you out cold as you’re trying to navigate your way to the exit. There is a risk when you stay put, however, of the building collapsing, especially if it was built before stricter regulations which were implemented in 1975. If you have a SkySaver, all you need to do is grab it, strap in, and within a couple of minutes you’ll be on the ground. After you reach the ground, unhook and run away from the building as quickly as possible.

Work-related violence happens a lot more often than you might think. FIFTEEN percent of all occupational fatalities are the result of assault and violent acts in the workplace. If a disgruntled worker shows up to your office carrying a weapon, your only way out might be the window. In a situation where an active shooter is in your building, and you have no idea whether or not he is standing in the hallway, SkySaver might be your only way out. Would you take the chance of sitting around, waiting for the shooter to reach you? Would you try to navigate your way to the building’s exit, where he might be waiting? Or, would you grab your SkySaver and drop down to safety in order to get help? In these situations, it’s better safe than sorry. When you hear gunshots and people screaming, you might not have any way to protect yourself. Your safest bet in this situation is SkySaver.

During the past couple of years, terror has been on the rise. With many terror groups throughout the world, such as ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Qaeda, and more, as well as terrorists unlinked to specific groups, who are just trying to further their own agenda, you never know when an attack might happen. You might just start to hear gunshots in your building, and before you know it, all the exits are blocked and you are a hostage. Just as with a disgruntled employee or an active shooter, if terrorists enter your home or workplace, SkySaver is probably your only safe exit. There’s no sense in risking your life by searching around for a way out that might have been left unguarded. It’s too risky. All you need to do is stay calm, strap on your SkySaver, and lower yourself to safety.

There is a reason they are called SkySaver Rescue Backpacks and not SkySaver Fire Safety and Backpacks (or something like that). That’s because SkySaver’s can be used for self-rescue in various life-threatening emergency situations when there is only one way out. SkySaver is the only device that allows you to safely take that exit.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

When living in a high-rise, fire safety should be at the top of your list of priorities. Having all of the proper safety precautions set up in your building will help prevent disaster. Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, and SkySavers, just to mention a few. But when a building has neglected one of these life-saving devices/installations, many can be put in serious danger.

Being on the 50th floor of a building can be a scary thing in an emergency situation. On November 21st, Saturday afternoon, a fire broke out in the iconic John Hancock Center. Hundreds of people looked in astonishment, as more than 100 firefighters and six ambulances were at the scene. Five people had minor injuries, and amazingly no one was killed, in a building which had smoke detectors, however did not have fire sprinklers installed. This goes in accordance with Chicago’s fire ordinance which does not require building owners to install fire sprinklers in high rises built before 1975. Out of the 74 tallest buildings in Chicago, NINETEEN were built before 1975. That means that over 25% of Chicago’s tallest skyscrapers are not required to have fire sprinklers installed. Crazy.

“This fire is the perfect example of the flaws in Chicago’s Life Safety Evacuation System which was engineered to allow as many buildings to pass the evaluation without requiring fire sprinklers.” - Tom Lia (Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board)

Always be conscious of the fire safety precautions which have been taken where you live or work. Don’t be caught unaware. When fire safety standards are neglected or overlooked, will you be prepared?

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

2015 was definitely "Year of the SkyScraper," however, it's coming to a close, and with 2016 on the horizon, let’s take a look at the tallest skyscrapers set for completion next year. With 17 of the 100 tallest buildings in the world built in 2015, the world continues to build to the skies. China already has 27 of the world’s 50 tallest buildings, with the United Arab Emirates and United States trailing far behind with 5 each. It doesn’t look like anyone will catch China anytime soon, because as we look ahead to 2016, 4 of the 6 tallest skyscrapers set to be completed on this list are located in China. Let’s take a sneak peak at the skyscrapers set for a 2016 completion:

Ping An Finance Center, China

Located in the central business district of Shenzhen in Futian (China), this skyscraper will stand at 600 meters tall. It will contain office, hotel, and retail spaces, and will feature a conference center and high-end shopping mall. When completed, it will be 115 storys and cost $678 million.

Baoneng Shenyang Global Financial Center, China

This behemoth is also being built in China. Shenyang, Liaoning to be exact. It will stand 565 meters tall or 1,854 feet and will have 114 floors. It's nickname is “Pearl of the North.”

Lotte World Tower, South Korea

This supertall skyscraper is being constructed in Seoul, South Korea with a planned completion date of October 2016. It will stand at 555 meters (1,821 feet) and have 129 floors (123 above ground, 6 below ground). It was in the planning stages for 13 years and started construction in 2011. It will contain retail outlets, offices, residences, public access floors with an observation deck, and a luxury hotel.

CTF Finance Centre, China

Formerly the CTF Guangzhou, Chow Tai Fook Centre, or Guangzhou East Tower, this skyscraper, now the CTF Finance Centre, will be the second of two Guangzhou Twin Towers. It’s under construction in Guangzhou, China and will top out at 530 meters or 1,740 feet. Its 116 floors (111 above ground, 5 below ground) will contain offices, residential suites, a hotel, meeting rooms, a ballroom, a shopping mall and retail, as well as an observation deck.

World One, India

We shift now to India, where World One, a supertall residential skyscraper is under construction. More specifically, it’s located in Lower Parel within Mumbai. The project will cost $300,000,000 when all is said and done. Eighty percent of the tower is already completed. It is set to be 442 meters tall, or 1,450 feet and contain 117 floors with 25 elevators. Apartments in this residential skyscraper will range from $1.1 million to $7.5 million with sales projections from these apartments expected to be $750 million.

Wuhan Center, China

This 438 meter (1,437 foot) skyscraper is under construction in Wuhan, China. Construction began in 2009 and it now stands as the tallest building in Central China. It is the first building in Wuhan to exceed 400 meters (1,312 feet). It will have 88 floors which will contain residential space, office space, and a hotel.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Don't Ignore The Stats

High rise dwellers and occupants have a more serious challenge than residents of low rise buildings when an emergency situation arises. Challenges range from longer evacuation time, smoke movement, first responders accessibility, fire control, and more. Between 2007 and 2011 there were an estimated 15,400 fires reported in high rise structures per year. These resulted in 46 civilian deaths, 530 civilian injuries, and $219 million in property damage, again, per year. If you are a resident or occupant of a high rise, you need to be prepared in case of an emergency. You need an action emergency plan. Due to the multitude of possible emergencies, as well as a slew of factors that can affect said emergencies, it is impossible to be ready for EVERYTHING, but you should definitely try to cover as many bases as humanly possible.

Check out the NFPA’s high rise evacuation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGdAH61WP7w

There are many possible emergencies that can happen in a high rise, whether human-caused, natural disasters, or building related. The following is a list that the National Fire Protection Agency provides for those categories:

Human-Caused

1. Bombs/Bomb Threats
2. Weapons of Mass Destruction (Chemical, Biological, and Nuclear)
3. Workplace Violence

Building Related

1. System Failures
2. Elevator Issues
3. Emergency Power Systems
4. Flooding
5. Medical Emergency
6. Disruption of Utilities
7. A Fire In An Adjacent Building

Natural Disasters

1. Earthquakes
2. Hurricanes
3. Tornadoes
4. Tsunamis
5. Volcanoes
6. Flash Floods
7. Snow and Ice Storms
8. Extreme Heat

In emergency situations such as these, generally the first step would be to contact the proper authorities. While you are waiting for them to arrive, things can escalate. This is where an action emergency plan comes in. Evacuating the building should be the next course of action. There are times however where it is more dangerous to attempt evacuation then to stay put. In such cases, it is best to stay where you are. Partial evacuation is when occupants of some floors leave the building while other remain. This could be either due to the emergency being located on a specific floor or due to it being more dangerous to attempt evacuation for certain floors than to stay put. Total evacuation is a managed or controlled evacuation of the entire building.

In a remain-in-place situation, your action emergency plan should set forth actions that would be taken in regard to the following systems:

1. Entrances, Exits, and Stairwells
2. Elevators
3. Ventilation Systems
4. Windows
5. Interior Doors
6. Utilities
7. Fuel Storage Systems (Including Piping and Pumps)

In this situation, you may not find a way out, and the first-responders might not reach you in time. This is the exact situation where a SkySaver rescue backpack can and should be used. Within a few minutes, you can be safely on the ground, out of harm’s way. If you own a SkySaver and live or work in a high rise building, it should become an integral part of your emergency action plan. However, it should only be used as a last resort.

In a situation where you must relocate to a different area of the building, the following steps should be taken for an in-building relocation area:

1. Know the number of residents on each floor
2. For each in-building relocation area, know: the type of area, the floor and its exact location, what protection it offers, max occupation, and what facilities it has.
3. Designate possible routes to the area.
4. With respect to the building systems, set forth actions to be taken.
5. Procedures for accounting for employees after the relocation is complete.

A partial or total evacuation should be done when such action would provide safety for the building’s residents. The emergency action plan for such, would begin with identifying the most efficient means of evacuating people from the building and specific floors, giving priority to people closest to harm’s way. The following steps should be taken:

1. Know the number of residents on each floor, including possible number of visitors.
2. Identify the exits.
3. With respect to the building systems, set forth actions to be taken.
4. The following should be designated by the emergency action plan: primary and alternative exits, safe assembly areas for the building occupants, and the procedure for accounting for everyone once the evacuation is complete.

When accounting for all of the building’s occupants, missing persons must be reported to the authorities. An investigation of the root cause of any problems which occurred during the emergency should be conducted so no similar issues arise in the future.

The emergency action plan should account for people with disabilities as well. It should address the following:

1. Wheelchair Users
2. Respiratory Impairments
3. Ambulatory Impairments
4. Visual Impairments
5. Hearing Impairments
6. Speech Impairments
7. Cognitive Impairments

In addition, the plan should include reoccupying the building after the “all-clear” has been given. Conducting drills is a great way to stay on top of things and be prepared when an emergency actually happens. Once an emergency action plan has been accepted by the building manager and tenants of the building, two drills should be conducted annually for the first two years afterwards. Beginning in the third year, a drill should be conducted on each floor of the building at least one time per year.

For more information about emergency evacuation plans, go to: http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/occupancies/high-rise-buildings

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

It’s the holiday season. This is the time of year, statistically speaking, that residential fires tend to spike. You've got Black Friday, Hannukah, Christmas, and maybe even someone's birthday, so odds are you're buying something for somebody. Who doesn't get concerned about the possibility of theft of expensive items. It is also the season of snow, so you never know when you might have a blackout or be snowed in for several days. You are an aspiring prepper and want to be ready for any of these emergencies, but what should you own to be prepared? Obviously something like a flashlight or first aid kit goes without saying. Which urban survival gear does the average person not realize he/she should have. These are items you may not have thought of, to have ready for any emergency.

Backup Power Generator or Emergency Lights

These can be useful in a number of emergency situations. The most obvious one being, if there is a blackout. Whether you forgot to pay the electric bill, or a nationwide blackout, a power generator or emergency lights will help you wait it out until the power comes back. These are also useful if someone is trying to rob you and cuts the power. The generator runs on gas and will provide a much more significant amount of power than the lights, however will cost you a lot more to buy. The lights generally run off battery power and will be much cheaper than the generator.

SkySaver

You might have a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and even a fire ladder. Odds are you probably don’t have a SkySaver. You do not want to be caught in a high rise fire with no way out. Picture this: You leave your dinner cooking unattended, while you’re surfing the web in your bedroom. A fire breaks out in the kitchen and things start to get out of control. You suddenly realize that you have no way out. Fire has spread from the kitchen to the hallway. You shut the door before it gets in the room, but you realize that you don’t have much time. That door is made of wood. Your only way out is the window, but you live on the 16th floor of a high rise building. What can you do? This situation happens more often than you would think and too many people are killed while jumping to their death, because they have no other choice. It's either out the window or face the flames. A SkySaver rescue backpack will save your life in situations such as these, and it is highly recommended to own for anyone living in a high rise apartment or working in a high rise building.

Fireproof Safe

Perhaps a fire breaks out in your home and you do manage to escape. What do you think will happen to your possessions? First, you have to wait until the fire is put out, and then you must wait until you get the "all clear" to re-enter your apartment. But what happened to your valuables? Important documents, cash, family heirlooms, etc.? One thing that can ensure their safety is a fireproof safe. This will help you keep your head on straight, and allow you to just worry about your own safety (as well as your family’s) should a fire break out, and not run around saving precious documents and valuables. 

Pocket Knife

Pocket knives have a variety of uses and can be very handy in many different situations. Their uses range from an actual knife, bottle opener, screwdriver, compass, tweezers, toothpick, ruler, wrench, and more. You can even get one that has everything fitted into a card that fits in your wallet.

Stock of Canned Food and Water

OK, technically this isn’t one item, BUT this is something you should definitely have just in case. There are a whole slew of scenarios where having a stock of canned food and water would come in handy. Any kind of storm (especially snow) during which, electricity gets knocked out for an extended period of time, and you’ll wish you thought of stocking up. Usually when these kinds of storms get reported on the news, everyone panics and runs for the supermarkets to stock up anyways. You’ll be smart and beat the crowds. Canned food and bottled water lasts a long time, however be aware of the expiration dates. If it’s getting close, just eat the food and restock.

Always be prepared for a possible emergency, whether it's a fire, blackout,  winter storm, or break-in. People think to themselves that nothing will ever happen to them, however that's wishful thinking. You don't want to be the one thinking that and then end up being completely unprepared in a real emergency situation. Be prepared because some of the items on this list may end up saving your life. 

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Rollovers, Flashovers, and Backdrafts

Rollovers, flashovers, and backdrafts. These three terms are used to describe special fire circumstances. You do not want to be caught in a situation when any of these are happening in your vicinity. Even with all of their equipment, these circumstances are also dangerous for firefighters. What do each of them mean? Why should you be concerned about flashovers? What happens when there is a backdraft? These are terms everyone should be familiar with, as they heavily relate to fire safety. Check out the following video to see these three situations as they develop in a simulator:

Rollover- A rollover is the circumstance in a structure fire when incompletely burned fuels or ignited fire gases spread out horizontally after rising to the ceiling. After this, the smoke suddenly appears to start burning. This special circumstance can lead to a flashover. Check out the following video to see a rollover in action:

Flashover- A flashover is the circumstance in a structure fire when everything in the room suddenly and simultaneously ignites. In full protective gear, a firefighter is even unlikely to survive this event, though they are trained to recognize when a flashover is about to occur. It happens due to several factors. A rollover occurs, with hot gases rising to the ceiling and spreading out across to the walls. The heat intensifies to the point where every combustible item reaches ignition temperatures. This causes them to burst into flames. In a few seconds, temperatures shoot up to as much as 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit or 538 degrees Celsius. Some of the signs of an impending flashover are; “black fire,” which is dense black smoke with tightly packed curls, black smoke which pushes out of a window opening or doorway, and smoke which has gone as low as a doorknob. Check out the following video to see a flashover in action:

Backdraft- A backdraft is when there’s an explosion due to oxygen being let into a room full of hot gases. When a fire is burning in an enclosed area, eventually, it burns up all of the oxygen (it’s oxidizer). This causes hot, flammable gases to fill the room. This leads to temperatures rising and pressure building, causing the building to appear like it’s pulsing or throbbing. If all of a sudden, a door is opened to let in a burst of new oxygen, all of the flammable gases burst into flames, due to the fire being oxidized again, i.e. hot, flammable gases plus fire equals one big explosion. This results in a rolling fireball that no one would ever want to get caught in. Check out the following video to see a backdraft in action:

These three circumstances are incredibly dangerous to get caught in, and you are unlikely to survive. Make fire safety one of your top priorities and make sure you own every kind of fire safety equipment. A smoke detector to warn you of the fire, a fire extinguisher to fight the fire, and a SkySaver when you run out of options and must flee the fire.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Inflammable or Flammable?

Who hasn’t quoted The Simpsons, when Doctor Nick rightfully exclaims “Inflammable means flammable? What a country!” Do you even know why flammable and inflammable mean the same thing? He asks the question and it's hilarious, but it really does make sense that he would, especially considering English does not appear to be his first language. Generally, words that begin with the prefix “in-” mean the opposite of the word it’s attached to. Capable and incapable, consistent and inconsistent, subordinate and insubordinate, are just a few examples of the many that exist. There’s even combustible and incombustible, combustible meaning it can catch fire and incombustible meaning it can’t. So, why do the words flammable and inflammable mean the exact same thing? This definitely seems like an easy way for people to get hurt or killed.

The Dictionary.com definition of the word flammable is “easily set on fire; combustible; inflammable.” The dictionary.com definition of the word inflammable is “capable of being set on fire; combustible; flammable.” They both originate from Latin, flammable first being used sometime between 1805 and 1815, while inflammable was part of vernacular earlier, starting usage sometime between 1595 and 1605. Inflammable comes from the Latin word inflamma, to inflame. Flammable comes from the Latin word flamma, to set on fire. So why are both of these words used when they seem like they would have the opposite definition, but in fact mean the exact same thing?

The prefix “in-” does not always serve as being negative. Sometimes it’s an intensifier, such as the word intense. Sometimes it means “into, on, in, upon” such as the words income, intake, and implant. This definition would cause inflammable to mean flammable from within. The actual antonyms of the words are non-flammable, non-inflammable, incombustible, non-combustible, and ininflammable. That’s right: ininflammable. English can be so confusing at times.

In around the 1920s, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) started to urge Americans to use only the word flammable due to the possibility of people being confused. Even during World War II, American companies were urged to use only “flammable” when labelling explosives being sent to Europe, in order to avoid fatal accidents. Inflammable started to fall out of favor in around 1970, and now it’s somewhat rare to see the word being used over flammable.

English can be a very strange language at times, but now, hopefully, you understand it a little bit more. Surely now, you’ll be a bit more cautious when you see a sign or label that says inflammable.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

How Hot Can Fire Get?

Everyone knows that fire is hot, but how hot can it actually get? Not everyone realizes that there are different temperatures for fire depending on the fuel, as well as the oxidizer type. There’s a huge difference in temperature between a simple flame burning on a candle and the fire burning from a propane torch. So, what are the degrees of variation between different kinds of fire?

Check out the following examples of how temperature can vary: The temperature of a candle burns between 600 and 1,400 Celsius or 1,112 and 2,552 Fahrenheit. A blow torch burns at about 1,600 Celsius or 2,900 Fahrenheit while a propane torch burns at about 1,977 Celsius or 3,590 Fahrenheit.

 See the following table for a better understanding of how hot fire can get depending on the fuel:

But what about a house fire or a high rise fire? How hot does that fire get? Generally, high rise fires burn at about 593 Celsius or 1,100 Fahrenheit. This is not hot enough to destroy metals or earthly-made substances but it is hot enough that these fires cause $8.6 billion dollars in property damage according to FEMA. Generally, jewlery, silver coins, tools, silverware, filing cabinets, cookware, some appliances, barbeque grills, firesafes, and stone tables can still be found intact after house fires and apartment fires. These items would need to take in a lot more heat in order to be affected.

These fires still cause thousands of casualties each year, and you should do anything and everything you can to make your home safe. This includes making sure you have a working fire extinguisher, as well as smoke detectors installed in the bedrooms and kitchen. This also includes being prepared for the possibility of all other means of evacuation being unavailable by making sure you have access to your SkySaver backpack. Too many people are forced to jump from buildings because there is no other way out. Too many people perish and are injured this way because they have no choice. In the end, all you really need to know is fire burns quite hot, is dangerous, and you should make every effort possible to keep yourself and your family safe.

 Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

7 Interesting Facts About Fire

From a young age, you are taught about the dangers of fire. Don’t play with it. Don’t be careless with it. These are common knowledge, things everyone is aware of. But, what are some cool and interesting facts about fire that you may not have heard about. Do you know who invented the fire hydrant? Do you know why fire stations have spiral staircases? Learn the answers to these and more in 7 interesting facts about fire.

The Fire Hydrant – It is unclear who invented the fire hydrant, because many patents were destroyed, ironically by a fire, in the US patent office in 1836. Credit is generally given to Frederick Graff Sr., a chief engineer at Philadelphia Waterworks.

Fire Stations – Why do fire stations have spiral staircases? The horses that used to pull the fire wagons learned to walk up the straight ones.

Temperature – Fire is not constantly the same temperature. It’s always hot, relative to us, but what kind of range is there in how hot fire can really get? A candle’s flame generally burns at 1000 degrees Celsius or 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. Fire can however, get much hotter than that. A supernova’s core burns at one billion Kelvin.

Candle Fires – Candles left unattended can easily lead to a fire breaking out inf your home. What are the top three days for home candle fires? Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, and it’s kind of obvious why.

Fire Deaths – The leading cause of fire deaths in the USA is smoking materials, such as pipes, cigarettes, cigars, etc. As stated in a previous blog post, refrain from smoking in bed because it could end in catastrophe.

Color of Fire - Flames change color as the temperature increases. They proceed as follows; from just visible to cherry red ranges from 980 Fahrenheit to 1,800 Fahrenheit (525-1,000 Celsius), from deep orange to clear orange ranges from 2,000 Fahrenheit to 2,200 Fahrenheit (1,100-1,200 Celsius), and whitish to dazzling ranges from 2,400 Fahrenheit to 2,700 Fahrenheit (1,300-1,500 Celsius).

Firefighters – In 2013 there were about 1.1 million firefighters in the USA. About 30% were career firefighters and about 70% were volunteer firefighters.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Tom Cruise Takes Action To New Heights

From the beginning, you knew Tom Cruise was going to be a star. Starting with movies such as Risky Business and The Color of Money, you could see that he had the acting chops. Then he started delving into action movies. When you think of James Bond, each generation pictures a different face. Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig. However, when you think the Mission: Impossible movies, there’s no one else but Tom Cruise. There is only one Ethan Hunt.

The Burj Khalifa

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation came out earlier this year. Tom Cruise hung off the side of an airplane as it was taking off, and while it was in the air. No big deal. It’s Tom Cruise, and this is another Mission: Impossible movie. With Mission: Impossible movies comes an array of incredible stuntwork. Fighting, running from explosions, and more, are generally what you expect out of your average action flick. These are the movies that stuntmen live for. Mission: Impossible is a bit different for a couple of reasons. One, the stunts are larger than life, and two, Tom Cruise performs them himself. No stuntman, no computer generated images (CGI), all Tom Cruise. From hanging off the side of an airplane, to almost having a knife stuck through his eye, to rappelling off the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, Tom Cruise does it all.

Tom Cruise is an action star, there’s no doubt about it. Something compels him though, to go above and beyond with his action movies. He doesn’t have to do the stunts himself. CGI does wonders nowadays, but he takes it upon himself to actually risk his life while making these movies. In Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise did just that.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the fourth movie in the Mission: Impossible franchise, came out in 2011. This was the first one in five years, so they definitely wanted this movie to release with a lot of buzz. Tom Cruise’s Burj Khalifa stunt definitely helped generate that buzz to the tune of nearly $700 million worldwide. The scene has Ethan Hunt free solo climbing on the side of the building with the use of special gloves. In reality, Cruise was attached to the building by multiple cables which were later digitally erased. The stunt was done 123 stories, or half a mile up. Initially, the studio could not even get insurance for the movie because of this stunt. Eventually, they found someone willing to insure it, and they managed to shoot the scene twice. Producer Bryan Burk said that the stunt double was actually scared of heights, so it was quite helpful for production that Cruise did the stunt himself.

The sequence was shot over a period of eight days. Roughly 200 hours were put into rehearsal and R&D, however that’s not a substitute for the real thing. There is no substitute for being 1,700 feet in the air. The sequence was for six minutes and forty-five seconds, which includes a four-story free-fall.

It makes you wonder what Tom Cruise will do next. How will he top these last two stunts? Mission: Impossible 6 is already in development, so it won’t be long before we find out.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

9 Amazing Facts About Shanghai Tower

After 9 Amazing Facts About The Burj Khalifa, we have decided to move on to the next tallest building in the world, Shanghai Tower. Initially scheduled to be completed and opened in 2014, this tower has been completed, and is just awaiting fire safety certification. Shanghai Tower is located in Shanghai, China and is currently set to open this month, November 2015. It surpassed the now second tallest building in China, Canton Tower in Guangzhou which was completed in 2010. The following are 9 amazing facts about Shanghai Tower:

Fact 1

 The tower cost an estimated $2.4 billion. It was funded by shareholders, bank loans, and Shanghai’s municipal government. In comparison, the Burj Khalifa cost an estimated $1.5 billion.

Fact 2

Shanghai Tower is 632 meters tall or 2,073 feet and has 128 stories. It has a total floor area of 380,000 meters squared or 4,090,000 square feet. The next tallest building is the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower in Mecca standing at 601 meters or 1,971 feet tall.

Fact 3

Shanghai Tower holds the record for furthest-travelling single elevator at 578.5 meters or 1,898 feet, surpassing the record previously held by the Burj Khalifa. At the time of installation in 2014, the elevators held the record for fastest single-deck (18 meters or 59 feet per second) and double-deck (10 meters or 33 feet per second) elevators. It holds the record as the tallest building in Shanghai as well as all of China.

Fact 4

Construction on Shanghai Tower began November 2008 and was completed September 2015, taking about 7 years to finish. It is planned to be opened November 2015.

Fact 5

The Shanghai Tower is now the world’s second highest hotel. It consists of 258 rooms. The world’s highest hotel is the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.

Fact 6

A number of green architecture elements were incorporated into the Shanghai Tower. A Gensler spokesman (the American architectural firm that designed the tower) described it as “the greenest super high-rise building on earth at this point in time.” A 120 degree twist as the tower rises was implemented into the design in order to reduce wind loads by 24%. Due to this, the amount of construction materials was 25% less than a conventionally built tower of the same height. Approximately $58 million was saved in material costs. The tower can withstand typhoon winds as well.

Fact 7

Every single day about 16,000 people can be accommodated by Shanghai Tower.

Fact 8

In February 2014, a pair of Russian climbers climbed all the way to the top of the tower. This was not sanctioned, as they broke into the tower in order to do this. The video that they filmed of this excursion currently stands at about 47 million views on YouTube.

Fact 9

Two hundred and seventy wind generators will power the external lights on the building, also adding to environmentally safe design.

Shanghai Tower was set to lose its titles as tallest building in China and second tallest building in the world next year to Ping An Finance Center, however that project had to scrap their plans for a sixty meter antenna because of the possibility of it obstructing flight paths. Shanghai Tower will remain the second tallest building in the world. Future buildings will surpass it, however, such as Kingdom Tower, Qianhai Tower, Wuhan Greenland Center, and so on. Skyscrapers continue to get taller. In 20 years, how tall do you think the tallest building will be? Do you think that it’s safe to continue building taller and taller buildings?

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The Most Famous New York Skyscrapers

Since the first skyscraper was built in 1890 in New York, skyscrapers have become irrevocably linked to the city as a symbol of its power and prosperity. New York skyscrapers have been immortalized by many works of art and culture, with the city’s iconic skyline providing memorable backgrounds to movies and TV series such as Woody Allen’s “Manhattan” or “Friends“. Check out our list in order to find out if you know these facts about the most famous New York skyscrapers.

 Empire State Building

To call the Empire State Building famous would be an understatement, comparable to calling Bill Gates “rich”. The Empire State Building is not only one of most recognizable landmarks of New York City, it is also (according to a survey of Flickr photos) the world’s most photographed building. From the time of its completion in 1931 until the late seventies it was the city’s tallest building. It has 102 stories, reaching  the height of 1,454 feet, and is still the fifth tallest skyscraper in the USA and the 25^th tallest building in the world. Its distinctive art deco tapered spire was featured in the movie “King Kong“. The building’s five observation decks, visited by 4 million visitors a year, have provided scenery for one of the most romantic scenes ever shot, in the movie “Love Affair”.

One World Trade Center (Formerly the Twin Towers)

A symbol of resurrection after the terrible 9/11 attacks destroyed the World Trade Center, the skyscraper has returned to dominate the New York skyline. Named identically to the North Tower of the original World Trade Center (completed in 1972), One World Trade Center was opened in Nov. 2014. Reaching a total height of 1,776 feet and with 102 stories, it is the tallest building in the Western hemisphere and the fifth tallest in the world. You can visit its observation deck on its top floor or the nearby National September 11 Memorial & Museum on the grounds of the original Twin Towers.

The Chrysler Building

The Chrysler Building was completed a year before the Empire State Building, and until then it was the tallest building in the world. It is impossible to think of Manhattan without envisioning the Chrysler Building, whose stainless steel arches on its crown design sparkle from afar. The Chrysler Building features unique Art Deco design details, including corner ornamentation of eagles on radiator caps, a tribute to the automobile manufacturer.

30 Rockefeller Center

At the center of a complex of 19 buildings, that include Radio City Music Hall, Time-Life Building, and News Corporation/Fox News Channel headquarters, the skyscraper known as 30 Rock was built in 1932 and is a 70 story building of 872 ft. The building houses the headquarters of NBC and you can participate as an audience in one of the wildly popular shows “The Tonight Show” starring Jimmy Fallon, “Late Night” with Seth Meyers, and SNL. 30 Rockefeller Center is of course the venue of the comedy TV show “30 Rock” with Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin that finished its seven season run in 2013.

Other notable skyscrapers include the Condé Nast Building (4 Times Square), opened in 2000 and a good example of contemporary “green” (environmental) design, the Woolworth Building, home to the famous department store and well known for its Gothic style, and the skyscrapers of New York’s financial district on 70 Pine Street and 40 Wall Street (The Trump Building ).

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

6 Celebrities Whose Homes Caught Fire

Fire can break out in anyone’s home, even in the homes of the rich and famous. Whether electrical fires, lightning strikes, wildfires, or even lint in the dryer, they can happen in a myriad of ways. You would think the likes of Drew Barrymore, Pierce Brosnan, Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Robert De Niro, and Evangeline Lilly would be impervious to such unfortunate happenstance events happening in their homes. You would be wrong. No one is perfect and no one is invincible. Not even Hollywood celebrities. The following are 6 celebrities whose homes caught fire.

Drew Barrymore

In 2001, the two-story, 3,500 square foot home of Drew Barrymore, the star of movies such as Scream, Fever Pitch, and Charlie’s Angels, broke out in flames in the early morning. Barrymore and her then-fiance Tom Green escaped uninjured. The fire caused $700,000 in damages. They were lucky to escape with their lives, as their trusty dog Flossie woke them by barking and clawing at their door. It took about sixty firefighters to extinguish the blaze. Barrymore went on to live in a rental for a year, and bought an $8,000,000 mansion in 2011.

Pierce Brosnan

Even James Bond is not impervious to fire. Pierce Brosnan, know mostly for his role as the titular character in James Bond movie franchise from 1995 until 2001, did not anticipate his 18.2 million dollar Malibu mansion being torched by an electrical fire for $1,000,000 in damages in. The flames were put out by as many as twenty firefighters within thirty minutes. This was the second time that a residence of Pierce Brosnan caught fire. The only victim of this fire? Brosnan’s 2002 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish.

Jack Nicholson

In 2011 a fire broke out at Jack Nicholson’s Hollywood Hills house. Nicholson, known for such classics as The Shining, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, and Batman (1989), was renting the house out to a friend at the time. He bought the property in 1973, paying just $49,000 for it at the time, which is the equivalent of about $250,000 nowadays when adjusted for inflation. Dozens of firefighters contained the blaze, however, two were injured and taken to the hospital. None of Nicholson’s tenants were injured.   

Sean Penn

In 1993, a wildfire destroyed the Malibu home of Sean Penn and his then-wife Robin Wright. In addition to the $4,000,000 home burning down, they lost everything they owned. Penn, known for Mystic River, Milk, and I Am Sam, eventually viewed the experience in a more positive light. “Everything in life burned, except my family, and it was so liberating.” Wildfires are definitely not uncommon in Malibu.

Robert De Niro

Fire broke out and damaged Robert De Niro’s New York apartment in 2012. The culprit? Lint buildup in a dryer. De Niro, know for classic films such as The Godfather, Casino, and Goodfellas, was not home at the time of the incident. The fire was contained about an hour after the call to the fire department was made. His apartment spans the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors.

Evangeline Lilly

An electrical fire in 2006 destroyed Evangeline Lilly’s home. Lilly, known for her roles in Lost and The Hobbit franchise, lost everything she owned in the fire. Luckily, no one was injured. Damage was estimated at $250,000. Lilly was renting the home at the time, and was already on set for the TV series Lost when the fire broke out.

Fire safety is important for EVERYONE. It doesn’t matter if you live in a studio apartment or a $20 million mansion. Overnight you can be in the exact same living situation, without a home. Know your escape route. Have smoke alarms installed in all the right rooms. Don’t ever leave anything liable to set fire to your home unattended, whether it’s an oven or lit candles, because you never know what might happen. Most importantly, be careful when handling fire because something like this is always a possibility.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

What Is Fire?

From a young age, children are taught not to play with fire. Fire is hot and it hurts, so stay away. It’s always a vague warning with no real explanation as to what fire is. Let’s understand how fire works. What is fire? What gives fuels it and what is it composed of? Why does it spread the way it does?

Fire comes about from a chemical process. You need 3 things to create and maintain fire: heat, fuel, and oxygen. The removal of any of these 3 will extinguish the fire. If there is not enough heat, if the fuel is exhausted, or if the oxygen supply is limited, then the fire will go out.

Heat

There are 3 mechanisms of heat transfer. They are convection, radiation, and conduction. Convection is when heat transfers through liquids or gases, such as hot air rising through a chimney. Radiation is heat transmitted by rays, like the sun. Conduction is when heat transfers between two objects, like when you’re heating up dinner, and the heat transfers from the stovetop, to the frying pan, to the food.

Fuel

Fuel is anything combustible. Basically anything the fire can “eat” through is fuel. Twigs, leaves, organic substance material, human built structures, etc. are all fuel for the flames. Once there is nothing left to burn, the fire dies down. Moisture slows the burning process, while dryness expediates it. Grass and leaves quickly lose moisture, and therefore burn more quickly. Branches and logs take longer to burn.

Oxygen

Generally, fire requires air with 16% oxygen. On average, air contains 21% oxygen. While fuel burns, the oxygen reacts with it, generating combustion byproducts, while releasing heat.

Combustion

Combustion is the chemical reaction, of which the end result is fire. It occurs between a fuel and oxidizing agent which produces energy, generally in the form of light and heat. The chemical process in a fire is called oxidation. This is due to the oxygen atoms combining with the hydrogen and carbon to for water and carbon dioxide. Oxidation can occur rapidly with things such as paper or wood. Smoke comes about due to the evaporated water, carbon dioxide, and particles of fuel which were unburnt.

How Fast Does Fire Spread?

The three ways a fire can spread are conduction, convection, and radiation. With the right fuel and enough of it, fire can spread rapidly. In thirty seconds a small flame can erupt into an enormous fire. Flashover is when nearly all combustible material in a given enclosed area ignites. The following videos were developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. They were made to show how quickly a fire can spread:

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Apartment Fire Videos That Went Viral

What makes a video go viral? How does something go from a local news report with a simple 1-2 minute interview to being the only thing that people are talking about? The following videos, ranging from 2003 until just about two months ago, caught fire across the web, one of the stars even becoming a national sensation. From Kimberly “Sweet Brown” Wilkins to Jarrod Martin, these viral video stars set the internet ablaze.

Viral Video #1 – Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That

The year is 2012. Kimberly “Sweet Brown” Wilkins had just escaped a fire in an apartment complex in Oklahoma City. A post-escape 42 second interview garnered the famous catchphrase “Ain’t nobody got time for that.” The video went viral, causing the creation of many parody videos, one accumulating over 50 million views, and “Sweet Brown” making numerous television appearances on shows such as ABC’s The View.

The original news report:

http://kfor.com/2012/04/08/okc-apartment-complex-catches-fire-5-units-damaged/

The original video on YouTube:

A parody music video:

Viral Video #2: You Can’t Forget About Your BBQ Ribs

Jump ahead to 2015. Just after 3 AM on Cedar Avenue a fire broke out in an apartment. A mother and her six year old son were hospitalized because of smoke inhalation. Robert Wright, a resident in that same apartment complex had quite a story to tell afterwards. He describes how he had to rescue his family while keeping an eye on his ribs that he was barbecuing (again, at 3 in the morning). The original video went on to nearly one million views, being picked up by news outlets all over the web, such as The Independent, Breitbart, TMZ, etc.

The original news report:

http://kmph-kfre.com/archive/fresno-rib-man-video-going-viral

The original video on YouTube:

Viral Video #3: Jarrod Rescues His Dog

The next news story occurred in 2003. In West Memphis, Tennessee, an apartment building was burning with Jarrod Martin’s dog trapped inside. The police had told him that if he attempted to go in and save his dog he would be arrested. They reasoned that the oxygen flowing in from breaking inside could cause a massive explosion and would risk his life as well as the lives of the firefighters on the scene. Jarrod didn’t heed the instructions and climbed the side of the building up to where his dog was. He just couldn’t bear to stand by and watch his dog die. He broke the glass and freed his dog only to be arrested when he returned to safety. The charges were later dropped. The story went viral and the video received over 300,000 views on YouTube, despite happening before YouTube even existed and being uploaded twelve years later.

The news report:

http://www.firehouse.com/news/10534891/tennessee-dog-rescue-leads-to-arrest

The original YouTube video:

Update: Viral Video #4: Michelle Dobyne Describes A Fire In Her Building

A much more recent video has gone viral, garnering over 7 million views on 2 videos. It even earned multiple song parodies. Michelle Dobyne describes a fire in her Casa Linda apartment building in probably the most entertaining way possible. The only way for you to understand is to watch below.

The YouTube video:

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

5 Common Myths About Fire Safety

When it comes to fire safety, you need to separate fact from fiction, reality from myth, truth from lie. In the heat of the moment (pun intended), you cannot afford to make a mistake. One slight misstep can be the difference between life and death, injury and safety. This can happen from simply thinking you have more time than you actually do when a fire starts. So, what are people generally wrong about when it comes to fire safety? What are some common misconceptions?

Myth #1: When a fire breaks out, the fire itself causes the most casualties.

Fact: The smoke is generally what injures or kills people when there is a fire. Smoke can fill an entire house in about three to five minutes. The smoke can become very toxic from carbon monoxide and various materials that it burns through. You can easily choke, become disoriented, and  fall unconscious simply from inhaling smoke.

Myth #2: Statistically, there are more casualties caused by non-residential fires than residential ones.

Fact: According to FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency), residential fires are the leading property type for fire dollar loss (52.2%), fire injuries (79.1%), and fire deaths (75.7%). Make sure you have working smoke detectors in all of your bedrooms in your home, as well as your kitchen. Make sure you have a home evacuation plan that you have discussed and practiced with your family.

Myth #3: No need to rush. You have enough time to escape the fire. It doesn’t spread so fast.

Fact: A tiny flame can become an enormous fire in less than a minute, especially if flammable materials are nearby. Each minute after that, it can double in size. This can lead to the fire getting so hot that there is a flashover. A flashover is when everything ignites at once.

Myth #4: Your alarm will sound and warn you before the fire starts.

Fact: “The smoke detector will alert me before there’s an actual fire. No need to hurry and check why it’s gone off. The fire hasn’t started yet. It’s just some smoke.” That is the common thinking and misconception that many people have. This is simply not true of most smoke detectors. Some can detect them in the early stages, but for the most part, when your smoke alarm goes off, don’t take any chances.

Myth #5: Once a fire sprinkler goes off, they all activate.

Fact: This is something that time and time again is perpetuated by movies and television. You always see all of the sprinklers going off at the same time. In reality, sprinklers react in each room individually. The sprinkler closest to the fire activates. Ninety percent of fires are contained by just one sprinkler.

Don’t just assume when it comes to fire safety. It is highly important to know and understand what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to this serious matter. Educate yourself. Be knowledgeable. Be alert. But most importantly, be safe.

What other common misconceptions do you think people believe about fire safety?

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Campfire Safety

You probably think you know all there is to know about campfire safety by now. You went to boy/girl scouts and/or to summer camp as a kid, you already heard the talk from a guidance counselor about what precautions to take when building a fire in the wild.

But think again. This was back when you were young and free, and you weren’t solely responsible for your own safety. Now you are an adult and you could use some refresher tips about how to avoid injury to yourself and your family and friends, as well as preventing damage to wildlife and the environment.

• First of all, check the weather report. If there is a warning that the weather will be hot, dry, and windy, avoid building an open fire.
• Do not build a fire where it is explicitly prohibited. Do not dig a pit in areas that are prohibited for digging for archeological or other reasons.
• Give precedence to the use of an existing campfire site, where you have ready-made rings/pits for your use and cleared ground.
• If no campfire site is available, when preparing your own, find a spot that is downwind. Make sure to keep a distance of at least 15 ft. from tents, buildings, woodland and overhead branches. Keep a 10 ft. diameter of cleared ground or bare rock around your campfire; if necessary scrape the ground from weeds and burnable material. Circle your pit with rocks.
• Keep your fire reasonably sized. Its diameter should be about 4 ft. and no higher than 3 feet. Do not use flammable liquids to ignite the fire. Make sure to dispose of the match you lit in the fire after it has cooled down.
• Do not leave your fire unattended for even a moment for any reason.
• Use only coal and wood as burning material. Do not cut or rip branches off living trees. Use small branches of dry wood or needles as tinder for your fire.
• Make sure you have enough water for dousing the fire and a shovel at hand for your immediate use. When dousing the fire, the coal/firewood should be thoroughly soaked and afterward you should stir it with your shovel and water again. Stay for an extra 15 minutes to ensure the fire is completely out, that is, when the ashes no longer hiss and steam.
• If the fire hasn’t died out after dousing, use dirt you have dug up.
• If there are kids and/or pets with you, make sure they are not left unsupervised next to the fire. Don’t let kids gain access to matches. Teach them to adhere to the rules above, and to report any out of control fire they see to an adult.
• For cooking, it is preferable to use a small stove. If using a cooking pot, make sure to dig a pit for your fire.

Remember, it is most important to stop wildfire. According to recent data, the majority of wildland fires in the USA are caused by humans, such as a fire which started in an illegal campfire that  burnt down 400 square acres in Yosemite Park, causing an estimated $54 million in damages. Taking these precautions will make sure you can enjoy the outdoor experience without taking any unnecessary risks.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

What Causes Electrical Fires and How to Prevent Them

According to the FEMA Agency, electrical fires in homes claim the lives of about 280 Americans each year and injure 1,000 more. Electric malfunctions and electric appliances cause about 10% of all fires in USA households, and most electrical fires originate in the fixed wiring in the house. Second to that are fires that are caused by cords and plugs, and in the third place you will find light fixtures, switches and outlets to blame. As well as those, light bulbs, circuit breakers, and transformers can cause fires. Short circuits, bad insulation, current overload and poor connections can all ignite an electric fire. These fires can be avoided by following some best practice guidelines of the correct usage and maintenance of electric appliances and equipment in your home:

Correct usage

Make sure to use the right plug and outlet for your electric appliance, and that the appliance is plugged in properly.

Replace worn or damaged cords.

Do not stretch an extension cord over carpeting (especially fitted carpeting), which may catch fire. Avoid the usage of extension cords or power strips for “heavy duty” electric appliances such as ovens. If you do buy an extending cord, buy one with built-in circuit breakers that will shut down in the case of an overload.

Avoid blocking the air vents of electrical appliances, especially of electric heating devices.

Make sure to use bulbs that are suitable to the light fixture’s maximum wattage.

Keep flammable items such as clothes from electric heaters for a distance of at least three feet.

Be extra careful when using an electric blanket, since it short circuits easily and has no over-temperature sensors.

Maintenance

Sparks and hiss or crackle sounds from an electric output can indicate loose wiring. Other fire risk indicators include dimming bulbs, a burnt smell coming from the electric board or transformer, and getting an electric shock from an appliance or outlet. Do not attempt to fix these problems yourself. Call an electrician.

Have your electrical board checked by an electrician regularly. If living in an old house or apartment, check the wiring regularly and its electrical load capability.

Take immediate care of leaks: wetness may seep into the wiring in the walls and instigate electric circuit shorts or flood your basement, where electric appliances are often kept.

Keep your air conditioning unit dust free.

Make sure to clear on a regular basis the lint filter on your clothes dryer. The lint may blow into the interior of the dryer and catch fire, even after the dryer is on longer connected to the power

Keep your kettle, dishwasher and water heater isolated from moisture and wetness. Make certain the drain tube of your freezer does not become blocked and causes a leak within your refrigerator.

General safety tips 

Before going to sleep or leaving the house, make sure all unnecessary electric appliances are turned off, especially your gas/oven range. Leave your key in the keyhole to make sure you can escape from your home easily in case a fire breaks out while you are sleeping. Do not leave the house while your washing machine, dishwasher or dryer are still working.

Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) for a safer electrical environment, especially in bathrooms with electric fixtures close to the ground.

Buy your electric appliances (including electric equipment such as adaptors) from reliable retailers which sell products that comply with federal safety standards. Even when shopping for well-known brands, you run a risk of buying a faulty model that hadn’t been recalled by mistake. A Consumer Report from 2012 has stated that over 15 million appliance units have been recalled in the past five years for defects that could cause a fire, mostly of dishwashers. You can search the Saferproducts.gov for warnings about products that may be hazardous.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

9 Amazing Facts About The Burj Khalifa

To say the Burj Khalifa is a tall building is a bit of an understatement. One cannot help spotting it when visiting Dubai. It’s been the world’s tallest building since it’s completion in 2009 but will most likely lose that distinguished title in 2019. The following are nine amazing facts about the Burj Khalifa:

• The Burj Khalifa is the tallest artificial structure in the world. It stands at 2,722 feet, or 829.8 meters. To better put that in perspective, the Empire State Building is 1,250 feet or 381 meters, and even including the antenna, it’s 1,454 feet or 443 meters. The Burj Khalifa dwarfs it.
• The Burj Khalifa holds the following world records:

1. Tallest existing structure
2. Tallest structure ever built
3. Tallest freestanding structure
4. Tallest Skyscraper
5. Tallest Skyscraper to top of antenna
6. Building with the most floors (163)
7. Highest occupied floor in the world (1,918 feet or 584.5 meters)
8. Highest elevator installation
9. Longest elevator travel distance (1,654 feet or 504 meters)
10. Highest observation deck (1,821 feet or 555 meters)
11. Highest nightclub (144th floor)
12. Highest restaurant (122nd floor)

                It holds even more records than that, but you get the idea.

• The Burj Khalifa took nearly 6 years to build, with construction beginning in January 2004 and finishing at the end of December 2009. It opened in January 2010.
• The construction cost for the Burj Khalifa was $1.5 billion and at the peak of construction, there were 12,000 workers PER DAY.
• Scenes from Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol were filmed on and in the Burj Khalifa. Many of the stunts in which Ethan Hunt rapelled off the side of the Burj Khalifa, were actually performed by Tom Cruise himself.
• Alain “Spiderman” Robert, known as “the French Spider-Man,” climbed to the top from the outside, using external windows and a harness to help him. It took him just six hours.
• Twenty-two million man hours were used to complete construction on the Burj Khalifa. That’s totals over 2500 YEARS.
• The Burj Khalifa requires an average of 250,000 gallons of water every single day and it’s electrical demand can reach the equivalent of 360,000 100-watt bulbs burning at the same time.
• It was named to honor Sheik Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his 10 billion dollar contribution to Dubai.

For now, the Burj Khalifa remains the tallest in the world, with the next tallest being the Warsaw Radio Mast. However, Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia will soon take that prize. Construction began on Kingdom Tower in 2013 and is expected to be completed in 2019. It will be 1,008 meters tall (over 1 kilometer!) or 3,307 feet. It was initially planned to be 1 mile high (1.6 kilometers)!

How tall do you think the inevitable next tallest building will be? When do you think the first one mile high building will be built? 

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

The 5 Biggest Fire Starters

The National Fire Protection Association or NFPA reported that from 2007-2011, 15,400 high-rise structure fires were reported PER YEAR. These fires resulted in 530 injuries, 46 deaths, and $219 million in property damage on average each year. Of the 15,400 fires reported, about 3% were in high-rise buildings. That means there were about 400 fires on average per year in these buildings.

About half of high-rise fires occurred in offices, apartments, hotels, and facilities. Whether you’re at home, at the office, or even on vacation, you can never be too safety-conscious when it comes to fire. There are a myriad of ways a fire can begin in any high-rise building. The following are some of the most common ways that a fire can break out.

Cooking

You’re preparing dinner one night, when all of a sudden you get a phone call. You walk around while talking, and head into the other room because the food you’re frying is making too much noise. By the time you remember you were cooking something, twenty minutes have passed. Not being attentive to what you’re cooking is an easy way for a fire to start, especially if you’re frying something. The NFPA has reported that 40 percent of all house fires are cooking related. Do not leave your stove unmanned because you never know what may happen while you’re gone.

Heaters

Obviously, these kinds of fires generally occur in the winter. Half of these kinds of fires happen between the months of December and February. During those cold winter months, heaters help us sleep warm and stay comfortable at night. Heaters can, however, easily cause a fire. Space heaters, especially, can short out. Some people don’t think about it or realize, and will just throw clothing or a blanket on top of the space heater. A fire can start very easily this way, so refrain from doing so. According to the NFPA, space heaters accounted for one third of home heating fires from 2007-2011 and 81 percent of home heating fire deaths.

Smoking

Saying that there are a lot of smokers in America is an understatement. According to the CDC, about 40 million adults over the age of 18 in the U.S. smoke cigarettes. According to the NFPA, smoking materials, such as cigars, pipes, and cigarettes, are the leading cause of fire deaths in the U.S. The best way to prevent these fires from occurring is to make sure these materials are completely extinguished when throwing them away. Do not leave your cigarette lying on your nightstand, still lit, while you take care of something else. Fire-safe cigarettes are less likely to cause fires as well.

Children

Kids should not play with fire, period. Letting children play with fire is incredibly irresponsible and can very likely lead to tragedy. Fire peaks their interest. They will tend to ask about fire sooner or later, and it’s best to educate them properly. Make sure they understand the dangers of fire and not to leave any matches or lighters out in the open. If you have kids, make sure you only use lighters with child-resistant features.

In Conclusion

There are many ways a fire can start at home or at the office. These were only four of them. In order to avoid these fires, it is essential to understand what causes them. Be alert, be attentive, and most importantly, stay safe.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Fire Safety Lessons From The Movies

In a previous blog post, lessons were learned about fire safety from popular television sitcoms. Now let’s learn from the big screen. The National Fire Protection Agency reports that there are about 1.2 million fires reported EACH YEAR in the USA. Now, what can we learn from the likes of Frank Drebin of Naked Gun, Derek Zoolander of Zoolander, and Barry Allen of The Flash?

The Scene: Police Squad Lieutenant Frank Drebin has just found a major clue in the case he is pursuing in the form of a note. He uses a lighter to read the note in an unlit room. Upon his realization of this game changing clue, he gets careless with the lighter and all mayhem ensues. The fire destroys the office (as well as the clue) but Frank manages to escape out the window.

What we can learn: Fire is not something to be careless with. When using a lighter or matches you must always be attentive to what you are doing with them. Looking away for a few seconds can result in catastrophic consequences. In addition, you should escape the fire and not be so concerned with saving items in your home. What good are they if you’re toast? Being without a fire escape, a SkySaver would have come in handy for that apartment.

The Scene: Derek Zoolander and his friends have just stopped off to get some gas. They begin fooling around with the squeegees at the gas station when Derek sees someone throw out a Time Magazine insulting his modeling career. He walks over to pull the magazine out of the garbage. Meanwhile, his friends start using the gas pumps to spray each other in a playful way. One pulls out a cigarette to light, while entirely doused with gasoline, causing the entire station to go up in flames. Derek is the only survivor.

What we can learn: While this movie is obviously making out male models to be incredibly dumb, doing things not many people would do, there is still something to be learned here. Gasoline is very flammable. Most people have flammable products in their home. A lot of cleaning products contain flammable chemicals. Fire must be always kept away from such products. Always be sure to check the label on items which may contain flammable contents.

The Scene: We’re going to cheat a little here and go back to television just because this is such a fantastic show. In this scene an apartment building is on fire. Barry Allen, also know as The Flash, uses his super speed to race into the building. He saves a two people in the blink of an eye, all while the fire department is still making its way over. 

What we can learn: It’s too bad superheroes don’t exist in real life because without The Flash, those people he saved would have likely been goners. The area of the building they are in is engulfed in flames and there don’t seem to be any means of escape at their disposal. A SkySaver would have been a good option had Barry Allen never been struck by lightning.

Barak Bacharach, SkySaver Content Manager

Ergonomic Testing

At SkySaver, we have done rigorous testing to make sure the product is safe, durable, and can be used easily in an emergency situation. Previously we showed you some of the testing we’ve done to the controlled descent device (CDD) and we have also done ergonomic testing to see how humans interact with the device. We wanted to make sure that even someone who has never seen the device before would be able to easily put it in, figure out where the straps go, and be able to self-rescue quickly to avoid smoke, flames, or other dangerous situations.

As part of these tests we worked with an experienced skydiving instructor who knows all about how people use harnesses and the importance of being safely buckled in to a device.

We did the tests with two different groups using people varying in age, height, and weight. These participants had never seen a SkySaver before and were unfamiliar with how the device worked.

The testing was done in three stages and we’ll show you each stage in the images and description below:

1) Putting on the backpack

Believe it or not, this initial stage took up an entire day but we learnt a lot about how people interact with the backpack. This testing was further broken up into 3 stages and participants were asked to put on the backpack and were timed to see how long it took them. In the first stage, each participant was simply given a SkySaver without any instructions and told to put it on. They were able to easily put on the backpack and took some time to adjust the straps. We were able to better learn how people adjust the straps and decided to include a detailed guide in our instruction manual.

In the second stage of ergonomic testing, the participants were asked to put on the backpack, but this time they were blindfolded. This was meant to simulate situations with minimal to no visibility and we wanted to make sure the device was easy to put on even under these conditions.

Finally, in the third stage, the participants were asked to put on the backpack while blindfolded and while the other participants yelled and screamed in order to further try and distract them. Things got a bit loud in our office as people shouted in English, Hebrew, and Russian, but we saw that even while visually and audibly distracted they still found the backpack quite easy to put on and were able to connect all buckles without any issues.

2) Hanging from a short height

In the second stage of testing, each participant was brought back and used the device to hang from a short height of about 10 feet. They were strapped into a SkySaver and the carabiner was hooked to a secure anchor point while our instructor told them how to simulate exiting a window. The goal of this stage of the testing was to see how people use the device to exit a window and we wanted to teach them proper technique so we could create training materials for others to use.

3) Descending one story Finally, on the third day of testing, we had the participants use the backpack to descend down one story using the device. In this stage we wanted to see how participants use the device on the way down and how they use their hands to push off the wall. We gained valuable information that we incorporated into both our instruction manual and our training videos.

Should Everyone Evacuate a High-Rise Fire?

Not all fires require a full building evacuation, some fires are kept at bay in single apartments, while others can spread through the entire building. Since we were children, we have been warned and taught about fires and what procedures to follow if one should occur. In school, whenever there are fire drills we were told to evacuate immediately and not waste any time grabbing belongings. But, is immediate evacuation always the right decision? First of all, it's crucial that everyone should have an emergency evacuation plan in case a disaster occurs. Whether you live in a house or an apartment building, you should know all the entrance and egress points like the back of your hand. In a smoke engulfed apartment, tenants should be able to exit without even seeing where they are going. However, in a situation where there isn’t smoke in your apartment but the fire alarm is going off, should you evacuate the building?   In 2014, Daniel McClung tried to escape a fire in a Hell’s Kitchen high-rise. He decided that it was time to abandon his apartment and chose to take a stairway down to the ground level. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong stairwell, became inundated with smoke, and passed out. He was later pronounced dead due to excessive smoke inhalation. Daniel had taken a staircase that firefighters were using as an “attack route” to suppress the fire, causing it to be filled with smoke. Firefighters said that had he stayed in his apartment and not evacuated, he would have likely been unharmed, as they were able to completely subdue the fire. In a multi-story building, there are times when to evacuate and when not to evacuate in a fire. If you are not in any immediate danger and do not know what to do, it's important not to panic and stay put until otherwise instructed. Most new buildings are equipped with fireproof doors so that fires are less likely to spread from apartment to apartment. Each apartment may also contain a voice speaker system in which emergency responders can interact with residents and best instruct their actions. When the fire alarm in a high-rise is activated, generally the floor of origin, floor above, and floor below are the most important floors to be evacuated, with occupants of other floors directed to remain in place. If you are not in a modern high-rise, there is definitely some degree of risk in deciding whether to evacuate or not. If you decide to stay put and the fire ends up spreading, it may become much more difficult to escape the danger, compared to escaping at the first notice of the fire or the alarm. On the other hand, deciding to leave your location and exit the building may also position you in a more dangerous situation, as it did for Daniel McClung. The best choice is to use common sense, and be prepared for any situation. Take a calculated risk and decide to either wait for instructions on what to do, or find the safest escape route based on the given circumstance.

Should Buildings Still be Built with Fire Escapes?

Outdoor fire escape systems have been a familiar escape device for those living in high rise buildings for many years, but are they becoming obsolete? Buildings all over the world are beginning to lose their fire escapes and instead, are being built with internal fireproof staircases. This is due to the 1987 change in building code, which moved towards supplying safer fire evacuation methods for taller buildings and more common use of fire detection systems. While the new buildings codes brought about safer alternatives for emergency escape, some argue that taking away fire escapes is like taking away a piece of history.  

Fire escapes have been in use since 1784 in England, but didn’t become popular until the mass urbanization of areas like New York City and Chicago. Building external fire escapes was much cheaper than building a somewhat “fireproof” internal staircase. However, as fire escapes grew in popularity, more and more  people started to use them for unintended purposes. In poorer areas of New York people would use their fire escapes to cook, clean clothes, and even sleep there during extreme heat. This would protrude the walkway and cause hazards for when actual emergency evacuations were necessary. Furthermore, fire escapes were rarely maintained, and many fell into serious disrepair.  Triangle Factory on Fire- March 25, 1911[/caption] This shows just how poorly regulated fire escape were at the time, when it came to an actual emergency, the system failed to complete its job.

  The code in 1987 prohibited the use of outdoor fire escapes on newly erected buildings and instead, outdoor emergency escapes were to be replaced with internal fire-proof staircases. These internal stairs were meant to be a safer egress alternative, even though in an emergency it's possible that they could become inundated with toxic smoke. Many buildings also moved towards adding sprinkler and gas systems in order to suppress the blaze of a fire.

  Despite the new building codes, the number of fire escape preservationists is growing and numerous preservation projects have taken place. These preservationists argue that fire escapes allow us to appreciate our cultural and architectural heritage, while also providing a unique space to enjoy, just as our ancestors once did. Fire escapes have been a part of architectural and firefighting history for over a hundred years, but what once offered a solution for those stuck in burning buildings, are now becoming obsolete in light of new inventions and findings.

50 Tallest Buildings in the World

When counting the 50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year. But before going further and exploring some cool facts about these buildings, its important to distinguish a building from a tower. The engineering definition of a tower is, "A tall man-made structure, always taller than it is wide, meant for regular access by humans, but not for living in or office work, and are self-supporting or free-standing, which means no guy-wires for support." Guy wires are tension cables designed to add stability to a free-standing structure. You may recognize them with as the yellow covered wires that support electric and telephone poles. Towers are also different from buildings because they are often built to use their height for various purposes such as telecommunications, radio signals, or simply a viewing platform. The tallest tower in the world is the Tokyo Skytree in Japan, followed by the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China, and the CN Tower in Toronto. It used to be that the Warsaw Radio Mast was the tallest tower in the world (646.38 metres/2,120.7 ft) but it collapsed  in 1991 due to several crucial errors. 50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year.

There are other structures that don't fall into the category of towers or buildings such as: bridge towers, pylons, chimneys, transmission towers, and most large statues. These structures usually allow human access for maintenance, but not as part of their normal operation, and therefore are not considered to be towers or buildings.  

  Moving back to the 50 tallest buildings, below is a detailed chart that shows the height and name of each building. As you can see, the Burj is quite clearly the tallest standing at a whopping 2717 feet (828 meters). No other building is taller than 2000 feet, with the Royal Clock Tower coming in at 'just' 1972 feet (601 meters). 50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year. 

  These 50 skyscrapers are located in 9 different countries in the world, with the vast majority in China, the world leader in skyscraper construction. Outside of China, these skyscrapers can be found in the UAE, USA, Taiwan, Malaysia, Kuwait, Russia, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia. 50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year. 

  If you would have looked at this list 5 years ago, it would have been very different, and a full 27 of the top 50 were completed in the years since 2010. It's very likely that this list will look very different in another 5 years, and in fact the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia is slated to be completed in 2019 and will stand over 1km (3,300 feet) high! Of today's 50 tallest, the vast majority (37) were built in the years since 2000, but the list still has architectural legends such as the Empire State Building, completed in 1931, and the John Hancock Center, completed in 1969. 50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year. 

  Finally, the prestigious title of 'the tallest building in the world' has changed hands several times since 1931 when the Empire State Building was completed. Before 1930, several other buildings in the U.S. held the title, but none of them remain on the list of the tallest 50. From New York the title traveled to Chicago and then Kuala Lampur, Taiwan, and finally, Dubai. As you can see from the map, the original World Trade Center held the title for a brief 2 years and though the recently completed One World Trade Center is a symbolic 1776 feet (541 meters) tall, and the third tallest building in the world, it will never hold the title of the world's tallest building.  50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year.

  In the pictures below, created by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), we can also see the physical progression of the tallest building in the world. Once again, this list excludes towers and other non-buildings such as the Great Pyramid which stands at 138.8 metres (455.4 ft). As you can see, before 1930, the tallest building was located in New York all the way back to 1885 when Chicago held the title with the Home Insurance Building, which stood at 180 feet (55 meters). The Home Insurance Building is noted as the first tall building to be supported, by a fireproof metal frame, but it was eventually demolished in 1931. 50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year.

  The 15 buildings which has held the title of the world's tallest building have also evolved in many ways and below there are even more graphs from the CTBUH illustrating the transformation of skyscrapers over the years. 50 tallest buildings in the world, it starts and ends in the UAE, with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai coming in at number 1 and the Landmark in Abu Dhabi rounding out the list at number 50. The list is filled with some fascinating structures, some which have held the title of tallest building in the world, some which were built before the 1970's, and some which were only completed this year.

Finally, as the world gets taller and taller, it is now more important than ever to ensure proper fire safety measures are taken in the building process and that skyscraper dwellers have an alternate safe evacuation route in case of an emergency.  

Hotel Fire - Greece 1989

"Somewhere in the back of my mind, fire safety information came into action without me thinking about it."

 

 

"At no point did a smoke alarm sound or anyone make us aware there was a fire. There were no sprinklers, no emergency lighting, no staff members telling us what to do and no local fire fighters. We were all alone until the US Air force came."

 

Do you have a story about a fire, in a hotel or other building? Let us know, we'd love to share it. E-mail us at info@skysaverusa.com

Bear Grylls Tries Escaping a High-Rise Fire

Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls has become perhaps the world's most famous survivalist and is widely known for his television series Man vs Wild which ran from 2006-2011. In addition to Man vs Wild, Bear Grylls also had a couple other t.v. shows, one of which was called Worst-Case Scenario and it ran for 12 episodes in 2010. The show was hosted by the Discovery Channel and saw Grylls use his survival skills in a number of scenarios. In the clip below, Grylls enacts a scenario in which he is stuck in a burning building and cannot use the stairs, watch what happens to the ultimate survival man:

SkySaver Quiz

Leading up to our launch we will be holding weekly fire trivia contests and each week one lucky winner will get a SkySaver t-shirt. So find out how much you know about smoke alarms and make sure to share with friends on Facebook and Twitter.  

SII Testing

Inside the SkySaver backpack is a controlled descent device (CDD) which underwent rigorous testing under many conditions. These tests were done in conjunction with the Standards Institute of Israel at their facility. In order to ensure that the SkySaver device is safe to use in all conditions, the CDD was tested after being subject to flames, an oven, freezing temperatures, oil, and dust. After each test, the device worked perfectly and still lowered the weights at a safe descent speed of about 3-6 feet (1-2 meters) per second. Check out a summary of the testing in the video below. In the coming weeks we will be revealing more of the testing we have done at SkySaver including tests done with volunteers who tried on the backpack for the first time. SkySaver backpack is a controlled descent device (CDD) which underwent rigorous testing under many conditions. These tests were the CDD being exposed to intense flames, the CDD in an oven, and the CDD exposed to -35C.

Hotel Fire Safety

When travelling in the third world and developing countries, there are many safety tips to keep in mind. One that is of particular importance is making sure the hotel you book is up to proper safety standards, this means, among other things, ensuring that the hotel is up to proper fire safety standards and has an emergency procedure in place. Hotels may claim to be certified to the highest safety standards, but it's important to not blindly trust the hotel or that they coordinate with the safety practices of the country. Furthermore, different countries have different fire safety codes, and a hotel could be up to local code, but still not be considered safe by many Western standards. Also, what can often happen is that a country will institute fire safety codes only after a major fire, instead of legislating them in the first place, which would of course be much safer.

Take Thailand for example, the Grand Park Avenue Hotel in Bangkok suffered a major fire in 2012 that broke out on the 5th floor of the building. Local firefighters responded and took about a half hour to douse the flames, but unfortunately they were too late to save two foreigners who perished as a result of the fire. One of the deceased actually tried to jump from her 5th floor window into the pool, but unfortunately the result was fatal. To do this safely you would require proper high-rise survival gear. Thailand actually has a law that all buildings built after 1992 are required to have sprinkler systems in place, but this is not necessarily enforced. Trip Advisor users commented in this thread that sometimes the sprinkler system is just for show and that in the 2012 fire, there were no sprinklers and no emergency lighting. One person who claimed to be there during the fire described the scene: "I was at the scene and just returned from there...Lots of smoke and hotel in darkness. Couldn't find anyone who could speak enough English to give me info on injured." We can see from Thailand, that countries safety standards can vary greatly. One unique case is South Korea, where tourists have been fascinated to learn that many hotel rooms come with their very own rappel line. This device is called "Simplicity Descending Life Line" and functions much like SkySaver but looks incredibly difficult to use. From the picture it seems that the device is worn like a belt, but this could prove difficult in an emergency and there's no guarantee it won't slip off. Furthermore, there are no English instructions, and using it improperly can be very dangerous. If you jump out a window and trust a foreign device, you definitely want to make sure it's ceritfied and safe.

Toolkit by my 10th floor hotel room window Simplicity Descending Life Line. Unsure if I can execute the instructions pic.twitter.com/GvJrtONRVS

— Joe Tan (@tanhjj) December 14, 2013

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When it comes to choosing the actual hotel, one thing to consider is to only use internationally recognized brand names. For example, look for brands like Hilton, InterContinental, Accor, etc. Because they are based in modern nations, these brands will likely have a higher standard of safety and will comply with local safety regulations (though these regulations may be insufficient). However, a danger of booking a big chain hotel is that in the past these recognizable brands have been targeted by terrorists precisely because they are a symbol of the 'West'. This was the case in Cairo in 2004 when the Hilton Taba was bombed, it happened in 2008 when the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai was attacked and recently, in January 2015 the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli was attacked by militants associated with ISIS. A good idea then, would be to research recognized and safe hotels, but ones that aren't located in the heart of downtown and that aren't perceived as symbols of Western or American power.

  If you do book a downtown hotel, one of the biggest benefits can be the picturesque views available on higher floors. Having a room on a high-up floor can afford these views but can be risky in the event of a fire. This is especially true in a foreign country with weak fire safety standards, and evacuating from a high floor can be a dangerous process in an emergency. In the event of a fire, descending potentially smoke-filled stairs can be fatal, especially when emergency lighting is faulty. Many modern hotels in America are equipped with voice communication systems that tell you if evacuation is necessary and the safest way to go about it, but these systems may not be installed in hotels abroad. making sure the hotel you book is up to proper safety standards, this means, among other things, ensuring that the hotel is up to proper fire safety standards and has an emergency procedure in place. Hotels may claim to be certified to the highest safety standards, but it's important to not blindly trust the hotel or that they coordinate with the safety practices of the country. Furthermore, different countries have different fire safety codes, and a hotel could be up to local code, but still not be considered safe by many Western standards. Also, what can often happen is that a country will institute fire safety codes only after a major fire, instead of legislating them in the first place, which would of course be much safer.  If you do find yourself in a room several stories up, a good thing to do is to check the stairs and make sure they  unlock at every floor. In an emergency you don't want to find yourself stuck in the stairwell and escaping all the way to the lobby may not always be an option. Another thing that safety experts recommend is to count the number of doors from your room to the exit. If you are on the 5th floor there could be 5 doors you will see on your way down, but this depends on the way buildings are designed. The lobby may not be considered the 1st floor, and the 1st floor could simply be a lounge. This means that you might actually see 7 doors on your way out, but making sure you know that number can be crucial to a safe evacuation. Outside of counting doors, another good fire safety habit is to test the smoke detectors in your room (and hopefully your room has). If they don't work, call the front desk immediately, it could simply be an issue of replacing the batteries, but you should definitely make sure they work.

 Lastly, when travelling, there are several small lightweight items you can bring along that can come in handy in case of an making sure the hotel you book is up to proper safety standards, this means, among other things, ensuring that the hotel is up to proper fire safety standards and has an emergency procedure in place. Hotels may claim to be certified to the highest safety standards, but it's important to not blindly trust the hotel or that they coordinate with the safety practices of the country. Furthermore, different countries have different fire safety codes, and a hotel could be up to local code, but still not be considered safe by many Western standards. Also, what can often happen is that a country will institute fire safety codes only after a major fire, instead of legislating them in the first place, which would of course be much safer. [caption id=" align="alignright" width="240"]emergency. Firstly, a flashlight can really be helpful in any emergency, whether it be a fire, earthquake, or just a black-out. Cheap flashlights break easily, and therefore it may be worthwhile to invest in a good flashlight such as the Powertac X3000. Powertac flashlights are rechargeable and can actually be used to charge other devices like cell phones via built-in USB ports. A really powerful tactical light produces 500 lumens of light, while the X3000 produces 3,000 lumens. Next, having a a fire-broof bag or pouch can be crucial and is a great place to store important documents such as passports, travel tickemaking sure the hotel you book is up to proper safety standards, this means, among other things, ensuring that the hotel is up to proper fire safety standards and has an emergency procedure in place. Hotels may claim to be certified to the highest safety standards, but it's important to not blindly trust the hotel or that they coordinate with the safety practices of the country. Furthermore, different countries have different fire safety codes, and a hotel could be up to local code, but still not be considered safe by many Western standards. Also, what can often happen is that a country will institute fire safety codes only after a major fire, instead of legislating them in the first place, which would of course be much safer. If you don't want to walk around with all your documents all day, you can at least peace of mind knowing that they will be protected against a fire. Of course, steps should also be taken to hide or lock away the items. Lastly, a smoke hood, can be extremely helpful in navigating a smoke-filled environment and has the potential to save your life. Of the approximately 10,000 people who die each year in fires, almost 80% of them are overcome by toxic smoke. A good smoke hood should be able to resist heavy smoke and Hydrogen Cyanide for about a half hour.  They are widely available on Amazon and you can find one here.

 So no matter where you find yourself travelling and where you end up staying, remember to stay safe and plan ahead, make sure you are ready to take safety into your own hands. For more info check out www.firesafetyfoundation.org it was founded to keep students safe when studying abroad, but provides many good fire safety tips that are relevant to all travelers.

SkySaver versus Rappelling

Rappelling or abseiling is the technique used to descend a vertical drop that involves a controlled rope system and an anchor point. It is traditionally used by climbers when a cliff or slop is too steep to descend and rappelling is the only safe way down.  Rope access technicians also use this as a method to access difficult-to-reach areas for purposes such as maintenance, construction, inspection, welding, or rescue teams. The technique can also be used to evacuate a building, as in the case of SkySaver. Because it involves dangerous heights, rappelling requires an immense knowledge of the sport and several key pieces of equipment. This short video below goes through the essentials of rappelling and is a good introductory course for those new to the technique.

So, we can see that rappelling requires several key skills:

1. ANCHORS In order to rappel off a cliff,  at least two anchors are required. In the instructional video above, she uses a tree, but anchors can also be other points such as bolts, or tied-off boulders. Rappel ropes are always threaded through metal—carabiners, quick links, and steel descending rings—rather than nylon slings, which can melt, break, and fail if they are in direct contact with rope.

2. ROPES When rappelling, you use either one or two climbing ropes, which are threaded through the metal anchor material.

3. KNOTS Before rappelling, it is crucial to learn how to tie proper stopper knots at the end of each rappel rope so you don’t end up rappelling off the end.

4. RAPPEL DEVICE The rappel ropes should be threaded through a rappel device, like an ATC or figure-8 descender.

5. AUTOBLOCK KNOT An autoblock knot or a Prusik knot is a safety back-up on the rappel ropes that lets you stay in control, especially on long steep rappels.

6. PULLING RAPPEL ROPES Pulling rappel ropes is not as easy as it sounds. Lots of problems can occur when you pull your ropes, including getting the knot jammed in a crack, the rope catching in cracks or behind flakes, or too much friction to easily pull the rope down. If any of these problems occur you’re going to have a whole new set of problems retrieving your ropes and they’re not going to be fun. For more on rappelling skill, check out: http://climbing.about.com/od/rappelling/a/6RappelSkills.htm

  The SkySaver unit, is similar to a rappelling device in some ways but very different in others. First of all, the most striking difference is the device itself. Rappelling traditionally involves use of a complicated harness that takes time to put on and tighten. Even veteran climbers take a couple minutes fitting the harness and making sure everything is attached properly. SkySaver, however, has the harness contained within the backpack and takes just seconds to put on. The familiar look and feel of a backpack make the SkySaver easy to put on and the straps are ergonomically designed to be easy to locate and tighten. In a real emergency situation, the last thing you want to do is waste precious time getting into a complicated harness. Another thing that sets SkySaver apart from rappelling is that although both make use of controlled descent, with SkySaver, the descent is automatic. When rappelling, you usually have some sort of rappelling device which feeds through the rope, causing friction, and you are able to slow your descent. With SkySaver, the descent is all automatic and requires no concentration on the part of the user to ensure a safe speed. The descent drum which is located in the backpack will lower the wearer at a safe speed of 3-6 feet/second (1-2 meters/second).

Similar to rappelling, SkySaver also requires a fixed anchor point that the device can be attached to. In the rappelling video above, the woman uses trees which are firmly planted in the ground. For SkySaver, we strongly recommend having a professional install an anchor into your wall, next to a window which can be used in an emergency. The anchor doesn't need to be as big as a tree, but it certainly needs to be safe, strong, and conveniently located.

Famous Firefighters

These 8 individuals, famous for one reason or another, have all suited up as firefighters. Learn more about them below:

Tony Abbot 

Prime Minister Abott is the 28th and current Prime Minister of Australia, a position he's held since being elected in 2013. He has been in the Australian Parliament since 1994 and became leader of the Liberal Party in 2009. In addition to running the daily affairs of the world's 12th largest GDP, Abbott is also an active volunteer member for the Davidson, NSW Rural Fire Service. In a 2013 bush fire, Abott joined over a thousand other firefighters to help combat the flames, and if not for a couple of photos that circulated on Twitter, it's likely that Mr Abbott's actions would have gone entirely unnoticed. For the Prime Minister, it was just another day as a volunteer firefighter, something he has been doing since 2001. 

Brian Williams

Tom is known well to fans of the TV show Survivor and was the winner of the tenth season of the show, Survivor: Palau which was filmed back in 2004. Five years later, Tom again returned to the show, this time as part of Survive: Heroes vs Villians. What fans may not know, is that outside of survivor, Tom actually worked as an FDNY firefighter for 20 years. In 2005, Westman retired from Ladder Company 108, but perhaps it was his quick thinking fireman skills that got him so far on Survivor.  

Steve Buscemi 

Before Buscemi ever starred in his first film or appeared on TV, he was an FDNY firefighter who began service in 1980. For four years, Buscemi served on Engine 55 in Manhattan's Little Italy, and only started acting in 1985. However, his acting career does not mean he hasn't returned to firefighter duty. After 9/11, Buscemi returned to Engine 55, and for several days worked 12-hour shifts alongside other firefighters to sift through the rubble from the World Trade Center. He has since won a Golden Globe and 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards, but for Buscemi, once a firefighter, always a firefighter. Plus, in addition to all the movies and television shows, Buscemi also played himself in a documentary about FDNY stories. It's an hour long but definitely worth watching at least part of it:

Ryan Sutter 

After the success of the first season of The Bachelor, ABC decided to run a reverse gender spin-off, The Bachelorette and Ryan was the season 1 winner. He was picked by 'bachelorette' Trista Rehn and the couple married in an ABC televised wedding on December 6, 2003. Unlike other reality show couples, Ryan and Trista have stayed married and have 2 children together. Prior to the show, Sutter was an NFL draft pick, but his career was short-lived due to injuries. Instead, Ryan has been an active firefighter serving in Vail, Colorado.  

John Morris

The Vancouver 2010 Olympics were Canada's most successful Olympic showing ever and John Morris was one of the athletes who made them so special. Morris was part of Canada's gold medal winning curling team and has helped popularize the sport by writing a book entitled Fit to Curl. When he's not winning gold medals, or writing books, Morris serves as a full-time firefighter for Rocky View County Fire Services.  

Martin Hansson

 A household name in the Soccer world, Hansson is a Swedish soccer referee who has reffed games for FIFA since 2001. Hansson rose to prominence when he was selected to be a referee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and was the subject of an award-winning documentary Rättskiparen (The Referee) which chronicled his road to the World Cup. Hansson, however, is most known for his controversial calls and missed calls, one of which led to a decisive goal in a 2010 World Cup game between France and Ireland. On 8 October 2013, Hansson announced that he was retiring from refereeing, and returning to the far less controversial world of firefighting where nobody yells at him for making calling penalties.

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin needs no introduction and is known internationally as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Among other things, Franklin was also an author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, diplomat, and firefighting pioneer. In 1736, Franklin created the first ever fire department, the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia. Prior to that, in 1733, Franklin had written about the dangers of fires, and was familiar with Boston’s Mutual Fire Societies, also known as “Fire Clubs.” The issue with the “Fire Clubs” was that they existed only for the protection of their own members and not for everyone in the community. It was precisely for this reason that Franklin founded Union Fire, and became a founding father of modern firefighting. For more on Franklin's firefighting history, check out the fact sheet and quiz here.These 8 individuals, famous for one reason or another, have all suited up as firefighters. Learn more about them below:

2014 Skyscrapers

2014 was a landmark year that saw the completion of a record 97 skyscrapers across the world. These skyscrapers vary in size, function, and construction material, but they are all at least 200 meters (656 feet) tall. Such is the definiton of a skyscraper according to the standards of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The CTBUH further defines a 'supertall' as a building taller than 300 meters (984 feet). These skyscrapers were completed across 19 countries, mostly in Asia and the Middle East. In fact of the 97, only 10 were built outside Asia and the Middle East, with every continent except Africa (and Antarctica) getting at least one new skyscraper. You can see the breakdown of where these 97 skyscrapers were built in the map below: [pdf-embedder url="http://www.skysaverusa.com/wp-content/uploads/Publication1-without-border.pdf"]

Clearly, China was the dominant force in skyscrapers, completing a whopping 58 buildings that stand over 200 meters. These were built in cities across China, the tallest being The Wharf Times Square 1 a 69 story hotel/office building in Wuxi, just outside Shanghai.  Among the skyscrapers China built this year, there was one that became notable because of its record completion time. The skyscraper was constructed in Changsha China, is 228 meters tall, and was completed in an impressive 19 days. You can watch the amazing time lapse video of its construction below:  

Outside of China, this was also a monumental year for South America, and specifically Chile. The Torre Costanera, a 300 meter supertall building was completed in Santiago and marks the first supertall building on the entire continent. 97 skyscrapers across the world. These skyscrapers vary in size, function, and construction material, but they are all at least 200 meters (656 feet) tall. Such is the definiton of a skyscraper according to the standards of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The CTBUH further defines a 'supertall' as a building taller than 300 meters (984 feet). These skyscrapers were completed across 19 countries, mostly in Asia and the Middle East. In fact of the 97, only 10 were built outside Asia and the Middle East, with every continent except Africa (and Antarctica) getting at least one new skyscraper. You can see the breakdown of where these 97 skyscrapers were built in the map below: [pdf-embedder url="http://www.skysaverusa.com/wp-content/uploads/Publication1-without-border.pdf"]

Some more interesting facts about the skyscrapers completed this past year: -The tallest building completed was the much anticipated One World Trade Center, also known as The Freedom Tower, built on the northwest corner of the Word Trade Center Site. The Tower was built to the symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 meters) to represent 1776, the year the United States Declaration of Independence was signed. As of completion is stands as the third tallest building in the world. -The average height of the 100 tallest buildings is now 350 meters, up from 344 meters in 2014. This number was at 285 meters in 2000 and just goes to show how tall the world is getting. According to this trend, it will only be a few years before the average top 100 skyscraper rises to 400 meters. -With the additional skyscrapers this year, China is now home to 348 skyscrapers versus only 169 in the United States. That's more than twice as many as the U.S. so it should be clear which country is the skyscraper leader. -If you put all 97 skyscrapers from end to end, you'd be about a quarter of the way to outer space, the combined height is 23,005 meters!  

So what does all this mean: First of all, the world is getting taller and buildings are being completed at a faster rate than ever before. 3D printing could also affect speed and we have already seen China use a 3D printer to construct a 6 story building, and there's little doubt that they could go even higher. It also means that people will be competing over views with higher floors sure to be more expensive pieces of real estate. A Taiwanese designer has actually envisioned a building in which every apartment rotates up and down, so one month you have the penthouse, but a month later your same apartment has been lowered to the ground floor. You can read more about this mind-blowing idea here Lastly, with buildings going higher and higher, the issue of safety becomes even more pertinent. The NFPA advises having 2 safe exits from every room and in a ground floor home, this can be as simple as having a small ladder next to a window. However, in a skyscraper world, fire safety is an even more important and alternative forms of egress are crucial to survive a high-rise fire.   *All building statistics are taken from the CTBUH's 2014 report which can be found here.   

Firefighting at the 1900 Olympics

The Olympics have had some interesting sports take center stage over the years but none had as many strange events as the 1900 Paris Olympics. These specific Olympics were unique for several reasons: 1) Firstly, these were the first games in which women could participate. Hélène de Pourtalès from Switzerland became the first female Olympic champion, she won a competition in yachting¹. 2) Secondly, these were the last Olympics to not award gold medals, instead, the winners were given silver, and the runner up received bronze. Retroactively, the IOC awarded golds to the winners, silver to second, and bronze to third, to bring early Olympics in line with the current records. 3) Lastly, theses Olympic games were presented as part of the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris, and thus featured many strange sports among them: balooning, croquet, 200m swimming with obstacles, and also some even more unique “demonstration sports” such as: fishing, pigeon racing, kite flying, and firefighting².The firefighting event stands out because it was one of the more documented demonstration sports and in fact the American report of the 1900 Games, prepared by AG Spalding, devoted a whole page to the competition. In the competition, there were two categories, one for volunteer firefighters, the other for professionals. In the the volunteer category, Portugal came in first place with its volunteer team from Porto. Leyton, Great Britain took silver while Budapest, Hungary came in third and was retroactively awarded a bronze. In the professional category Kansas City, MI won first place and Milan, Italy came in second. How Kansas came to represent the U.S. in the firefighting competition is also an interesting story, one that dates back to 1882 when a man named George C. Hale was appointed Chief of the KCFD. Chief Hale held this position for 20 years and during this time he patented more than 60 firefighting inventions including the Hale water tower, a swinging (horse) harness, and the telephone fire alarm.

Challenges Faced by Urban Preppers

Unfortunately, the word 'prepper' is now attached to several negative stereotypes and may conjure up images of camo-clad, gun slinging, bunker dwelling folks. This stereotype has been over-hyped in the media and in television shows such as National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers, and has led many to denounce the prepper movement as “crazy”. In reality, preppers are merely trying to make sure they know what to do in every possible scenario ranging from a power-outage, to losing your job, to an earthquake, all likely occurrences that unfortunately often catch many families unprepared. And in fact, prepping isn't just for those who live in log cabins and trailers out in the middle of nowhere, many preppers are average people who live in urban centers where they lead regular lives and work hard to provide for their families. These preparedness minded individuals go by many names: urban preppers, light preppers, or apartment preppers, but these preppers all share 3 basic challenges that comes with prepping in the city. 1) Storage space: A concern of many preppers is having an ample supply of water and non-perishable food and even FEMA advocates having a small stockpile of supplies. According to the site, you should store at least 1 gallon of water per person for 3 days. This is mean that each person would have ⅓ of a gallon or about 1.2 liters per day.  For drinking this may be enough, but when you consider that you also need water cook with, brush your teeth, wash your hands, etc. you would need a considerable amount more to survive comfortably. Similary with food, FEMA advocates having a 3 day supply of non-perishable food but Hurricane Sandy and other disasters have proven that having a supply for a week or more is a much better idea. In smaller apartments, storage space can definitely be an issue especially with larger families. Even for a family of 4, storing around 6 gallons of water plus 84 meal rations for a week takes up a lot of space. Urban preppers thus need to be creative with storage space and make use of compact foodstuffs.  

 2) Violence: Unfortunately disaster scenarios tend to bring out the worst in people and looting can break out in both homes and stores. In Hurricane Sandy 41 people were arrested for fights at gas lines, and looting was common throughout the city. Urban preppers who are concerned with protecting their families and property should take up some sort of defensive martial art such as krav maga, to better prepare themselves for angry crowds.  

3) Escape: When a disaster strikes, whether man-made or natural, one of the first things to do is flee the scene to safety or to some pre-determined bug out location. This begins with escaping your apartment, home, or office. For rural preppers this can be as easy as loading everyone into the car, but those in cities may face a different set of obstacles. First of all, living several stories means that you should have a backup evacuation plan for when the stairs are unsafe. Second of all, traffic in the city and road closures may make escape extremely difficult. Lastly, if living in an area only accessible by bridges, having an alternate route out an be crucial for survival.  

We can see that urban preppers have some unique challenges but all 3 can be overcome with training and the right supplies. Living in a city can offer many benefits to preppers, better jobs, schools, entertainment, etc. and the obstacles shouldn't discourage those from trying the urban life. So no matter where you are, stay prepared and know that you’re not crazy for thinking about your life and the survival of your loved ones.   

8 Fires that have Started in Crazy Ways

Fires can start in all sorts of crazy ways, which is why it's so important to have a safe evacuation plan no matter where you are. Here are 8 examples of fires that started in crazy and unusual ways. Hopefully we can learn something from these cases and practice better fire safety.

March 22/2015- Toaster Crumbs

 A build up of crumbs in a toaster was to blame for a high-rise fire that started on the 10th floor of a London building. Fire investigators said that the toaster was used repeatedly on the highest setting, continually toasting the crumbs, and eventually causing the flames. As a result, the smoke alarms sounded and caused around 200 people to evacuate the building. A Fire Brigade spokesperson advised that it is important to regularly clean out toasters.  

February 25/2015- Nutella Jar

London firefighters reported that an empty Nutella jar was to blame for a house fire that tragically killed a family's dog. The fire started as a result of the sun's rays refracting through the Nutella jar which had been placed on a window sill. Much like a magnifying glass fire, the blinds caught alight and the blaze spread throughout the home. The family was not home at the time.  

A 13 year old girl went to sleep with her Galaxy S4 cellphone under her pillow but woke up to the smell of something burning and found that her phone had overheated and sparked a fire. Thankfully, the damage was minimal and Samsung even offered to replace both the phone and the bed. They also warned consumers that rechargeable batteries can overheat if covered by material such as bedding.  

August 7/2014- Spider Fire

A woman in Wales tried to kill a spider by spraying it with aerosol and then lighting it on fire. Unfortunately for both the woman and the spider, the blaze quickly spread, and the spider fire became a full-blown house fire. Nobody was harmed except for the spider.  

January 27/2014- Cow Farts

Methane gas released by dairy cows was responsible for an explosion in a cow shed in Rasdorf, Germany. The shed had a high level of gas build up and a static electric charge caused the gas to explode into flames. One cow was injured and the roof of the building was severely damaged.

June 6/2011- Blender + Love Seat

A kitchen fire started when a blender, which had inexplicably been operating on a love seat, ignited and spread a small fire to the love seat. Nobody was hurt in the fire which occurred in a trailer, though the structure suffered heavy damage from the smoke and flames  

 August 11/2009- Crystal Ball

In a case similar to the Nutella fire, a home in Weston-super-Mare, England was destroyed by a fire which started when a TV was set on fire by a crystal ball  left on the windowsill. The small three inch ornament magnified the sun's rays, causing the TV to catch fire, explode, and spread to the couch.  

April 19/2008- Xbox

An Xbox 360 overheated and caused a fire in an Arkansas home that nearly burned down the whole structure. The game console which has been known to overheat was not being used at the time, and thankfully the family was not home. 

Putting out Fires Using Sound

Two engineering majors at George Mason University have invented a new firefighting device that may one day revolutionize the industry. This device is incredible because it uses sound waves to put out fires, not water, not foam, not CO2, sound waves! The science behind it is that the pressure waves displace oxygen and as we all learn in elementary school, fires need oxygen to burn and without it, they extinguish. The whole idea started as a senior research project and the students invested about $600 of their own money to build the machine. After about a year of trial and error, they were able to put together a portable sound generator, amplifier, power source and focusing tube that would be able to attack and smother the flames without spraying any actual substance. This device could have a ton of applications, though at the moment it looks like it only has the ability to put out small fires. Still, this device could one day be very common and maybe placed on top of stoves in the kitchen to automatically put out any pan fires. It's always great to see innovation in the fire safety and suppression industry! See how this amazing device works in the video below and tell us your comments in the section underneath.  

Can a Window be a Safe Exit?

Both the NFPA and FEMA strongly advise that all rooms in your home should have two safe exits in case of an emergency evacuation. In the event that a fire blocks the door from being a safe exit, this could mean that exiting through a window is your safest option. This important point is illustrated in the FEMA video below:

Evacuating High-Rise Fires

A recent skyscraper fire in Dubai has again brought the issue of fire-safety in skyscrapers to the forefront of people's attention. The fire, which started on the 52nd floor, was quickly spread by strong winds, and affected over a dozen floors. Amazingly, despite the raging fire, heavy smoke, and falling debris, there were no reported injuries or fatalities and the fire was quickly brought under control by local firefighters. However, putting out this fire was no easy task for responders. Skyscraper fires have unique challenges, some of which are obvious. The average fire hose can spray up to 50 feet which would mean only the 5th floor in most buildings. A high-rise is defined as anything 75ft and up, and in the case of Dubai the building was over 1000ft tall. Thus, firefighters must physically enter the building to combat the flames, and before doing so, they use precious time to asses all points of entry, exits, stairwells, and elevators. However, in our post 9/11 world, skyscraper construction has evolved so that the fire will eventually extinguish on its own. Skyscrapers are now constructed like metal boxes within metal boxes each with advanced sprinkler systems, so that a fire will burn itself out without spreading too much. This strategy means that residents below or above the flames may be better off by staying in place and not trying to evacuate potentially smoke filled stairs.

Burj Khalifa This is the same strategy that was put in place in another Dubai skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, which stands as the world's tallest building. In the event of a fire, occupants are instructed to go to one of the buildings 'refuge areas' and are not expected to walk down 160 floors. These refuge areas are built specially with think fire resistant walls and are pressurized to minimize smoke from entering.  In the event a full evacuation is needed, each refuge area can be exited using advanced elevators (nicknamed lifeboats) that are designed to be safely used even in a fire.Dubai has again brought the issue of fire-safety in skyscrapers to the forefront of people's attention. The fire, which started on the 52nd floor, was quickly spread by strong winds, and affected over a dozen floors. Amazingly, despite the raging fire, heavy smoke, and falling debris, there were no reported injuries or fatalities and the fire was quickly brought under control by local firefighters.

When Evacuating is Dangerous Sometimes evacuating a high-rise during a fire can not only be dangerous but fatal as well. Unfortunately, such was the case in a New York City high-rise in January of 2014. The Strand, a Manhattan building, suffered a fire on the 20th floor and had smoke spread upwards within the Dubai has again brought the issue of fire-safety in skyscrapers to the forefront of people's attention. The fire, which started on the 52nd floor, was quickly spread by strong winds, and affected over a dozen floors. Amazingly, despite the raging fire, heavy smoke, and falling debris, there were no reported injuries or fatalities and the fire was quickly brought under control by local firefighters.building. A resident and his husband heard the alarms and ran from their 38th floor apartment to escape the building in the stairwell. However, they never made it past the 31st floor as both suffered serious smoke inhalation and were discovered by firefighters. Both were in serious condition and one resident, Daniel McClung passed away from his injuries. According to FDNY chief of operations James Esposito, McClung and his husband would have likely remained uninjured had they sheltered in place. "In fireproof residential buildings, 99.9% of the time you’re safer in your fireproof apartment,” said Esposito.

Advanced Communication can Save Lives One crucial new feature of high-rises that can effectively save lives is the installation of advanced communication systems. In the Burj Khalifa, there is an automation system which consists of LCD panels that display detailed emergency information. In emergency situations, the system can immediately inform occupants what the best coarse of action is and where the fire is concentrated. A key lesson learnt from 9/11 was the scarcity of information that the emergency crews had access to. Despite the building being fitted with smoke alarms, security cameras and air condition systems none of these were set up to deliver information to the firefighters.

NFPA guidelines  Similarly, the National Fire Protection Association advises that not all high-rise fires are cause for evacuation especially if it means descending a large number of stairs. They advise that occupants of the fire floor and floors immediately above and below should immediately use the exit stairs to descend to a floor level that is at least a few floors below the fire floor. The occupants should then reenter on a safe floor to await further instructions. For more on what the NFPA says about high-rise fires.

Conclusion  In the event of a high-rise fire, the most important thing is to know the plan. If your building has a communication system, make sure to follow instructions that will lead you to safety. If you know the strategy and are prepared you will have a much greater chance of surviving high-rise fires.

Fire Safety Lessons from TV Shows

Fire safety and knowing how to safely evacuate a building are crucial to ensure your safety and security. In fact, fires happen all the time, and according to the NFPA there are about 1.2 million fires reported in the US each year and  Can we learn fire safety tips from three of the most popular comedy shows?

The Office: Fire Alarm

The Scene: In one of the most famous cold-openings of an Office episode, Dwight simulates a fire drill by lighting a small fire in a garbage can and cutting the phone lines. The fire alarm sounds, but unfortunately none of the workers know what to do and mass panic ensues. Dwight had also locked the main exit points and forced everyone to quickly think of an alternate route out. Oscar tries the ceiling, Michael tries getting help from the window, and Kevin, well, he goes straight for the candy machine. In the end Dwight announces that it's a drill but Stanley suffers a heart attack from all the panic.

What we can learn: Every employee should know the evacuation plan of their office and its not a bad idea to practice this plan several times a year. Moreover, fire safety practices should be taught to all employees to prevent and avoid fires. Hardcore Office fans will remember that Ryan started a microwave fire in season 1, and it's those types of fires that can be avoided .  

Beyoncé Jumps off the Tallest Building in New Zealand

Beyoncé on a stop on one of her recent world tours took some time off to jump from the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand. This tower is the tallest man-made structure in the entire Southern Hemisphere and stands 328 metres (1,076 ft) tall (as measured from ground level to the top of the mast).

The video erroneously described the descent as a BASE jump, which would imply that Beyoncé parachuted down. However, she is not attached to any parachute and instead descends via a harness and likely using a bunjee cable or controlled descent device, technology that SkySaver uses to save lives.

February 1st- February 7th

Multi-Story Fire & Safety News of the Week

High-Rise fire and safety news from locations around the world: USA, Ghana, India, Singapore, Philippines, and Taiwan. The highest fire of the week broke out on the 16th floor of a building in Kingston, Pennsylvania.

February 1st

Brooklyn Warehouse Turned into Ice Castle Overnight as Firefighters Continue to Battle Blaze that Broke out in 20F Temperatures

Wood Skyscrapers

The trend of using wood to construct tall buildings has already taken hold in Europe and is quickly spreading to North America. Currently, Norway boasts the world's tallest wood building, a structure that stands 14 stories tall and is built using CLT (cross-laminated timber). The building has a very small carbon footprint, severely reduces construction waste, and is comparable in cost to traditional steel or concrete buildings. You can see in the video below, the building itself looks quite beautiful and the combination of wood and glass facades give it a unique look.

NPS Expo February 14th & 15th in Lakeland Florida

  This year's National Preppers and Survivalists Expo is happening on February 14th and 15th in sunny Lakeland Florida, located only a short drive from Tampa Bay, Orlando and other Central Florida towns (the closest major airport is in Tampa, which is only a 45 minute drive away). It is being hosted at the Lakeland Center which is right near several hotels in Lakeland's downtown core. There other interesting things to do in the area, and if you come to town a couple days earlier, you can even catch Classic Albums Live perform Hotel California on February 12th. The NPS expo itself is focused on teaching preparedness and survival skills that can be crucial for any disaster scenario. These disasters can be natural or man-mad and having a plan for any eventuality can ensure that you and your family are prepared to not only survive, but thrive as well. Imagining events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, or even just losing your job should get you thinking about what you would do, how you would react, and, if you really are prepared to handle such a scenario. Attending this expo is a wonderful way to start gaining preparedness skills even if you don't consider yourself a 'prepper,' and can also be a great resource for seasoned, experienced preppers.  

Exhibitors at the expo will cover the following areas:

•Food Storage/Suppliers/Cooking •Water Storage/Purification Systems •Medical Supplies/Disinfection/Protection •Temporary Shelters/Builders/Bunkers •Garden/Greenhouse/Hydroponics •Hunting/Trapping/Breeding •Alternative Energy/Generators •ATV's/Off road •Lighting/Heating •Breathing Systems/Oxygen •Communications/GPS •Outdoor Gear/Camping •Security/Surveillance/Protection •Clothing/Camouflage •Training/Consulting/Education •Personal Safety

  Tickets to the expo are absolutely free and are very easy to obtain, simply click the link, sign up, and you will have the tickets delivered to your email address within minutes--> http://www.npsexpo.com/#!tickets/ckve . The expo is open on Valentine's Day, Saturday February 14, 2015 from 9am-5pm & on Sunday  February 15, 2015 from 9am-4pm. If you want to get an idea of what last year's NPS expo was like, skip around parts of this video to see the types of products and presenters that will be there. As you can tell there are some extremely cool tools that are definitely worth checking out.

January 25th- January 31st

Multi-Story Fire & Safety News of the Week

January 25th

50 Displaced in Douglasville Apartment Fire

A Douglasville fire started on the third floor of an apartment building and caused extensive damage to the building. Red Cross officials say the fire affected 36 units, displacing a total of 50 people. Everyone made it out safely, but the fire department is calling the three dozen units a total loss. The fire department was able to rescue four cats and revived two with oxygen.

Fire Breaks out at Serangoon Road Hotel

A fire broke out at the Broadway Hotel in Singapore and began on the ground floor restauraunt of the hotel. Upon arrival, the SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force) were able to contain the flames and one 65 year old man was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

January 26th

9 Displaced after Apartment Fire on North Side

A fire in Indianapolis that began on a second-story apartment balcony has left nine temporarily homeless, fire officials say. Indianapolis Fire Department crews were called to the scene by the occupant of an upstairs apartment, who was awakened by the smell of smoke. The man, who lives in the smoke-filled apartment with his girlfriend, was met at the front door of his apartment by firefighters, who helped him from the building.

Space Heater Blamed for Mount Prospect Apartment Fire

Authorities say a malfunctioning space heater is to blame for a fire that caused an estimated $75,000 damage to a Mount Prospect apartment building. Firefighters were called to the three-story building to find smoke and fire from an apartment on the top floor. The fire was brought under control in about 15 minutes and no one was injured. "A quick response and an aggressive interior attack by our firefighters led to this fire being brought under control with limited damage to the apartment building," Fire Chief John Malcolm said. "As this fire demonstrates, space heaters can be dangerous. Residents should follow space heater guidelines and recognize the fire risk that space heaters pose."

Resident, Firefighter Injured in Arlington Apartment Fire

A resident suffered minor injuries when he jumped off a balcony during a fire Sunday night at an apartment complex. One firefighter had burns on his hand and was taken to a hospital, he was released after treatment. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one apartment.

2 Jump from Window to Escape Nevada City Apartment Fire

Firefighters arrived to a Nevada City home to find all the second-story units were engulfed in flames and some nearby pine trees had also caught fire. All six apartment units in the building were destroyed and eleven people were displaced in the fire. Because of the fire forced two people were forced to jump from their bedroom window to safety.

OV Towers Building Evacuated in Steubenville

The Steubenville Fire Department reported to the high-rise after tenants complained about a foul odor, some described as a smokey smell. Officials weren't sure what caused the smell, but as a precaution, they made the call to evacuate the entire building. The cause of the smoky smell is still unknown, and the Towers Building were closed for the day.

January 27th

Charleston Fire Department Conducting Training at Downtown Building

The Charleston Fire Department will be training at a 14-story building in downtown Charleston. The building was originally constructed in 1948, has been vacant since August 2014, and is one of the tallest buildings in the city. “A building of this size allows the department to train on a variety of scenarios, from routine forcible entries to the challenges of operating in a high-rise structure,” said Mark Davis, Assistant Chief of Special Operations. “We can train on procedures, test concepts, and develop new and safer methods to carry out our mission.”

Firefighters battle blaze at North Vancouver construction site

New High-Rise Firefighting Tool

A Chicago fire captian, Michael Wielgat recognized the need for effective equipment to combat high-rise fires and invented the HERO pipe, a device which can be carried into the building by firefighters and installed on the window below the flames. It has been tested and has proven to be a major force in combating high-rise flames, though thus far only firefighters in Chicago and New York carry the device.

January 18th- January 24th

Multi-Story Fire & Safety News of the Week

News this week comes from New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Washington, California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Canada, Wales, Singapore, and Ireland. Many people had to resort to windows to escape home fires and this cost one Brooklyn man his life as he was forced to jump from the 4th story to escape a fire.

January 18th

Apartment Fire in Seattle Displaces Family of Four 

There was thick smoke and flames visible from a second floor apartment in Seattle according to the Fire Department. The fire forced the evacuation of the entire building but damage was limited to the one apartment. There were no injuries and one family was displaced.  

Smoke from Car Fire Causes Evacuation of Whittier Apartment Building

A car fire in the underground parking garage of a senior-living high-rise apartment building, prompted the evacuation of dozens of people while firefighters cleared the air. The smoke rose throughout the 10 story building but firefighters were able to evacuate everyone safely.

January 22nd

Woman Suffers Burns; Escapes Through Window after House Catches Fire in Hampton

A woman is in the hospital suffering from burns to her face after she escaped from a house fire in Hampton by jumping out her window. Firefighters arrived and found the woman in the driveway being assisted by neighbors, Battalion Chief Mick Barilla said. Barilla said medics treated the woman for burns to her face, as well as inhalation burns to her mouth.  

Massive Reward In Hunt For Los Angeles Arsonist 

In an unprecedented move, LAFDF, LAPD, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have announced that they will be offering $170,000 for any information leading to an arrest in the case of the massive Da Vinci apartment complex fire of December 8, 2014.  

January 23rd

Sapulpa Family Escapes Through Window as Fire Rips Through Home

A pregnant woman and a toddler were transported to a hospital after they escaped a fire that destroyed a Sapulpa home. Seven people, including three children, lived in the home and were able to escape through a bedroom window while the fire spread through the residence.  

January 24th

Apartment Fire in Ottawa Forces 1 Out

An apartment fire in Ottawa caused a full evacuation of the 20 unit, 3 story building. Firefighters entered the scene to find heavy smoke and flames that had been quickly spreading throughout the building. The flames were eventually extinguished and all but one person were able to return home.

World's Largest 3D Printed Building

 WinSun, a Chinese Engineering company, has successfully constructed a six-story apartment building using a 3D printer to build the parts. The 3D printer they used is massive, measuring 20 feet high, 33 feet wide, and 132 feet long. Each part of the building was printed at WinSun's facility and then the parts assembled at the site. As you can imagine, printing a building instead of hiring an entire construction team meant a significantly cheaper price tag, and the total cost to assemble the building was only around $160,000. Using a 3D printer also cut production time by about 50-70 percent and eliminated between 30 and 60 percent of construction waste. The building also made use of many recycled materials, making it a cheaper, more environmentally friendly construction option that could become more and more common in the future. But would you want to live in a home that was built wholly by a machine?

Famous Preppers

Many famous people, celebrities and others, have advocated for prepping and have spoken of the importance of being ready for any disaster situation. For example:

Benjamin Franklin once said "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail." Confucius is known to have said, “Plan ahead or find trouble on the doorstep." And John F. Kennedy said in his 1962 State of the Union Address that, “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."

  In addition to these wise leaders, some celebrities have also advocated prepping and have admitted to being a prepper themselves. Maybe the best example is Zooey Deschanel who you may know from New Girl. Zooey went on Conan and discussed how she is, "generally a prepared person," and she assesses all exits when entering a new room or situation.  

  Nathan Fillion, star of the TV show Castle also spoke about being a prepper on Conan. On the segment, Nathan admits that, "One of my hobbies is zombie apocalypse preparedness." In order to best prepare for the zombie apocalypse, Nathan has taken up welding so he that can fortify an SUV if people need to get around safely.  

  Finally, actress Jamie Lee Curtis teamed up with the American Red Cross to discuss the importance of being prepared for earthquakes. In the video below, she advocates for having an earthquake kit and says that she personally prefers, "mobile emergency kits."

American Preppers Radio- I am Liberty Show

SkySaver is proud to have been featured on the "I am Liberty!" show entitled  "Terrorism is it back? Are you ready?"

On the show, the host brings up some excellent points about high-rise safety and discusses preparing for terror attacks, especially in light of recent events. As the host points out, SkySaver has made its mission to save lives and bring safety and comfort to all high-rise residents and workers.

Enjoy the podcast:

  [audio wav="http://www.skysaverusa.com/wp-content/uploads/skysaver-podcast-trimmed-32000.wav"][/audio]  

SkySaver is proud to have been featured on the "I am Liberty!" show entitled  "Terrorism is it back? Are you ready?"  

To listen to the entire podcast simply click on the picture below.

High-Rise Parking

Haven't you always wanted to park right next to your high-rise home? Well in at least one Singapore high-rise this dream is now a reality. It looks like a really cool system that could one day become more popular in other luxury high-rises, that is, until we have flying cars. 

January 11th- January 17th

Multi-Story Fire & Safety News of the Week 

  This past week there were many small apartment fires, some of them deadly, on upper floors of buildings across the United States and Canada. There is also the interesting high-rise safety news out of Chicago where Mayor Emanuel is threatening to take buildings to court over their lack of fire safety standards.  

January 11th

Fast-Moving Fire Rips through Brooklyn Apartment Building 

A morning fire tore through an apartment building in Brooklyn, and forced some residents to leap from their windows to safety. These residents were able to jump onto neighboring roofs to escape the flames. Two people were taken to the hospital, including a small child. 

Arson Ruled out as Cause of Fire that Displaced 9 in Chatham

Investigators have ruled out arson as the cause of an extra-alarm fire that displaced nine people in an apartment building on the South Side. Heavy flames were emerging from the back stairwell and top floor of the 11-unit building. Firefighters had to use ladders to rescue nine people from the third floor who could not exit on their own.  

Candle Causes Fire that Damages Downtown High-Rise

A candle started a fire in a 16-story downtown Portland high-rise. Nobody was injured in the fire that started on the 11th floor and fire sprinkler systems were able to subdue the flames and keep them from spreading further.

January 14th

January 17th

Apartment Fire Started by Child

Thirteen people were displaced after a fire broke out at an apartment block in Indianapolis. Family members say the fire was started by a child and rapidly grew out of control. Smoke detectors alerted the family and neighboring apartments and firefighters were able to evacuate everyone to safety.

Escape from New York

The most popular show in discovery channel history, Doomsday Preppers, did a special a couple years ago in season two when it ran an episode entitled “Escape from New York.” It differs from other episodes in the series in many ways but mostly because it focuses on urban preppers, people who live and work in densely populated cities (in this case New York). The three preppers featured are all very different and it's worth looking back to examine each prepper's plan and seeing what we can learn from them. You can check out the promo for the event below:

  First, there’s Cameron a pre-med student in NYC who worries about a meltdown of the Indian Point Nuclear Reactor and how he would escape such a catastrophe. His plan is to bug out at sea and he works with Aton Edwards to put his plan into action. On the night of his bug out plan Aton walkies him and tells him to use the fire escape, not the stairs, hinting that they may be crowded and unsafe. Over the evening, Cameron steals a bike, sprays bear-spray at would be attackers and is taught by Aton “He who hesitates is lost”. Cameron makes it across the Hudson in his raft and tells that camera that “I don’t think anybody can ever be prepared enough.”

  Doomsday Preppers, did a special a couple years ago in season two when it ran an episode entitled “Escape from New York.” It differs from other episodes in the series in many ways but mostly because it focuses on urban preppers, people who live and work in densely populated cities (in this case New York). The three preppers featured are all very different and it's worth looking back to examine each prepper's plan and seeing what we can learn from them. You can check out the promo for the event below:

  First, there’s Cameron a pre-med student in NYC who worries about a meltdown of the Indian Point Nuclear Reactor and how he would Next is Jay whose plan in the event of a terrorist is to get out of the city and meet his family (wife and 6 year old daughter) uptown so they can head up north to bug out. Jay works on Wall Street and vividly remembers the panic and chaos of 9/11. In the voiceover the narrator recounts how 9/11 actually led many to prepping and gun sales shot up 21%. Should a bomb or other terrorist attack occur while he is at work, Jay keeps a backpack stocked with survival gear should he need it on his route to meet his family. When he practices his escape plan with the help of Shane Hobel, he starts by rushing down the stairs of his office building, though it doesn't specify how high up he is. Steve shows him how to test the air to see the direction of the wind and other neat urban survival tips such as water filtration and natural medicine.

  Finally there’s Margaret, who is preparing for a major hurricane, not dissimilar to Sandy, which she already experienced. She is an intense Doomsday Preppers, did a special a couple years ago in season two when it ran an episode entitled “Escape from New York.” It differs from other episodes in the series in many ways but mostly because it focuses on urban preppers, people who live and work in densely populated cities (in this case New York). The three preppers featured are all very different and it's worth looking back to examine each prepper's plan and seeing what we can learn from them. You can check out the promo for the event below:

  First, there’s Cameron a pre-med student in NYC who worries about a meltdown of the Indian Point Nuclear Reactor and how he would prepper who always carries a massive backpack filled with things she is later told are unnecessary. She enlists the help of a krav maga expert, Matan Gavish, who teaches her self-defense tactics that will be crucial for helping her flee the city on foot, as she plans to do. Matan instructs her that instead of her gigantic bag which only slows her down, all she needs is a lollipop and a water-bottle. He arranges for 2 attackers to mock-attack her in the park showing that she is unprepared for this scenario and teaches her how to get out of it. Matan puts it best when he tells her to “pray for peace, but prepare for war.”

  So as you can see, the episode focused almost entirely on the escape part of these preppers plans. One of the things that struck me though is that these preppers had extensive plans to escape the city, but no real plans to escape their offices or homes. Cameron is told to take the fire exit, which are usually not installed on newer buildings, and Jay, who himself worries about 9/11, is told to use the stairs. Another thing that really stuck with me is the importance of travelling light, something each prepping mentor stressed. Too big a bag will not only slow you down it will make you a target, so the key becomes how you pack only enough to get to out of the city, which also makes me wonder how the heck Cameron has a kayak with him!

To conclude, there are definitely a few things we can learn from this Doomsday Preppers special:

• In a New York catastrophe that requires escape, you have very little time and will want to be ready to execute your bug out plan ASAP.
• Millions of people leaving a cramped island will make anyone and everyone a target especially if you show a perceived weakness.
• In a life threatening scenario it will be every man for himself, and that could mean stealing and harming others.
• Money is probably better spent on a survivalist mentor as opposed to expensive bug out gear.
• Finally, no matter where you are, always have a lollipop on hand, you never know when you’ll need one!

January 4th- January 10th

Multi-Story Fire & Safety News of the Week 

  Fire stories this week come from several places in the USA: Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Missouri, Ohio, Georgia, and Washington, and also locations around the world in Kenya, China, UAE, India, and South Korea. Several fires this week proved the importance of having an alternate exit if the stairs are not a safe option. Having a second escape route such as a ladder or other high-rise safety gear could save your life.  

January 4th

Tenants of Abu Dhabi High-Rise Call for Action after Claims of Windows Suddenly Shattering

Tenants on the 52nd floor of a  high-rise building in Abu Dhabi say their windows have spontaneously shattered, causing safety concerns among residents. Dr. Kokhar, a resident on the 52nd floor was very unnerved as her children often play by the windowsill.

Man, 32, Killed in High Rise Fire

A fire on the 2nd floor of a Sunbury, Pennsylvania  high-rise killed one man and heavy smoke forced the evacuation of more than 100 residents. It took fire crews several hours to extinguish the flames.  

Kenyan Building Collapse Kills One, Others Trapped

January 6th

Fire Breaks out in Downtown San Diego High-Rise

A  smoke-intensive fire forced the full evacuation of a 25-story high-rise in downtown San Diego. The fire broke out on the seventh floor and was contained thanks to quick work by firefighters.

January 7th

Boardman Apartment Catches Fire, Man Jumps from Window

Firefighters responded to an apartment fire in Boardman, Ohio and saw smoke coming from the third-floor windows. Before they arrived, a resident had jumped from the third floor to escape the fire and was taken to the hospital with minor injuries

One Derson Dead after Duplex Fire in Lehigh Acres

One man is dead after a fire broke out in his duplex in Lehigh Acres, Florida. The fire was called "huge" by neighbors and had the home entirely engulfed in flames.

December 28th- January 3rd

Multi-Story Fire & Safety News of the Week 

Multi-Story Fire & Safety News of the Week 

      In a particularly tragic week, there were major high rise fires in San Antonio and New York both of which started in buildings over 10 stories tall. Both demonstrated the need for working smoke alarms and sprinkler systems to help minimize the damage a fire causes. Here is a roundup of fire news in multi-story buildings:

December 28th

Sixth Person Dies Following San Antonio Area High-Rise Fire

A tragic fire broke out on the third floor of a senior's home in Castle Hills, Texas that claimed the lives of 5 residents with a 6th resident dying two days later. The 11 story building is home to residents aged 55+ and many had a difficult time evacuating down many flights of stairs. The building did not have a sprinkler system and residents were used to many false alarms, so initially some thought the fire was just another false alarm

Extra-Alarm Fire Breaks out at Near North Side High-Rise Building

A fire started in the 19th floor of a 24 story high-rise in Chicago's North Side. There were no injuries reported and the fire was said to have been caused by a problem with the furnace.

  December 29th

Two People Jump From Building to Escape Hartford Fire

A fire in a Hartford multi-family building left two people with no choice but to jump out their window onto a roof extension. Both were hospitalized with minor injuries.

  December 30th

Electrical Fire Contained in Downtown Portland High-Rise

An electrical fire started on the 21st floor of a 26 story Portland high-rise and was under control within an hour. The fire caused over $100,000 in damages and thankfully no injuries though firefighters did have to knock down doors on the 21st floor to make sure residents were alright.

  December 31st

3 Die in New Year's Eve Fire at Queens High-Rise: FDNY

A New Years Eve fire on the 9th floor of a Queens high rise caused the death of three residents. The FDNY reported that the home did not have working smoke detectors and that there was food cooking unattended on the stove. Five firefighters were injured battling the blaze which also spread outside the apartment.

  January 2nd

Man Dies in Myrtle Beach Apartment Fire

One person was found dead inside a Myrtle Beach, SC apartment that caught fire. The fire was contained to one apartment in the four unit building.

  January 3rd

Woman Injured in Fire at Yorkville-area TCHC Building

A woman suffered non-life threatening injuries in a Toronto area fire that started in a community housing building near the downtown core of the city. 

Avner Farkash Meets Gov. Mike Pence

Indiana Governor Mike Pence was sworn into office in 2013 and has already been mentioned as a potential Republican candidate for the 2016 presidential ticket. He visited Israel last week to meet with political and business leaders in what his office referred to as an “economic development mission to bring jobs and investment to Indiana." Governor Pence met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and in a joint press conference expressed the “strong and broad bipartisan support for the state of Israel.” He mentioned the strong economic and cultural ties between the two allies and that the bond between the two nations has never been stronger. Another highlight of Pence’s visit was a breakfast seminar in Tel Aviv entitled “Invest in Indiana.” The purpose of the event was to discuss businesses interested in investing or growing in Indiana.  The invited guests were Israeli business leaders and entrepreneurs who had the chance to hear Governor Pence discuss the entrepreneurial spirit that grips both Indiana and Israel. He also mentioned the existing Israeli companies who have partnerships with the Hoosier state.

"Even half a world away, Indiana's story resonates," said Governor Pence. "No matter where you are, job creators know that they can do more in an environment designed for their growth and that's what we've built at home in Indiana.”

Avner Farkash, SkySaver’s head of R&D had the opportunity to meet with Pence after the breakfast. They discussed the potential of SkySaver’s unique life saving device and possible joint business ventures ahead of SkySaver’s spring 2015 release. The Governor was very interested in the product and is pictured with Mr. Farkash below.  Mike Pence was sworn into office in 2013 and has already been mentioned as a potential Republican candidate for the 2016

Flying Cars for Safe Evacuation

In the 1989 film Back to the Future Part II, Marty Mcfly and Doc travel to 2015 in order to help Mcfly’s future children. It’s a great movie, maybe not as good as the first, but definitely worth seeing if you haven’t already. I won’t spoil any of the plot, but the writers do make some interesting predictions about what 2015 will look like and  its amazing that they got a lot of things right. For example, the movie features things like video conferencing, video games played using your hands, ubiquitous advertising, and cameras everywhere, all facts of modern civilization in 2015. The movie also made some predictions that we will just have to wait and see about, like the Chicago Cubs winning the world series. One particular prediction that has been gaining steam over the last couple years is the use of flying cars, and they can be seen in the video below. The writers actually did some research as to what scientists thought 2015 might look like, but screenwriter Bob Gale admitted that "We knew we weren't going to have flying cars by the year 2015, but God we had to have those in our movie."

This may not have been as crazy an idea as originally thought and though flying cars are not in widespread use there are several companies developing new types of flying machines that could pave the way for flying cars. One such company called Urban Aeronautics was founded by Dr Rafi Yoeli, a leading authority on VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft. After originally dreaming of creating some sort of flying sports car, Yoeli recognized that a flying rescue vehicle would be much more feasible to use and sell. He invented a flying vehicle with internal lift rotors that do not have the restrictions of helicopters. Helicopters, while sometimes effective in evacuations, cannot fit in tight spaces or crowded terrains and often require a proper helipad to land safely. This technology is called Fancraft™ and already had 37 registered patents with an additional 12 in the process. Fancraft has been used to make several models of a flying car, one of which is the "Air Mule" an unmanned rescue vehicle that has already had many successful test flights, one of which can be seen in the video below. As of 2012, the Air Mule is actually the only flying vehicle in the world that meets the NATO and IDF standards of an unmanned medical evacuation vehicle and casualty evacuation vehicle.

Fancraft™ technology may eventually be the basis for a commercial flying car but Yoeli claims that it will be some time before this is a realistic possibility.  For now, the cost of such an aircraft is simply too expensive for most individuals and we are years away from the regulatory infrastructure that would be necessary in order to safely have flying cars in a constricted airspace. At the present time, the Air Mule will be operated mainly by military organizations, emergency responders, police, power companies, and others. The Air Mule, and the other vehicles of Urban Aeronautics, like the X-Hawk, a similar version which requires an actual pilot, may soon drastically change evacuation procedures in urban areas. We could soon see scenarios like the one depicted in the video below, and though its not quite the 2015 Mclfy and Doc visited, flying cars are here, and they could one day save lives.

2015- Year of the Skyscrapers

In 2014 we saw the completion of One World Trade Center in New York City, but 2015 will be mark the completion of an even bigger building and many other huge skyscrapers.  It will be amazing to see their completion, some of them in fast developing cities in Asia and the Middle East. Here is a list of the top 5 tallest skyscrapers set to be completed in the upcoming year and a sneak peak of a mega-skyscraper coming in 2019.

• Coming in at number 5 is the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Tower in Riyadh Saudi Arabia,. This skyscraper will stand at  1263 ft (385 m) and will, for a short time, be known as the second tallest skyscraper in the Saudi Arabia. The tallest skyscraper currently in Saudi Arabia is the Clock Royal Tower which stands in the holy city of Mecca, in the center of the country. However this won’t be the tallest building for long, read on if you want to find out what will. This CMA Tower will will be located in the new King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh and will house almost 2 million square feet in office space. It has a unique shape with no vertical columns, instead they sweep in and out with the faceted curtain wall.

• Number 4 is the lone American skyscraper on our list and comes from the American skyscraper capital, New York City. 432 Park Avenue is located in midtown Manhattan and once completed, will stand at 1,396 feet (426 meters). It will be a residential building, the second highest in the world and will contain 84 floors. The condominium units will range from a small 350 square foot studio to a a 6 bedroom penthouse that is already valued at $95 million. Building designer  Rafael Viñoly described the architecture as "the purest geometric form: the square," and this massive square will quickly become a a centerpiece of high rise luxury in 2015. One World Trade Center in New York City, but 2015 will be mark the completion of an even bigger building and many other huge skyscrapers.  It will be amazing to see their completion, some of them in fast developing cities in Asia and the Middle East. Here is a list of the top 5 tallest skyscrapers set to be completed in the upcoming year and a sneak peak of a mega-skyscraper coming in 2019.
  • Coming in at number 5 is the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Tower in Riyadh Saudi Arabia,. This skyscraper will stand at  1263 ft (385 m) and will, for a short time, be known as the second tallest skyscraper in the Saudi Arabia. The tallest skyscraper currently in Saudi Arabia is the Clock Royal Tower which stands in the holy city of Mecca, in the center of the country. However this won’t be the tallest building for long, read on if you want to find out what will. This CMA Tower will will be located in the new King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh and will house almost 2 million square feet in office space. It has a unique shape with no vertical columns, instead they sweep in and out with the faceted curtain wall.

• For number 3, we move back to the Arabian peninsula in the ever-expanding city of Dubai. This new skyscraper will be known as Marina 101 and will be just a meter taller than 432 Park Avenue, standing at 1,417 feet (432 meters). This new tower will be the tallest residential building on earth. The first 33 floors of the building will house a 281 room Hard Rock Hotel and floors 34-100 will be residential. The 101st floor, where the building derives its name will feature a lounge restaurant and Hard Rock, Rock Shop.

One World Trade Center in New York City, but 2015 will be mark the completion of an even bigger building and many other huge skyscrapers.  It will be amazing to see their completion, some of them in fast developing cities in Asia and the Middle East. Here is a list of the top 5 tallest skyscrapers set to be completed in the upcoming year and a sneak peak of a mega-skyscraper coming in 2019.

• Coming in at number 5 is the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Tower in Riyadh Saudi Arabia,. This skyscraper will stand at  1263 ft (385 m) and will, for a short time, be known as the second tallest skyscraper in the Saudi Arabia. The tallest skyscraper currently in Saudi Arabia is the Clock Royal Tower which stands in the holy city of Mecca, in the center of the country. However this won’t be the tallest building for long, read on if you want to find out what will. This CMA Tower will will be located in the new King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh and will house almost 2 million square feet in office space. It has a unique shape with no vertical columns, instead they sweep in and out with the faceted curtain wall.

• Number 2 is in another rapidly growing city, this time in Wuhan, China. The Wuhan Center as it will be known, will be the first building in central China to exceed 400 meters and top out at a height of 438 meters or 1,473 feet. The 88 floor building has an aerodynamic shape with a beautiful look and was designed to reduce wind resistance.  Wuhan is also slated to have several other massive skyscrapers by the ends of the decade and the Wuhan Center won’t be Wuhan’s tallest for long.

One World Trade Center in New York City, but 2015 will be mark the completion of an even bigger building and many other huge skyscrapers.  It will be amazing to see their completion, some of them in fast developing cities in Asia and the Middle East. Here is a list of the top 5 tallest skyscrapers set to be completed in the upcoming year and a sneak peak of a mega-skyscraper coming in 2019.

• Coming in at number 5 is the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Tower in Riyadh Saudi Arabia,. This skyscraper will stand at  1263 ft (385 m) and will, for a short time, be known as the second tallest skyscraper in the Saudi Arabia. The tallest skyscraper currently in Saudi Arabia is the Clock Royal Tower which stands in the holy city of Mecca, in the center of the country. However this won’t be the tallest building for long, read on if you want to find out what will. This CMA Tower will will be located in the new King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh and will house almost 2 million square feet in office space. It has a unique shape with no vertical columns, instead they sweep in and out with the faceted curtain wall.

• Finally, the largest building scheduled to be completed in 2015 is the Shanghai Tower, also in China.  At 2,073 feet (632 meters) and with 121 stories it will dominate Shanghai's skyline. Once completed, it will be the second tallest building in the world and will house the highest hotel in the world, the 320 room Four Seasons which will be on floors 84-110. The building also holds the world record for the furthest travelling single elevator at 1,896 feet (578 meters) and will have parking space for over 1,800 vehicles!

One World Trade Center in New York City, but 2015 will be mark the completion of an even bigger building and many other huge skyscrapers.  It will be amazing to see their completion, some of them in fast developing cities in Asia and the Middle East. Here is a list of the top 5 tallest skyscrapers set to be completed in the upcoming year and a sneak peak of a mega-skyscraper coming in 2019.

• Coming in at number 5 is the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Tower in Riyadh Saudi Arabia,. This skyscraper will stand at  1263 ft (385 m) and will, for a short time, be known as the second tallest skyscraper in the Saudi Arabia. The tallest skyscraper currently in Saudi Arabia is the Clock Royal Tower which stands in the holy city of Mecca, in the center of the country. However this won’t be the tallest building for long, read on if you want to find out what will. This CMA Tower will will be located in the new King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh and will house almost 2 million square feet in office space. It has a unique shape with no vertical columns, instead they sweep in and out with the faceted curtain wall.

  So, as you can see, 2015 could be known as the year of the skyscrapers but it may eventually lose that title to 2019,  the year that the Kingdom Tower is set to be completed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It will be much taller than the Burj Khalifah in Dubai, which currently stands as the world's tallest building, and construction on the Kingdom Tower began in April 2013.This mega-skyscraper will be the first human made structure to reach the 1km height mark, equal to about 0.6 miles. The truth is, that the exact height is being kept a secret, developers have only said it will be taller than a kilometer. To put that in perspective, it would take the average person over 13 minutes just to walk the length of the building, and a much, much longer time to climb all those stairs. One World Trade Center in New York City, but 2015 will be mark the completion of an even bigger building and many other huge skyscrapers.  It will be amazing to see their completion, some of them in fast developing cities in Asia and the Middle East. Here is a list of the top 5 tallest skyscrapers set to be completed in the upcoming year and a sneak peak of a mega-skyscraper coming in 2019.

• Coming in at number 5 is the Capital Market Authority (CMA) Tower in Riyadh Saudi Arabia,. This skyscraper will stand at  1263 ft (385 m) and will, for a short time, be known as the second tallest skyscraper in the Saudi Arabia. The tallest skyscraper currently in Saudi Arabia is the Clock Royal Tower which stands in the holy city of Mecca, in the center of the country. However this won’t be the tallest building for long, read on if you want to find out what will. This CMA Tower will will be located in the new King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh and will house almost 2 million square feet in office space. It has a unique shape with no vertical columns, instead they sweep in and out with the faceted curtain wall.

2014- FDNY's Busiest Year

According to new statistics, 2014 has officially been the busiest year in FDNY history as they have responded to over 1.6 million calls, up from the previous record of 1.575 million in 2012. These staggering numbers are, "The highest ever, literally, in the history of this city,” according to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. Many city officials claim that this inflated number is due to the large increase in calls related to possible gas leaks. Gas related emergency calls were up by 68% and stand at about 45,000 emergency calls. These numbers have gone up dramatically, especially in light of the March 2014 East Harlem building explosion which claimed 7 lives and left dozens injured and homeless. Over 200 firefighters were called to helped battle a massive blaze which destroyed the entire building and was found to be the result of a large gas leak in the building. Apparently tenants had complained for days that the building stunk of gasoline and one tenant even broke open a door to the roof for some fresh air and ventilation.  

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro spoke to the media and said that people who would normally call the gas company or their landlord are now directly calling 911. He acknowledged that though calls have increased, they are still at a "manageable number." Tenants who smell gas are encouraged to alert the authorities and have the issue properly checked out.  In cases of fire safety it is always better to err on the side of caution and avoid a potential calamity. Furthermore, besides just the number of calls, also up is the number of fire related deaths which stands at 68 and the average FDNY response time which now is at 4 minutes and 49 seconds. This again highlights the importance of practicing fire safety and having a fire evacuation plan in place. It will most likely be around 5 minutes until the fire department arrives and you should be asking yourself where you'll be when they come. Looking ahead, 2015 is the 150th anniversary of the FDNY and they are planning on celebrating once it gets warmer, later in the year. The public will be invited into firehouses to learn about the stations and fire safety practices. The hope is that increased awareness about fire safety will lead to a dramatic decrease in dangerous fires and fire-related injuries and deaths. Fire Commissioner Nigro also said that  that one of the goals will be to interest young people in exploring a career in the fire department.

Holiday Fire Facts

All stats provided by the NFPA an organization SkySaver is proud to be a member of. The Holidays can be a particularly dangerous time for home fires and extreme caution should be used when bringing trees, lights, and candles into your home. For tips on how to make your holiday experience enjoyable and fire safe check out our post on holiday safety tips.

Christmas Tree Fires

These refer to fires that originate on or from the Christmas tree. An unwatered Christmas tree is especially dangerous and can ignite and spread within seconds.

• On average Christmas Tree fires in America cause:

• Christmas Tree fires are known to be more serious than other fires and one out of 40 Christmas Tree fires resulted in a death, as opposed to the national average of one death per 142 home fires
• Christmas Tree fires are much more likely to occur after Christmas, especially if you don't water the tree. Remember just because its indoors, that doesn't mean you should't water it!
• These fires start in several ways, learn them and AVOID them

NFPA an organization SkySaver is proud to be a member of. The Holidays can be a particularly dangerous time for home fires and extreme caution should be used when bringing trees, lights, and candles into your home. For tips on how to make your holiday experience enjoyable and fire safe check out our post on holiday safety tips.

Christmas Tree Fires

These refer to fires that originate on or from the Christmas tree. An unwatered Christmas tree is especially dangerous and can ignite and spread within seconds.

• On average Christmas Tree fires in America cause:

Christmas Lights Fires

Fires starting from Christmas lights whether placed inside or outside the home can also be incredibly dangerous if not handled properly.

• Christmas lights and other fires resulting from line voltages are also commmon and cause $8.4 million in property damages a year
• They cause an average of 9 deaths, 16 injuries, and occur in about 150 homes annually

NFPA an organization SkySaver is proud to be a member of. The Holidays can be a particularly dangerous time for home fires and extreme caution should be used when bringing trees, lights, and candles into your home. For tips on how to make your holiday experience enjoyable and fire safe check out our post on holiday safety tips.

Christmas Tree Fires

These refer to fires that originate on or from the Christmas tree. An unwatered Christmas tree is especially dangerous and can ignite and spread within seconds.

• On average Christmas Tree fires in America cause:

Conclusion

Don't be another statistic this holiday season! Make sure you and your family are safe by keeping your tree fresh and watered and using only safe holiday lights. Lights that are damaged or broken can easily spark and catch fire. Use lights and decorations that are flame retardant and never leave a lit candle unattended. Why not use Christmas as an opportunity to reaffirm your commitment to family safety?

Holiday Fire Safety Tips

The winter holiday season is an especially important time to practice fire safety as it brings a new set of potential fire hazards directly into your home. Whether you traditionally use Christmas trees, lights, yule logs, or Hanukkah candles, practicing fire safety is absolutely essential for you and your family this season.

Christmas Trees can be particularly problematic and according to recent statistics, they cause over 200 fires in the US per year, resulting in about 6 deaths and 22 injuries. In fact, one out of every 40 Christmas tree fires resulted in a tragic death as opposed to the national average of one death per 140 for other home fires.

Choosing a tree, means first of all deciding between real and artificial and determining which is best and safest for your family. If you go with an artificial tree, make sure to verify with the retailer that it is certified as safe and flame retardant. If you choose a real tree, it is crucial to pick something green and fresh that hasn’t dried up. To test this, you should be able to touch the green needles without having them fall off the branch. Once the tree is in your home or apartment, it is important to use a tree stand and to keep it watered, ensuring that your tree does not dry up and become a fire hazard (however, if you use an artificial tree, watering it may not be the best decision). The stand and tree should be placed at least 3 feet from any potential fire source, such as a heater, fireplace, or candle. When choosing lights to string on the tree or anywhere in your home, it is crucial to make sure the lights are unbroken and are safe for indoor use. The manufacturer will often provide safety instructions and it is important to actually read these, so your tree remains something safe and fun, and not something potentially dangerous. Finally, one should turn off Christmas lights before leaving or going to bed, a practice which will keep you safe and conserve electricity. Outdoor lights present a different set of potential hazards especially when using extension cords and stringing electrical wires from your home. Any cords or wires you use should be approved for outdoor use and securely fastened so they cannot be displaced by wind. Make sure that the lights themselves are also safe for outdoor use and are not damaged or broken. Furthermore, when using any kind of lights, be sure to avoid overloading electrical outlets which can overheat and potentially cause fires

  Yule logs, Hannukah candles and other sources of actual fire, can bring even more potential fire hazards into your home and make practicing fire safety with your family even more important. If you traditionally burn a yule log, make sure you are using a fireplace that is safe and clean. The National Fire Protection Association recommends cleaning a chimney at least once a year, and this will also help Santa make a clean entrance. The fire should be lit safely and closed with a fire retardant gate so that no pets or children can get too close. Make sure to keep a fire extinguisher nearby and keep other flammable materials away.

Hannukah candles should similarly be placed at least 2 feet away from any flammable objects and should be placed on a non-flammable surface such as glass or metal. They should be lit in a secure and stable location where they cannot fall down or be knocked over by kids or pets.

When choosing a menora, make sure that the menora is safe and  able to be used with fire. Children will often make menora art projects in school that are unsafe for actual fire use and may burn down if used. If your children also light a menorah, they should only do so under adult supervision and should never be given matches or any fire materials. Lastly, Christmas Trees can be particularly problematic and according to recent statistics, they cause over 200 fires in the US per year, resulting in about 6 deaths and 22 injuries. In fact, one out of every 40 Christmas tree fires resulted in a tragic death as opposed to the national average of one death per 140 for other home fires. Choosing a tree, means first of all deciding between real and artificial and determining which is best and safest for your family. If you go with an artificial tree, make sure to verify with the retailer that it is certified as safe and flame retardant. If you choose a real tree, it is crucial to pick something green and fresh tlike Christmas lights, it is crucial to not leave Hanukkah lit candles unattended. Plan ahead so that you and your family can enjoy this beautiful tradition without having to compromise on the safety of your home or family.

Surviving High-Rise Fires

Living in a high-rise building offers many benefits: beautiful and expansive views, a prime location right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of city life, a great sense of community, and often, a number of included amenities. However, there are also a few drawbacks to living in a big building in a big city, and perhaps the biggest disadvantage is the potential danger that high-rise residents face each day.

You might not realize it, but your life could be in danger in a matter of minutes should a disaster strike while you're at home or work in a high-rise. The very nature of high rise buildings – housing individuals thousands of feet above the ground – presents an extreme risk during a fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are over 15,000 high rise fires per year in the United States alone. The majority of those fires break out on the lower floors of the buildings – the 6^th story or below – leaving occupants above that point in extreme danger. Whether it's the thick, choking smoke wafting upward, the flames climbing their way up the structure, or just intense heat, there is no shortage of danger, and it's important to have a way out at a moment's notice. What are you to do if there's an accidental explosion on the floors underneath your unit, or some sort of terrorist attack? You could very easily find yourself stranded atop a 100-story building with nowhere to go.

For citizens who live or work in high rise buildings, that feeling of being a sitting duck during a disaster is something you can avoid with the proper preparation. By investing in the appropriate life saving gear, you can take your safety into your own hands. Sometimes, firefighters don't arrive in time. Other times, there is no way for rescue personnel to get to the top floors of a burning building, even when they do get to the scene quickly. With the SkySaver personal rescue device, you can exit a burning building through the window and find yourself safely on the ground in a matter of seconds.

SkySaver is a groundbreaking piece of personal survival gear that an individual wears on their back, attaches to a secure anchor point in their building, and then carefully descends down the side of their building. SkySaver is a backpack-like rescue tool that can hold up to 300 pounds and has over 250 feet of cable stored inside, meaning it can assist with escapes up to 25 stories high. Once the user straps on SkySaver, the device's automatic hydraulic braking system lowers them at a swift but safe rate of three to six feet per second.

No matter what type of structure you live in, it is extremely important to think ahead and have an emergency plan in mind. This type of foresight is even more urgent for high-rise residents, and one of the best ways to be prepared is by purchasing a piece of quality survival gear like SkySaver. Take your safety into your own hands and contact us today to learn how you can acquire a SkySaver device for your residence or place of business.

High-Rise Fire Safety Survival Gear

Safety has always been a paramount concern in a world that has seen fires, natural disasters, and terrorism take the lives of countless innocent people around the globe. Today personal safety is more important than ever. If you live or work in a high-rise building, you may fear that there will be no way to escape during a disaster such as a fire.

Fortunately, SkySaver is beginning a revolution in the field of fire safety and survival gear to address that issue. The SkySaver personal evacuation device offers a solution to the dangerous problem of fires in high-rise buildings and can help ensure your survival in the event of a disaster. In addition to our SkySaver high-rise rescue device, we offer a number of other safety solutions and survival gear for any emergency situation—including the DoublExit and Escape Rescue System.

Our goal is to save lives, and with our groundbreaking line of fire safety products, we are proud to help you take safety into your own hands. Don't be caught unprepared in the face of disaster; browse through the available survival gear on our site, and feel free to contact us with any questions.

The Freedom Tower

In 2013, construction workers in New York City attached the spire to the top of the One World Trade Center skyscraper, more commonly known as Freedom Tower, vaulting the building to a patriotically-symbolic height of 1,776 feet.

One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) in New York City is now the world's third tallest skyscraper.

With the additional 408 feet of height provided by the newly-installed spire, Freedom Tower became the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the third tallest skyscraper in the world, behind the Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates (2,717 feet tall) and the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel in Saudi Arabia (1,971 feet  tall). It's simply amazing to stare up at these awe-inspiring pieces of architecture, but it's only natural that a bit of fear comes with their incredible height. To get a better idea of just how high these sprawling structures are, check out this terrifying video from a camera attached to the Freedom Tower spire as it was lowered on top of the skyscraper on Friday, May 10. Of course, building occupants probably won't ever find themselves in the type of situation those construction workers had to brave, but the idea of being so far from the ground below can be a little frightening.

It's something we all try not to think about too often, but the fact is, individuals who live or work in buildings of this magnitude can potentially find themselves in severe danger as a result of a wide array of unfortunate situations ranging from natural disasters to fire to terrorist attacks. With the physical and mental scars American citizens received on Sept. 11, 2001 far from healed, safety is obviously a paramount concern with Freedom Tower – and every skyscraper in the world, for that matter.

One World Trade Center won’t open until 2014, but when the public finally gets a firsthand glimpse of the inside of the building, they can rest assured that steps were taken to protect their safety. The Freedom Tower was constructed with an "innovative mix of architecture, structure, safety and sustainability," according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. With a fortified concrete base and state-of-the-art safety systems that exceed New York City building code standards, the architects and builders on the project took safety very seriously. In addition to creating an incredibly strong building with maximum security, high-rise fire safety has been sufficiently addressed as well. In order to facilitate firefighters and emergency responders, the skyscraper has extra-wide pressurized stairs, low-level emergency lighting, and concrete protection for all sprinklers and emergency risers. "All of the building’s life-safety systems – stairs, communications, risers, sprinklers, elevators – are encased in a core wall that is three feet thick in most places," a fact sheet from the building's architectural firm, SOM, states. In the event that occupants become trapped in the building during a fire despite these safety measures, Freedom Tower is a suitable height – 104 stories tall – for the use of personal rescue devices on all but the very top floors.

The leading skyscraper escape devices hitting the market this year are designed to accommodate rescues up to 100 stories high, so the majority of the people in Freedom Tower can put their own backup plan in place by purchasing such a device. While there is always the possibility for disaster, those who will frequent Freedom Tower should know that they are in good hands thanks to the concern for safety that went into the design of the building – especially if they take the initiative to keep a high-rise rescue device in their office, just in case.