After assisting in the rescue effort at the World Trade Center on 9/11, New York City bridge painter and high-angle specialist Patrick O’Kane called upon his friend Randy Goodman to help him find a solution for helping people to escape from tall building fires.
The result was LifeCender, a multi-story escape harness device that allows people to safely descend from fire in buildings up to seven stories tall.
Goodman, a Lake Orion resident and business entrepreneur, said the product will be available for sale in a couple of months after nearly two years in development.
“It’s designed to allow people an avenue to escape from tall buildings when their primary escape route is blocked,” he explained. “It allows both fire fighters and civilians to use that window to get out.”
Goodman said O’Kane, who assisted the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and maintained the microwave tower 40 stories above the WTC, was at Ground Zero and was struck by what he saw there.
“He and I were talking about how people had to exit that building by jumping,” said Goodman. “(O’Kane) regularly works at heights 600-700 feet high. We started looking at some of (the things he uses) and how they could be adapted (for civilians).”
The LifeCender is a hands-free device that requires no special strength or training to use, according to Goodman. The product consists of a simple harness vest, which the users steps into, with a descent rope of para-aramid fiber, which is very strong and can withstand temperatures exceeding 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Goodman explained that to use the Life Cender, the user would simply attach an anchor in a pre-chosen location, or in the window, then hook the rope on to descend.
The product comes in models designed for escape from three stories or less, and from seven stories. LifeCender comes in a case about half the size of a briefcase, so it can be easily transported.
“We got an engineer involved, who took the basic concept to the fire department in New York, where it was received very well,” Goodman said. “Then we knew the product needed refinement, so we got Bill Henson involved.”
Henson, Sr., a successful entrepreneur and inventor in Michigan, offered financial backing, technical resources and his own expertise in design and development to promote the LifeCender. Products are available for civilian and professional use.
“We started the prototype in 2001, and it will be on the market after we start production in two to three weeks,” Goodman reported. “We wanted to get the acceptance of the fire departments first, which we have from all over the world.”
Goodman said the entire New York City Fire Department is considering issuing the product to its firefighters.
“They’ve said it’s a great product for people to be able to rescue themselves,” he added. “We have the technology (to produce a LifeCender) for higher stories, and we plan to get up to as high as 25 stories.”
Goodman said the current LifeCenders available can still be used for buildings over seven stories, in order to help a person ascend to a safer level in the event of a fire on the higher floors.
“Our research found that a majority of people live and work in buildings three to seven stories,” he said.
For more information about the LifeCender product, or to order one, visit www.lifecender.com, or call 1-888-201-1850.