Anna Connelly

Anna Connelly was an American woman who lived from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century in Pennsylvania. She was the inventor of the predecessor of the modern outdoor fire escape; her invention saved lives, causing it to become a safety component in modern buildings. In addition, she was one of the first women in the US to submit a patent application without any assistance from a man. Connelly made contributions to fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Context Between 1870 and 1920, approximately 11 million Americans migrated from rural to urban regions, and an additional 25 million immigrants, mostly from Europe, moved to the United States. This migration fueled the expansion of American cities such as New York and Philadelphia, resulting in the development of taller and more crowded buildings. This expansion was driven by industrialization, which had started in the country with influence from England. While it led to economic growth and development, it also raised urban planning, public health, and safety concerns; the safety concerns regarded fire hazards in particular. At the time, there were complications with the construction and usage of fire escapes, which were primarily ladders or ropes tied to the sides of buildings. As a result, the risk of fires became a larger concern for the safety of those living and working in cities.

Fire escape In 1860, a fire occurred in New York City due to a fire in a bakery that was able to reach the homes above it, which had families inside. To prevent similar events, in 1870, a law regarding fire safety was passed; the law stated that "fireproof balconies have to be connected by fireproof stairs", which would increase costs for landowners. Connelly was aware of fire safety issues and the legislation, so she decided to invent a different solution, which was a fire escape design that could be adopted by more landowners to increase building safety in cities.

Connelly's device was patented in August 1887 (No. 386,816A).