Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Fire alarm in a public building: How do people evaluate information and choose evacuation exit?

Benthorn, Lars and Frantzich, Håkan LU (1996) In LUTVDG/TVBB--3082--SE
Abstract
How people react on fire alarm have been studied in retrospect as well as in experiments. In the present study, the choice of exit was examined with respect to the distance to exits and open or closed emergency exit. The second part covers the question on how the subjects think and react in a situation having a small fire in the escape route. The third part deals with some communication aspects regarding identification of signs. It is shown that the subjects prefer a familiar ordinary cash exit even if the distance is

longer to that exit than to the nearest emergency exit. However, if the emergency exit is open and the subjects can see the outside, the attractiveness becomes much higher for the emergency exit and most of the... (More)
How people react on fire alarm have been studied in retrospect as well as in experiments. In the present study, the choice of exit was examined with respect to the distance to exits and open or closed emergency exit. The second part covers the question on how the subjects think and react in a situation having a small fire in the escape route. The third part deals with some communication aspects regarding identification of signs. It is shown that the subjects prefer a familiar ordinary cash exit even if the distance is

longer to that exit than to the nearest emergency exit. However, if the emergency exit is open and the subjects can see the outside, the attractiveness becomes much higher for the emergency exit and most of the subjects choose the emergency exit.



The identification of alarm using a ring signal perceives often as a general warning or some kind of a conventional ring-signal such as telephone or school ring signal, and it is more seldom perceived as an evacuation signal. A spoken message, on the other hand, has a great impact on understanding what to do and gives a better and more appropriate behaviour for the evacuation of the building. The understanding of signs, important in a fire evacuation situation, is very good for signs such as emergency exit but rather low for signs not so frequently used, such as a sign for radioactive material. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Personers reaktioner har studerats genom experimentella studier samt i genomgång av litteraturen. I denna undersökning har valet av utrymningsväg vid en simulerad brand studerats utifrån olika förutsättningar vad avser avstånd till utrymningsvägen och om dörren var öppen eller stängd. En andra del i försöket studerade hur personer reagerade och uppfattade situationen om en liten brand befann sig mellan personen och utrymningsvägen. Den tredje delen behandlade hur personer uppfattar varningsskyltar och utrymningsskyltar.



Försöken visar att personer i hög utsträckning väljer utrymningsvägar som är välkända framför okända. Det gäller även om avståndet till den välkända utgången är längre än till den okända. Om den okända... (More)
Personers reaktioner har studerats genom experimentella studier samt i genomgång av litteraturen. I denna undersökning har valet av utrymningsväg vid en simulerad brand studerats utifrån olika förutsättningar vad avser avstånd till utrymningsvägen och om dörren var öppen eller stängd. En andra del i försöket studerade hur personer reagerade och uppfattade situationen om en liten brand befann sig mellan personen och utrymningsvägen. Den tredje delen behandlade hur personer uppfattar varningsskyltar och utrymningsskyltar.



Försöken visar att personer i hög utsträckning väljer utrymningsvägar som är välkända framför okända. Det gäller även om avståndet till den välkända utgången är längre än till den okända. Om den okända utgången är öppen så det är möjligt att se ut, väljs den framför den kända utgången.



En ringsignal som används för att varna för brand uppfattas ofta som en mer allmän varning. Ett talat meddelande ger ett större intryck på personerna och leder till mer rationellt handlande. Förståelsen av skyltar som används för att markera utrymningsväg är mycket god. Mindre frekventa skyltar är svårare att ge en korrekt betydelse av. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Book/Report
publication status
published
subject
keywords
fire alarm, signs, decision making, evaluation, risk perception, emotions, feelings, evacuation, Fire, distance to exit, exit choice
in
LUTVDG/TVBB--3082--SE
pages
36 pages
publisher
Department of Fire Safety Engineering and Systems Safety, Lund University
report number
3082
ISSN
1102-8246
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
162d493c-815f-4abc-b65e-44da89fe1641 (old id 526252)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:52:49
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:44:56
@techreport{162d493c-815f-4abc-b65e-44da89fe1641,
  abstract     = {{How people react on fire alarm have been studied in retrospect as well as in experiments. In the present study, the choice of exit was examined with respect to the distance to exits and open or closed emergency exit. The second part covers the question on how the subjects think and react in a situation having a small fire in the escape route. The third part deals with some communication aspects regarding identification of signs. It is shown that the subjects prefer a familiar ordinary cash exit even if the distance is<br/><br>
longer to that exit than to the nearest emergency exit. However, if the emergency exit is open and the subjects can see the outside, the attractiveness becomes much higher for the emergency exit and most of the subjects choose the emergency exit.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The identification of alarm using a ring signal perceives often as a general warning or some kind of a conventional ring-signal such as telephone or school ring signal, and it is more seldom perceived as an evacuation signal. A spoken message, on the other hand, has a great impact on understanding what to do and gives a better and more appropriate behaviour for the evacuation of the building. The understanding of signs, important in a fire evacuation situation, is very good for signs such as emergency exit but rather low for signs not so frequently used, such as a sign for radioactive material.}},
  author       = {{Benthorn, Lars and Frantzich, Håkan}},
  institution  = {{Department of Fire Safety Engineering and Systems Safety, Lund University}},
  issn         = {{1102-8246}},
  keywords     = {{fire alarm; signs; decision making; evaluation; risk perception; emotions; feelings; evacuation; Fire; distance to exit; exit choice}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3082}},
  series       = {{LUTVDG/TVBB--3082--SE}},
  title        = {{Fire alarm in a public building: How do people evaluate information and choose evacuation exit?}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4807752/1266620}},
  year         = {{1996}},
}