There’s no code restriction against installing a fire fighters pole (that’s right!) in your home. Think about it, you’re late for work in your third-floor bedroom and you have to make it quickly down to the garage. What to do? No problem……
Faced with this question on a four-story home we were designing in Capitola, we settled on a 3-inch diameter highly polished seamless stainless steel pipe. After a little research at the local firehouse, we settled on stainless steel instead of brass to simplify daily maintenance (fire fighters spend a lot of time polishing brass). You also have to provide a leather padded “doughnut” at the bottom to land on when you’re not quite prepared to use your feet.
Precautions
Of course, this pole is a dangerous item to have in your home it shouldn’t be taken lightly. But with care in specifying proper locks on doors leading into the pole shaft, it can be done.
The trick is to use your forearms rather than your hands.
