escape routes
Ways out available
Escape routes are paths out of dangerous situations.
The term applies literally to exits from buildings during fires or emergencies, and to corridors through which people flee conflict zones.
Figuratively, an escape route is any way out of an undesirable commitment or circumstance: She left herself an escape route in case the deal went bad.
Preplanned departure method
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- backup planAlternative if primary fails
- detourAlternate path around obstruction
- bypassRoute that skirts obstacles
workaround · loophole · backdoor · Plan B · failsafe · redundancy · bolt-hole · safe house
Designated escape route
- exit signMarker showing the way out
- panic barEmergency exit release mechanism
- emergency lightingBackup illumination during outages
- stairwellEnclosed vertical passage for stairs
egress · lifeboat · smoke hood · muster point · assembly area · emergency door · roof access · tunnel
Mass departure from somewhere
- flightAerial journey by aircraft
- withdrawalAct of taking away
- departureAct of going away
- egressMeans of departure
humanitarian corridor · airlift · sealift · evacuation zone · getaway · border crossing · safe passage · relocation
Access route for repairs
- ventilation shaftPassage for air exchange
- back stairsPrivate secondary staircase
- fire doorFlame-resistant building partition
- crash barDoor-opening push mechanism
skylight · roof hatch · cellar door · loading dock · freight elevator · dumbwaiter · crawl space · window well
Act of escaping detection
- exfiltrationCovert withdrawal of people/data
- perimeter breachUnauthorized crossing of boundary
- fence lineEdge marked by posts
- dead zoneArea lacking signal coverage
concealment · camouflage · decoy · diversion · ratline · waypoint · drop zone
exit strategy
Preplanned departure method
- fallbackAlternative if primary fails
- backup planAlternative if primary fails
- detourAlternate path around obstruction
bypass · workaround · loophole · backdoor · Plan B · failsafe · redundancy · bolt-hole · safe house · dead drop
fire exit
Designated escape route
- exit signMarker showing the way out
- panic barEmergency exit release mechanism
- emergency lightingBackup illumination during outages
stairwell · egress · lifeboat · smoke hood · muster point · assembly area · emergency door · roof access · tunnel · hatch
exodus
Mass departure from somewhere
- flightAerial journey by aircraft
- withdrawalAct of taking away
- departureAct of going away
egress · humanitarian corridor · airlift · sealift · evacuation zone · getaway · border crossing · safe passage · relocation · displacement
maintenance tunnel
Access route for repairs
- ventilation shaftPassage for air exchange
- back stairsPrivate secondary staircase
- fire doorFlame-resistant building partition
crash bar · skylight · roof hatch · cellar door · loading dock · freight elevator · dumbwaiter · crawl space · window well
evasion
Act of escaping detection
- exfiltrationCovert withdrawal of people/data
- perimeter breachUnauthorized crossing of boundary
- fence lineEdge marked by posts
dead zone · concealment · camouflage · decoy · diversion · ratline · waypoint · drop zone
- Slavery EscapeUnderground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, runaways, fugitives
- child safetychild safety, childproofing, car seats, seat belts, booster seats
- public safetypolice, 911, ambulance, fire department, firefighters
- disaster preparednessemergency kit, evacuation plans, evacuation plan, early warning systems, storm shelter
- emergency exitsfire exits, emergency exits, exit signs, fire doors, service stairs
- fire safetyfire alarms, fire drill, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, fire drills
escape routesentry points
Access locations or openings
entrances · arrival gates · front doors · reception areas · loading docks
escape routesdead ends
Routes with no exit
traps · cul-de-sacs · blind alleys · impasses · holding cells
escape, route, escaped, escapes, routed, escaping, escapade, escapism, inescapable