Did you know that modern fire escapes owe their existence to a woman? At a time before women were allowed to vote or even work outside the home, Anna Connelly was one of the first women to submit an idea to the patent office. The first steel exterior staircase, the predecessor of the modern fire escape, was patented by an American inventor named Anna Connelly. She was one of the first women to register a patent for an invention after the Civil War when women were finally allowed to file patents for themselves.  Connelly’s design was a revolutionary way to make buildings safer by adding an exterior staircase with platforms between levels that prevented people from falling several stories down a flight of stairs in the panic of an emergency. This design also enabled firefighters to more effectively target fires by allowing them to haul water to specific areas of the structure, which decreased the personal risk to the firefighters and allowed them to battle the blaze more quickly. Connelly’s design was also a very cost-effective strategy for improving public safety. Because the staircases were added to the exterior of the building, there was no need for costly building remodeling. Her invention led to the first building codes in New York City requiring a second means of egress for people to escape buildings in an emergency. Anna Connelly, one of America’s first female inventors, is directly responsible for saving the lives of thousands of people for nearly 150 years. East Coast Fire Escapes continues to preserve and protect these historic structures as well as protecting public safety. Having your fire escape inspected is the first step in safeguarding your building. SOURCE https://www.eastcoastfireescapes.com/fire-escapes-and-eminism-the-irst-ire-escape-invented-by-a-woman/#.YH1zMehKj3Q