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Foam Bomb Fire Escapes

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People falling out of buildings. I was thinking of them again. If only there were some way to set up something to catch them. Nets are nice but you have to find them and attach them. Those inflatable cushions are nice too, but if they have developed a hole after long storage they are useless.

I propose that foam bombs be stored around the periphery of tall buildings. These would be composed of tanks the size of scuba tanks, filled with polyurethane foam. One could set a timer, then run, and after a short countdown a tank would blow, producing a huge mound of polyurethane foam. This would provide a cushion for people jumping in from above. One could set additional tanks off in sequence, in case earlier jumpers compress or otherwise flatten out the foam.

bungston, Nov 22 2005

Interesting, but you might choose another material for the foam http://www.pfa.org/flamm_state.html
[sophocles, Nov 22 2005]

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       // People falling out of buildings. I was thinking of them again. // Bun for this comment alone.
moomintroll, Nov 22 2005
  

       I did not even consider that the foam might catch on fire. That would be bad. Is there no comparable ...err, uninflammable foam we can use?
bungston, Nov 22 2005
  

       I'm not sure foam would really work well, either, as it doesn't "bounce back". One person's entry point will make a hole at least 10 feet deep (if it slowed them down any faster/shorter, it'd kill them).   

       Each person would need to somehow, in their panic, first time jumping, in the dark, with smoke, somehow steer clear to avoid that hole that the people before them created. This might make a good game, if the loser didn't lose so much.   

       You can't just keep popping more cannisters to release more foam, because it would need time to set/harden, and you couldn't have 100 cannisters for 100 people, etc. It's still going to be a dangerous game.
sophocles, Nov 23 2005
  

       "marshmellows" - sounds like that should be a Halfbaked idea...
DrCurry, Nov 23 2005
  

       Would the ashes from the 30th floor not be extinguished by the time they reached the foam? + holey foam or not, I'm thinking it's better odds than no foam. (You may be able to steer yourself slightly as skydivers do).
Zimmy, Nov 23 2005
  

       I cant really remember the movie, its quite old with stallone set in the future...judge dred I think.   

       Anyway they used a similar concept in cars, whereby instead of the airbag coming out on impact, the entirecar would fill with foam immediately, cushioning those inside...neat   

       There must be a valid reason why this isn't put into practice though.   

       still (+)
shinobi, Nov 23 2005
  

       [shinobi] that was "demolition man". The reason it wouldn't work well is that you still need some slowdown that is gradual, not immediate, or your internal organs have problems (like the brain crashing against your skull).
sophocles, Nov 23 2005
  

       //"marshmellows" - sounds like that should be a Halfbaked idea...//   

       Heh. Like some sort of fluffy candied Ritalin.   

       Ditto on what [moom] said. :)
Zuzu, Nov 23 2005
  

       I had an idea like this, I think? Kats have short memories
The Kat, Nov 23 2005
  

       I thought I had seen something like this before too. What happened to all your ideas, [Kat]?   

       On another note, I see that there exist silicone foams. They should not be as flammable as plastic.
bungston, Nov 24 2005
  

       I'm still trying to work out how foam bombs are dangerous.
ConsulFlaminicus, Nov 25 2005
  
      
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