If you've read my ops you'll know that I use fire escapes all the time. They're useful for all kinds of stuff, I use them to get onto roofs and rooflets mostly but you can get at windows, and adjacent buildings as well. I'm going to explain what I can from my experience on fire escapes.
TYPES OF FIRE ESCAPES
Fire Escapes vary from one to another, it's possible to see all kinds of combinations of different sections. Let's start from the bottom up. There are basically four types of bottom sections are the kinds with suspended ladders, the kind with grounded ladders, the kinds with stairs that fold down and the kind with stairs that stay down, you might also run into some weird other kinds (like the ones that won't let you escape during a fire due to a lack of stairs or ladders).
Most fire escapes don't differ too much when it come to the middle part, most have stairs and platforms set up like a Z like in the pic, but some have spiral staircases or are shaped into squares, but they're less common.
The top section of the fire escape is my favorite part, it's the part that gets you onto the roof. It's usually a ladder, a hook ladder (one that hooks onto the top of the building) or the easiest kind, some stairs with a platform. The worst kind of top section is no top section. A lot of buildings with multiple fire escapes have no top section on the fire escapes that are facing the street and require you to go around back (usually into an alley or yard) to get onto the roof.
Every now and then you run into some strange fire escapes like a ladder cage with platforms on the side or something like that, but for the most part you'll run into some combination of the sections I've described here. Here's the good part, using fire escapes.
ACCESSING FIRE ESCAPES
The easiest types of fire escapes to access are those where the ladder or stairs are on ground level so you can just walk up to them and start going up.
The kind I started with are the kind where the bottom section is a hanging ladder, just check that the ladder is attached by a hook or something and either jump or wallrun and grab the bottom rung, stay close to the wall so that the ladder doesn't shake, make noise and so that you don't make a huge silhouette. Just climb up until you can get to the middle section platforms.
The kind where the stairs are held up with a counter weight are a bit trickier. You can wallrun or climb up to the middle section and avoid the hassle of the stairs altogether, but if for some reason you can reach the stairs but not the middle section, or if you're with nubs who need to take the stairs (tsk tsk) then it's possible to get the stairs down. It's doable but probably loud, but some weight on the stairs will have them at ground level in no time, if you can't reach use a rope or pole or something to pull it down, try and go slow to keep it quiet and to make sure you aren't under it when it gets close to the ground. Getting it back up is something I've never had to do so I can't help you there...
Regardless of the type of lower section you might wanna climb up nearby stuff or a wall instead of the lower section and get straight to the middle section (maybe the ladder is missing, the stairs look like they're gonna break or something), this is a great time to use AC cages window bars and other stuff on the building that can hold your weight. Also most aren't too high so some two person techniques should be able to get you up. Some fire escapes are low enough that you can just jump or reach up and get straight to the middle section.
ONCE YOU'RE ON
Ok so you're on the fire escape, now what? Well you probably don't want to get caught so here's a tip on windows; if the lights are on and it's dark out, then the people on the inside will have a harder time seeing outside because of how reflective the window will be. If it's dark inside and outside then they can out the window just fine, and if it's daytime and it's dark inside you'll have trouble seeing inside.
It's easiest to just dodge windows in general especially if you think people will be up while you're on their fire escapes, just crawl low enough to be invisible to people inside, or climb straight from the middle of the staircase to the middle of the next platform and vice versa, this is a good way to avoid passing in from of windows at the ends of the platform.
Moving on a fire escape isn't tough work. Just walk soft and you shouldn't be too loud. Watch out for rust spots and loose slats and you'll be silent. Climbing around shouldn't be much of a problem either, but you should still test your weight before committing it all to a railing or ladder.
You don't wanna spend too much time on the fire escape (as fun as it is), because that'll get you caught or seen or something else that's equally bad. However if you do think you're going to get seen the one reliable way of hiding I've come up with for fire escapes is going prone on the platforms, your dark clothes should help you blend with the fire escape (they're usually black, or maroon or some other dark color). Your best bet is to lay prone under a lit window so that anyone looking towards you loses their night vision. Either that or hide on the roof or ground if you think you have time to pull it off.
ROOFING IT
Well this part is easy most of the time. Grab the ladder and climb up until you can see the roof, look around, then get up there and enjoy the sight. Be sure to actually check the roof before you fully expose yourself to whatever may be on top of it, some people throw roof parties or you might run into taggers, cat burglars or some ninjas. You might deal with ladders that have covers, these can't do shit to really stop you. Grab the top and climb up and the cover then the ladder. If the top is spiked you can grab the sides and climb up that way, just be sure to wear thick shoes to step on the spikes or flexible legs to reach the first uncovered rung with your foot. You shouldn't really worry about ladder covers though, most of the time they will not be there, and half the time that they are there they're unlocked so you can just swing it off the ladder and put it back with your foot after you pass it.
That's it so far, I might add to this if i think of more stuff. Hope this helps people get to windows and roofs. Good Opping
