About: Skyscraper Defense Act

The Skyscraper Defense Act will:
I. CREATE A NEW DEPARTMENT:
A new department will be created within Homeland Security called Skyscraper Defense Department. This department will be responsible for the safety and protection of our towering skyscrapers in each city, including coordinating all the different agencies in the event of another terrorist attack.

II. MODIFY PROTOCOLS FOR HIGH RISE RESCUE
The Skyscraper Defense Department will radically modify the existing protocols of high rise rescue to reflect the needs of the 21st century. These protocols shall include:

    • MASTER PLAN: Cities should create a master plan for each and every skyscraper. Because the truth of the matter is, no two skyscrapers are alike, even if they are part of building complex. By creating a protocol for each skyscraper, departments will be able to rehearse and coordinate their actions with each other without creating interference or duplicity.
    • ROOF RESCUES: Cities should create a protocol to rescue occupants trapped on the roof of all towering skyscrapers. If this protocol had been in place prior to 9/11, as many as 1,500 occupants could have been rescued off the roofs of the World Trade Centers.
    • EXTERIOR RESCUES: a protocol to rescue occupants trapped inside of burning skyscraper from the exterior with:
      • o BRONTO 235 AERIAL TRUCKS that are capable of reaching 235 feet or 23 floors. Each city that meets the criteria should be provided funding to purchase one or more trucks, depending on their needs.
      • o RESCUE/EVACUATION MODULES that are like large express elevators that are equipped with an independent power and air supply. These modules can be lowered from a helicopter, or deployed from the roof like a window-washing-machine, or they ascend from a blast resistant compartment beneath street level, or in some cases, when none of the above is feasible, travel along a cable like a Tyrolean traverse in Yosemite Valley, from a skyscraper across the street.

III. CREATE SUPER ELITE RESCUE TEAMS These teams will be called Skyscraper Defense Rescue Teams. The purpose of these teams will be to assist in the rescue/evacuation of the occupants trapped inside of a burning skyscraper.

    • SPECIFICALLY EQUIPPED: Each team should be equipped with fireproof suits, oxygen tanks, and any other specialized equipment such as the “Jaws of Life” to cut through windows or steel to reach occupants trapped inside.
    • SPECIFICALLY TRAINED: Each team should be specifically trained for real-life situations on every major skyscraper in that particular city.

IV. TRAIN ELITE MILITARY FORCES & SWAT TEAMS In the event terrorist have “hijacked” a towering skyscraper, elite military forces and Swat Teams should be equipped and trained how to launch a counter attack from the exterior of skyscraper, using:

• COUNTER-TERRORIST MODULES: these modules can be lowered from the roof or helicopter, or deployed from the street level. Similar in design to the rescue/evacuation modules, these modules are bullet proof, blast resistant, and armed with the latest weaponry.

• MOTORIZED ASCENDING DEVICES: unlike the climbing devices that were used to scale many of the world tallest skyscrapers, these devices will enable members of the military forces or Swat Teams to ascend the skyscraper along a window-washing-track at speeds similar to an ascending module.

V. PROVIDE 3-D SIMULATION PROGRAMS These programs will simulate each and every skyscraper in that particular city in a realistic 3-d video game-like format that can be used to simulate worse case scenarios, such as what happened on 9/11.

• TRAINING PURPOSES: For the first time, members of the Skyscraper Defense Rescue Teams, Swat Teams, Military Forces, Fire Fighters, and First Responders, can train in a manner similar to how pilots and astronauts train. Even practicing how they would coordinate with one another.

• CREATING MASTER EVACUATION/RESCUE PLANS: These software program will enable engineers to create a master evacuation/rescue plan, so that refuge areas in each skyscraper are capable of transporting occupants to a skyscraper across the street via a cable that’s placed by a member of the Skyscraper Defense Rescue Team.

VI. RETROFIT TALLEST “EXISTING” SKYSCRAPERS All skyscrapers that are deemed by the Skyscraper Defense Department to be a prime target, or a target that is not easily defended against a terrorist attack, should be retrofitted with:

• EXTERIOR EGRESS STATIONS: should be provided on each floor, enabling Skyscraper Defense Rescue Teams to evacuate/rescue occupants trapped on that particular floor. These means of egress, via a window that glides open, or cockpit-like door, should open in a manner that creates an airtight docking station for a rescue/evacuation module, similar to how the space shuttle docks with a orbiting space station.

• REFUGE AREAS: should be strategically placed throughout the skyscraper, beginning with the highest floor fire fighters can reach with an aerial truck, and ending with the floor just beneath the roof. Then, depending on the height of that particular skyscraper, refuge areas should be equally staggered with the distance between each no greater than ten floors.

VII. REQUIRE ALL “FUTURE” SKYSCRAPERS All future skyscrapers should follow the guidelines of the Skyscraper Defense Dept.

• HARDEN ELEVATOR SHAFTS: elevator shafts should be blast resistant, and air tight with an independent power supply to enable occupants, fire fighters, and first responders, to evacuate or enter the skyscraper.

• WIDER STAIRWAYS: stairways should be at 56 inches or wider to accommodate both fire fighters and first responders ascending the stairs, and occupants evacuating the skyscraper. Stairways should be blast resistant and air tight with illuminated treads that glow like the keys on a computer keyboard.

• HELICOPTER PADS: should be required on all roofs to enable mass evacuation/rescue, either by physically touching down, or lowering a rescue/evacuation module.

• REFUGE AREAS: should be strategically placed throughout the skyscraper, beginning with the highest floor fire fighters can reach with an aerial truck, and ending with the floor just beneath the roof. Then, depending on the height of that particular skyscraper, refuge areas should be equally staggered with the distance between each no greater than ten floors.

• EGRESS STATIONS: should be provided on each floor, enabling Skyscraper Defense Rescue Teams to evacuate/rescue occupants trapped on that particular floor from the exterior of the skyscraper with rescue/evacuation modules.

• RESCUE/EVACUATION MODULES: that are like large express elevators that are equipped with an independent power and air supply, should be installed on the roof and in bomb-resistant compartments at the base of the skyscraper beneath street level.

• GREEN TECHNOLOGY: materials used in the construction of the skyscraper should be non-toxic and pose no ill effect, both short term or long term, on the occupant’s health. This becomes increasingly important in the event of a fire, if building materials are constructed with toxic/known cancer causing chemicals or epoxies. The smoke becomes lethal.

VIII. INSTALL ANTI-AIRCRAFT/MISSILE SYSTEMS No longer can we turn a blind eye to the sky. Commercial aircrafts, as well as, smaller aircrafts, can be used as weapons of mass destruction, especially if they are packed with explosives, or biological or chemical weapons. History has proven that we can no longer rely on our Air Defense to protect our towering skyscrapers from a hijacked aircraft or a rouge aircraft with evil intentions. We must protect our skyscrapers with every means of defense. Which means:

• INSTALLING ANTI-AIRCRAFT/MISSILE SYSTEMS on the tallest skyscrapers in each major city.

• FUND RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT of a Skyscraper Defense System that will propel an approaching hijacked plane without shooting it down. This system could be non-lethal, incorporating a mega blast of concentrated energy that has the capability of deflecting the hijacked plane.

IX. REQUIRE OXYGEN MASK FOR EVERY OCCUPANT It is a fact. The majority of fire-related deaths (75 percent) are caused by smoke inhalation of the toxic gases produced by fires . Many of the occupants that leaped from the World Trade Centers were reportedly attempting to escape an agonizing death inflicted by the toxic smoke. Therefore, it should be required by law, that all skyscrapers should provide oxygen mask to each and every occupant like it is required for all commercial airliners.