# Am I the only person who thought firemen still sometimes used nets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 8, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313 "2011-07-08T14:30:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/1 "2011-07-08T14:30:30Z")
Silly me. > **[Did firemen once use nets to rescue people from burning buildings?](https://www.straightdope.com/21344100/did-firemen-once-use-nets-to-rescue-people-from-burning-buildings)** ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/2 "2011-07-08T14:54:34Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Silly me. > [Did firemen once use nets to rescue people from burning buildings? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3004/did-firemen-once-use-nets-to-rescue-people-from-burning-buildings) Nope. I was reading one of those Mindset Lists from Beloit College and spied an item that “for this year’s freshmen, Pan Am Air has never existed”. For the life of me, I didn’t realize it was gone. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/3 "2011-07-08T18:26:34Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > I was reading one of those Mindset Lists from Beloit College and spied an item that “for this year’s freshmen, Pan Am Air has never existed”. > For the life of me, I didn’t realize it was gone. Those freshman must be entering First Grade then, since Pan Am Airways closed in 2004 - of course, that was the Guilford Industries[revival](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_American_Airways_(1998-2004)), which in and of itself was pretty odd, causing quite a few mocking entries on Railfan message boards, and even more mockery came later on when Guilford changed it’s name officially to [Pan Am Systems](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Systems) (no airline business this time) & Pam Am Railways… ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/4 "2011-07-08T20:42:06Z")
Can’t speak to the OP but if The Straight Dope ever has an official t-shirt it should should use the accompanying illustration. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/5 "2011-07-09T12:08:09Z")
In the article Cecil mentioned folks caught on the hundredth floor of the WTC, facing the choice of frying or having a chance, however small, if they jumped. I doubt they thought they had a chance though. My guess is they jumped for the reason I would have. Dying by jumping, when you hit the pavement, would hurt, but only for a second. Staying and burning would kill you, hurt just as much, and probably last longer. The was I fear most to die is by fire. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/6 "2011-07-09T14:14:24Z")
I had the same thought when I read that; that I doubted that they were considering any minuscule difference in odds. They may not even have considered which was the least painful way of dying. They may have been almost instinctively and without thought fleeing from the most immediate danger. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/7 "2011-07-09T17:25:14Z")
Did anyone survive the leap from the towers? I don’t think so but I don’t remember. There are stories of people surviving falls from incredible heights–here’s Wiki: [Nicholas Alkemade - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Alkemade) ---
**Author:** ![wahsahzii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@wahsahzii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wahsahzii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/8 "2011-07-10T02:40:28Z")
Sorry, but I still think they were acting on the most selfish and irresponsible of motives. Has anyone ever seen an authoritative accounting of how many first responders were killed by jumpers landing on them ? I’m pretty sure I read of at least a couple of instances. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/9 "2011-07-10T03:17:58Z")
> [@wahsahzii](#): > > Sorry, but I still think they were acting on the most selfish and irresponsible of motives. Has anyone ever seen an authoritative accounting of how many first responders were killed by jumpers landing on them ? I’m pretty sure I read of at least a couple of instances. The people trying to escape a burning building were selfish and irresponsible? This is a joke, right? ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/10 "2011-07-10T14:46:42Z")
I found this ad for [Atlas Life Nets](http://dl.dropbox.com/u/433257/AtlasLifeNets.jpg). I didn’t find anyone selling life nets today. One [Fireman BB](http://my.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/safety-nets-inflated-bags) was talking about it, and had this response why they don’t use life nets any more. > [@](#): > > Life nets were discontinued because we no longer run 12 firefighters making $8,000 per year per ladder company, and the victim usually bounced out of the net on his head and died anyway. > > The giant air cushions were discontinued because the suicidal people simply walked to another side of the building, jumped, and killed themselves after the fire department spent 30 minutes setting up the one giant air cushion they could afford on Side A. > > Side A, of course, was the only side large enough to set up the giant air cushion. Apparently, suicidal jumpers don’t care if they die in the street or in the rear alley. ---
**Author:** ![wahsahzii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@wahsahzii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wahsahzii)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/11 "2011-07-12T02:52:07Z")
> [@fgasparini](#): > > The people trying to escape a burning building were selfish and irresponsible? This is a joke, right? Nah. They weren’t trying to escape the building. Doubtless, they did not think they would kill any firemen, policemen or EMTs, but I believe they did. Break your neck in the stairwell if you must escape this mortal coil right now. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/12 "2011-07-12T14:22:08Z")
But you have no evidence. Just checking. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/13 "2011-07-12T17:00:50Z")
> [@wahsahzii](#): > > Nah. They weren’t trying to escape the building. Doubtless, they did not think they would kill any firemen, policemen or EMTs, but I believe they did. Break your neck in the stairwell if you must escape this mortal coil right now. Oh I see, you were talking about suicides. I’m sorry I misunderstood you. Google turned up at least two stories of a jumper killing someone on the ground, but both were civilians. Then again, as John W. Kennedy would tell you if he even knew I was alive, my Google isn’t the best on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Tixenfleaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@Tixenfleaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tixenfleaz)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/14 "2011-07-12T17:30:26Z")
FDNY FF [Danny Suhr](http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/nyregion/20050812_WTC_GRAPHIC/9110487.PDF) was apparently killed by a falling body outside of Tower 2. (Warning: PDF). He is believed to be the first firefighter to have died on that incident. No sane firefighter would ever blame someone for jumping from that inferno. I’ve been seared pretty good in several structure fires over the years, and when you feel the heat begin to blister your skin, rational thought starts to take leave. In the fire service, it’s a given that people trapped by fire will jump. It’s not cowardice, or selfishness. Burning people jump. ---
**Author:** ![Tixenfleaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@Tixenfleaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tixenfleaz)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/15 "2011-07-12T17:41:31Z")
> [@fgasparini](#): > > Oh I see, you were talking about suicides. I’m sorry I misunderstood you. Ah. _Mea culpa_ from myself, as well. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/16 "2011-07-12T17:53:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Two women who had jumped together ripped through one net, followed close after by a third. It’s pretty hard not to panic and render yourself incapable of rational thought. Had they kept their wits though and gone in sequence, who knows, maybe all three might have survived. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/17 "2011-07-13T03:45:14Z")
Toured the Chicago Fire Academy as a Boy Scout. They said the upper limit that you could expect to survive jumping into a net was three storeys. This informed designing exit strategies when I entered the elevator business, as in: The net won’t help. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-person-who-thought-firemen-still-sometimes-used-nets/588313/18 "2011-07-13T18:09:47Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Toured the Chicago Fire Academy as a Boy Scout. They said the upper limit that you could expect to survive jumping into a net was three storeys. This informed designing exit strategies when I entered the elevator business, as in: The net won’t help. Your name is very appropriate to this thread.