Chute to survive

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachelle Coleman
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  It was a bright, sunny day with no danger in sight, yet something had the 354th Fighter Wing commander, vice wing commander, command chief and air traffic controllers pushing themselves off the edge of the tower.

It was the Baker Life Chute, an 11-story slide made of nylon rope, and it was being run through its annual test.

"The initial fear of being 11-stories high, thinking that I'm going to drop like a rock is what scares many people from wanting to ever use the Baker Life Chute," said Capt. Daniel Stimfel, 354th Operations Support Squadron flight commander.

In reality, the friction between the net and clothing is not enough to burn you but it's enough to slow a person down, making for a safe escape.

"It's almost anti-climatic - about halfway down you're like, 'what, that's it?' but standing up on the catwalk 11-stories high is the real terror," said Captain Stimfel. "Once you take the plunge the ride is over with before you know it, kind of like Disneyland."

Ralph Baker invented the Life Chute, inspired by the M.G.M. Grand Hotel fire in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 1980 blaze claimed 84 lives and left hundreds of guests helplessly trapped on the hotel's upper floors. When Mr. Baker saw this tragedy, he vowed to do something about it.

"Many air traffic control towers and high rise buildings now use the Baker Life Chute," said Captain Stimfel. "It is a safe, proven method to get people out of what would typically be too tall of a structure for the fire department to reach."

Much like anything else in Alaska, this net has a special modification for the severe climate.

"Because it is made of nylon, the same material used for a basketball net, here in our cold arctic climate it can dry out and become brittle," said Captain Stimfel. "The chute itself is put inside a climate-controlled box and there's a thermostat inside, the heater keeps the netting from becoming brittle."

Although testing the chute is fun and safe, having one isn't mandatory for air traffic control towers.

"It's not required, it's just part of our evacuation process because there's no other way to go out of the tower except for the stairs," said Master Sgt. Charles Kirkman, 354th OSS tower chief controller. "The only alternative that I've seen is a metal ladder on the side of the tower that you would climb down in case of emergency."

At the end of testing the slide was found to be in great condition and so were each of the Airmen.