[tiplus]

I had similar fears in my last appartment building (12th floor) after a deadly fire in the neighbouring tower. I ended up buying a long rope at a climbing outlet and some used climbing gear. There are also more expensive fire proof rope ladders but the rope worked for me.

[buro9]

I have checked eBay for WW2 sirens. They're cheap, and I proposed installing one outside as an alarm.

This was quickly rejected by the councillor who informed me that sirens are used for the flood alarms (we're 200m from the Thames).

Instead I've resorted to DIY fire safety. MDF fire panels installed as best as possible around the riser, as that is the most likely source of fire. It will buy me a little time, and I will not be relying on containment to save us... I'll be going down the fire escape regardless of instructions.

[Spooky23]

Good for you.

I've been through a few incidents where my building should have been evacuated but wasn't due to incompetence or disinterest. In one case, several of my employees who were unable to negotiate stairs (due to injuries) were accidentally left trapped and unevacuated in an elevator lobby during a minor fire. They picked up the emergency phone and the response from the police was literally "WTF do you think I can do about it?"

The response from my employers fire safety people when we complained was threatening to write a discipline referal for me because I didn't send people to fire training. (Three of the folks working for me were firemen who were delivering the training!)

Don't assume that anyone has their shit together. Understand how to evacuate from your home and office and bug out when shit happens. Don't be like those poor people in WTC who followed instructions.