Fire escape

Abstract: A device for projecting an escape path to direct evacuation from a fire includes a plurality of laser diode projectors secured within a housing and aimed to project successive rays or images along a predetermined escape path. The images may comprise arrow indicators, graphics, or alphanumeric indicators. The laser beams are emitted through the same window in the housing to minimize heat infiltration into the housing. The laser diodes are triggered by an alarm condition, such as direct actuation by a smoke sensor, IR detector, or the like, or secondary actuation in response to the audio alarm signal of a primary fire alarm. For actuation by a primary alarm system, a microphone input is amplified and fed to a microprocessor. The microprocessor is programmed to digitally filter and process the signal to determine the presence of a primary alarm signal, and actuate a fire escape path illuminating module. The audio pickup includes a pair of microphones spaced apart approximately one-half wavelength of the primary alarm signal to avoid acoustic standing wave problems, the microphones switching periodically to acquire the best signal. The microprocessor operates in a low power mode, and activates only when the microphone signal exceeds a predetermined level. A housing for the system is mounted in the opposed arms of a C-shaped bracket, so that the housing may rotate (yaw) through a large angle and tilt (pitch) through an angular range to orient the projection of the fire escape path indicators.

Abstract: The way-finding behaviour and response during a fire emergency in a virtual environment (VE) was experimentally investigated. Forty participants, divided into two groups, were required to find the emergency exit as soon as possible in a virtual hotel building because of a fire escape demand under condition 1 (VE without virtual fire, control group) and condition 2 (VE with virtual fire, treatment group). Compared to the control group, the treatment group induced significantly higher skin conductivity and heart rate, experienced more stress, took longer time to notice the evacuation signs, had quicker visual search and had a longer escape time to find the exit. These results indicated that the treatment condition induced higher physiological and psychological stress, and had influenced the escape behaviour compared to the control group. In practice, fire evacuation education and fire evacuation system design should consider the response characteristics in a fire emergency.

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to estimate (1) the proportion of US homes with installed smoke alarms and fire escape plans, and (2) the frequency of testing home smoke alarms and of practicing the fire escape plans METHODS: The authors analyzed data on smoke alarms and fire escape plans from a national cross-sectional random-digit dialed telephone survey of 9,684 households RESULTS: Ninety-five percent of surveyed households reported at least one installed smoke alarm and 52% had a fire escape plan The prevalence of alarms varied by educational level, income, and the presence of a child in the home Only 15% tested their alarms once a month and only 16% of homes with an escape plan reported practicing it every six months CONCLUSION: While smoke alarm prevalence in US homes is high, only half of homes have a fire escape plan Additional emphasis is needed on testing of installed smoke alarms and on preparedness for fire escape plans Language: en