Abstract: A descent device for lowering an individual includes a housing and a spool rotatably carried by the housing. The spool includes a barrel defining an interior volume and is adapted to receive a length of high tensile strength line. A centrifugal brake is carried within the barrel and a gear assembly couples the spool to the centrifugal brake for rotation of the centrifugal brake with the spool.

Abstract: An emergency evacuation device includes a housing enclosing a mounting structure. A spool assembly is mounted on the mounting structure within the housing, the spool assembly includes a rotatably mounted spool designed to receive a length of high tensile strength line. First and second centrifugal brakes are coupled to opposite sides of the spool for rotation with the spool and are constructed to maintain a rotation speed of the spool at a predetermined speed. A pair of spring biased locking pins are positioned adjacent opposite sides of the spool, each having a spool locking position and a spool unlocked position. A pair of handles is positioned to engage the locking pins and move them into the locking position when the handles are moved into a collapsed orientation and to disengage the locking pins when the handles are moved into an extended orientation.