Abstract: A device for lowering a person from a building by dispensing a cable that is anchored on one end to the building. The cable is played out of the device by unwinding the cable from a spool. In one embodiment, the spool rotates on a shaft that has a planetary gear linkage on one end and a centrifugal brake on the opposite end of the shaft. In a manual embodiment a dual disc brake is adapted to engage the ends of the spool for controlling the rate at which the cable is unwound from the spool. In both embodiments the brake is spring biased into engagement to prevent unwinding the cable when no load is placed on the device.