System and apparatus for personal high altitude rappel escape safety device

A personal, lightweight, high altitude rappel escape safety device is worn by an individual as a backpack and provides a safe means of lowering the individual from an elevated structure. The device comprises a structural body containing a mechanical device for slowly releasing a high strength cable. One end of the cable is secured to the structure prior to the user descending from the structure. The cable is released from a spool located inside the body and makes a circuitous path though a frictional structure. The structure contains baffles through which the cable extends. The friction caused by the pattern of release of the cable generates sufficient drag to safely lower a person from any altitude in a structure to the ground. The rate of descent may be adjusted via a braking mechanism.