In January 2009, the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) in the United States approved the use of “Supplemental Evacuation Technology” in high rise buildings to assist in rapid escape in an emergency. NFPA also approved the use of Supplemental Evacuation Technology in official and/or mandatory Evacuation Plans.

Supplemental Evacuation provide redundancy and survivability into the building evacuation system; alleviating problems related to building evacuation in emergency situations; increase the efficiency with which people may be evacuated during catastrophic situations; and prevent entrapment.