A safety equipment deployment system includes a sensor for receiving input, circuitry for determining whether the input satisfies a time pattern requirement and, responsive to determining satisfaction of the time pattern requirement, triggering release of safety equipment. The safety equipment can include a foldable ladder fixed to a stanchion. The safety equipment can include a device attached to a cord that extends from a bobbin below deck, through a hollow stanchion, and out a top end of the stanchion. A safety deployment system of a marine ship includes a switch operable exteriorly of the ship hull and below deck, for triggering release of safety equipment to be extended exteriorly of the hull to at least as low as the waterline