In an emergency – elevator or stairs?

GENEVA (AP) – Ever read that sign in the elevator that tells you
to take the stairs in an emergency?

That may be a mistake, according to the 162-nation International
Organization for Standardization, which said using lifts can
sometimes save more lives as people rush out of buildings after
fires, earthquakes and gas explosions.

The ISO, which sets international standards for everything from
screw sizes to ripening fruit, said in a report that elevators are
an increasingly viable escape option as buildings get taller.

It said Wednesday that building designers should consider
various elements when deciding on emergency exits. Not least, how
to save the lives of people who can’t use stairs such as the
disabled, elderly, pregnant women and small children.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)