Would you have jumped?

I’m not going to get into the debate on whether people jumped willingly or were forced out by the heat of the flames. In this scenario I am just going to ask what you would do if you had been in the towers that day.

Would you have sat there in the hope that you pass out from smoke inhalation before the fire reaches you or would you have jumped?

Personally... I don’t think I could have jumped - Though it’s hard to say as I have never been faced with that choice and hopefully never will.

Asking this question as I came across a photo online today taken from the top of the towers looking down and Jesus it was so high, imagine jumping *shudder* they must have been absolutely out of their minds with fear.

a reply to: fusiondoe

I think it was more of people realizing they were not going to be rescued or get out alive and so they were faced with 2 choices - Jump to your death or burn alive.

I think this is one of those questions that cant realistically be answered unless directly faced with the choice.

Well seeing as I'm either going to be burned or crushed i'd rather take the drop than deal with unnecessary pain.
I'd make phone calls to loved ones if I can and stay by the window yelling for help as long as I can.
I don't think people would've been willing to stand near the bottom though.

I would have climbed higher expecting the fire system to do its job, also wouldn't have expected the building to collapse either

I’d probably had jumped as well.
Just close my eyes, lean back and let god do the rest.

a reply to: fusiondoe

I can't imagine what I really would do. I can guess logically I would have been doing my best to escape but if trapped and the flames burning heat reached unbearable...I would leap for a quicker and momentarily cooler death.

I don't think I could have jumped. Smoke inhalation and unconsciousness seem preferable to me.

a reply to: fusiondoe

I think if fire and heat gets on or near you bad and your not fastened down most anyone would go anywhere they can to get away from it. I'm not saying I would have jumped but that last minute free fall would feel a lot better than that fire. Free falling you'd be like oh this aint so bad after al....Whopp! Game over!

a reply to: fusiondoe

I would have jumped rather than being burned alive. It is an irrational fear of mine.

Although we have witches in the family tree, so possibly it is a genetic fear...

I have an irrational fear of drowning as well.

Although I've never had a fear of being stoned to death.... LOL

Of the two crap choices, I would have to do the leap.

~shrug~

a reply to: Lumenari

I don't consider fear of burning to death to be irrational, I don't know what I would of done, really tough call.

originally posted by: vonclod
a reply to: Lumenari

I don't consider fear of burning to death to be irrational, I don't know what I would of done, really tough call.

I mean that sometimes I dream about it.

But yea... tough call either way.... blah.

a reply to: Lumenari

Ahh, not a nice thing to dream about..sleep tight

Have you ever seen someone burned to death? I would have swan dived out that mofo if it became clear rescue was not happening.

Faced with being incinerated while fully conscious and no other avenue of escaping it I'd be making the leap. That's assuming I still had the ability and strength to smash through the hurricane rated window in order to do so which I suspect the majority of those trapped did not (smoke, heat, panic).

But the thing is, people who "die in a fire" usually die of smoke inhalation. they're dead before they get burned.

I don't think most actually made the choice to leap to there inevitable death. I believe most that jumped we fleeing the burning hotness. When adrenaline kicks in and fight or flight animal instincts are more apt to take control. Being faced with something so unexpected and random the time allotted to make choices we slim to none. May those that were genuinely good people rest in peace and their loved ones find peace in dealing with the day they so needlessly and unfairly lost the ones they loved.

a reply to: fusiondoe

I would have jumped. No questions asked. Most people will die from a massive heart attack shortly after jumping from such great heights.

a reply to: Trucker1

id be thinking, oh crap this was a terrible mistake this is gonna hurt like he... SPLAT

originally posted by: schuyler
But the thing is, people who "die in a fire" usually die of smoke inhalation. they're dead before they get burned.

And it is often said that people who fall from great heights die before they touch the ground. Not sure how common that is, though.

On 9/11, witnesses who watched the jumpers from neighbouring buildings described them as virtually disintegrating upon impact - a mercifully instantaneous demise, then, and infinitely preferable to burning alive.

On a side note, a horribly moving aspect was some groups of victims deciding to jump together. The 2011 FOIA releases of multiple footage from various sources thankfully did not include surviving CCTV close-ups, and what WAS eventually shown was incredibly emotional as anonymous people seemed to fall in their droves at certain points like ants - a spectacle dropped from initial news broadcasts. It's an aspect I'd regard as crucial (so long as the victims are unidentifiable and impacts are not shown) to completing the Human story rather than repeating footage of collapsing towers - which some news stations played on a loop as if 'excited' at the disaster movie-style imagery. Which I found quite offensive after a while.

Sorry, I went off on a slight tangent there.

Was in a basement fire as a kid, got 3rd degree burns on both my legs, the pain is immense recovery is long term and your damaged nerve endings scream constantly till they heal. Im pretty sure Id try every option to escape, but if the fire was closing in and was momentarily away from burning yea Id jump.