Abstract: In the event of fire, a telescoping pole is transported, by means of a hoist, from a stored location within a building to a sleeve permanently mounted on a balcony or near a window. The pole is inserted into the sleeve and telescoped to its full extended position. A trolley is mounted on this pole. The user straps himself in a seat, attaches the seat to the trolley, and suspends himself from the pole. Using a hand-over-hand motion, the user propels himself away from the building to the end of the pole where he may be rescued by firemen.In a second embodiment, the pole is telescopingly mounted and permanently stored in the sleeve, thereby eliminating the need to transport the pole. The sleeve is pivotally mounted on a stand for rotation about a vertical axis and the pole, when stored therein, is interior to the side of the building. In the event of fire, the user manipulates the pole by rotating it to a position which permits it to be telescopingly extended away from the side of the building.