Volume 3, No. 6 June 2024 (1284-1299)
p-ISSN
2980-4868 | e-ISSN 2980-4841
https://ajesh.ph/index.php/gp
Literature Review:
Human Behaviour and Evacuation Fire System
Endang Suparto¹*, Dadan Erwandi²
1,2Universitas Indonesia, Depok, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia
Email: ndangsuparto@gmail.com1*, dadan@ui.ac.id2
ABSTRACT
Human behavior during
fire emergencies significantly influences evacuation processes and overall
safety outcomes. This literature review synthesizes findings from various
research journals to explore the complexities of human behavior and evacuation
dynamics in fire incidents. Key factors such as decision-making, evacuation
timelines, and the impact of environmental factors on evacuation efficiency are
examined. The study underscores the critical role of understanding human
behavior in formulating effective fire safety strategies, particularly in
residential settings where behavioral responses differ from those in public,
commercial, or industrial spaces. Insights from this review emphasize the need
for further research into the interplay between spatial planning, demographic
factors, and infrastructure in optimizing evacuation procedures for enhanced
fire safety in urban environments.
Keywords: Human Behavior, Fire, Fire Evacuation.
During a
building fire, prompt decision-making and swift evacuation are paramount for
ensuring safety (Ortiz et al., 2023). Consequences arising
from the propagation of fire dangers, including radiation, heat levels, harmful
fumes, and indoor visibility (Feng et al., 2023)
The
behavior of people during fires in public, commercial, and industrial spaces is
a common concern, but residential fires receive only limited attention. The
behavior and motivation of experiencing a fire in a residence directly by the
fire service will be better at increasing survival rates and reducing the
number and severity of injuries resulting from accidental residential fires.
They will be quick to respond and investigate fire clues (but without needing
to realize that the clues indicate a fire), enter the room or area where the
fire is located, try to contain the fire, be forced out of the area where the
fire originated, and then choose to call 999 when they realize that their own
efforts are not working and further assistance is needed (Wales, David. Frank, 2013).
Fire regulations and standards generally do not clearly outline
presumptions regarding human conduct, leaving the fundamental conceptual
frameworks ambiguous. Nevertheless, these guidelines allude to typical
fire-related human behaviors that warrant
consideration and imply potential evacuation responses (Daniel J. O’Connor et al., 2019). Fire regulations and guidelines offer a set of fundamental
criteria to attain a specific standard of fire protection across various
structures and residences (Daniel J. O’Connor et al., 2019). Fire
poses a danger within residential settings due to its intricate mechanisms
involving heat, smoke, and chemical reactions. Understanding these elements
aids in assessing and enhancing fire safety measures, as depicted by the
familiar fire triangle, which emphasizes the necessity of oxygen, fuel, and
heat for fires to ignite (Gales et al., 2017).
Figure 1. Building fire emergency
timeline that displays an example of a building (Daniel J. O’Connor et al., 2019)
The
timeline model forms the foundation for how people respond to fire evacuation
systems in buildings. Typically, these timelines outline the steps individuals
take when they become aware of a fire emergency, including the cognitive and
social processes they undergo as they make their way to safety (Daniel J. O’Connor et al., 2019). A
behavioral timeline can be used to describe actions taken during an evacuation (Ronchi, 2021). The development of the
timeline is to determine whether the individual can or cannot arrive at a safe
place (Daniel J. O’Connor et al., 2019). When a
fire occurs, to ensure safety, the RSET (required safe exit time) must be less
than the ASSET (safe exit time available)(Mu et al., 2013).
The study
aims to investigate how individuals respond to fire emergencies in residential
environments, exploring their decision-making processes and evacuation behaviors.
By developing a behavioral timeline specific to residential fires, the study
seeks to improve understanding of evacuation dynamics and potentially enhance
fire safety protocols in homes.
This type of
research is a literature review, where the information used in this study comes
for several research journals published through Science Direct, Pubmed, and Garuda. The material analyzed is human behavior
in fire and evacuation at the time of fire.
Table 1. Results
Discussion
Human
behavior at the time of fire
In the event of a
fire, human actions typically encompass five key elements: remaining still,
putting out the flames, alerting others, gathering additional details, and
evacuating the area (Mu et al., 2013). Analysis of human
behavior preceding evacuation during a fire involves understanding
psychological aspects such as risk perception and decision-making, alongside
factors like psychological deviation and cultural context (Mu et al., 2013).
According to (Gerges, Michael. Mayouf, Mohammad.
Rumley, Peter. Moore, 2017), Regarding respondents'
knowledge and experience of fire, it was found that 42% had previous experience
(1-2 years ago) in fire situations and 7% had similar but much longer
experience (5 years or more) while 34% of respondents had no direct knowledge
or experience related to fire
By (Daniel J. O’Connor et al., 2019) Gender serves as a
significant factor in determining responses to fire, with women demonstrating a
higher tendency to issue warnings, alert others, and evacuate. Cultural
influences are presumed to shape social connections, roles, and duties,
potentially impacting behaviors during emergencies. Age-related disparities in
evacuation capabilities are foreseeable and necessitate consideration,
particularly given the aging demographic trend and its implications for
evacuation planning. It is crucial to categorize anticipated performance
variations into sensory, decision-making, and physical action domains,
encompassing factors like mobility and reaction time. These aspects are likely
to impact all stages of evacuation, from initial awareness to movement within
the structure and decision-making en route.
Furthermore, age is likely to affect walking speed and resilience to
fire-related hazards, with the very young and elderly individuals in poor
health being particularly vulnerable to smoke and heat-induced impairments (Daniel J. O’Connor et al., 2019)
Based on research
conducted (Karemaker et al., 2022),
The first shows that the average respondent reported safe behavior towards
fires while at home. The action specifically does not connect the extension
sockets to each other and cleans the filter dryer fibers. Secondly, the
research indicated a robust affirmative relationship between the perception of
controlling behavior, attitude, and efficacy of response. Additional
determinants within social cognition, like norms, obstacles, and perceptions of
risk, demonstrated moderate associations with intent, while severity and
vulnerability displayed weaker correlations. Linear regression analysis
highlighted that perceived control over behavior, attitudes, and normative
efficacy significantly aid in forecasting general intentions toward fire
safety.
Based on research
conducted (Ortiz et al., 2023), Of the 1,807 respondents between the ages of 18
and 76 who participated in the experiment, a mean of 47.88 and a standard
deviation of 16.13 were obtained. The target population consisted of
individuals representing Spanish residents according to gender and age who
noted that they were not yet familiar with building alarm signals. Safety in the occurrence of fires depends on
the effectiveness of choosing the right evacuation route (Bernardini et al., 2023). Therefore, a
study that aimed to compare the efficiency of early warning systems involving
more than 70 respondents showed the dangers of passive EWS received higher
ratings and support in direction selection, while active EWS was more
effective.
Based on research
conducted (Kinateder et al., 2014),
vacating the smoke-filled tunnel requires quick decision-making and action from
the tunnel occupants. Technical systems like emergency signs in tunnels are
designed to direct people to the closest emergency exit. However, when other
tunnel occupants behave differently, it can lead to conflicting information. In
a study involving forty participants exposed to smoke-filled virtual reality
tunnels, various forms of social influence were observed. In the control
scenario, participants were alone in the tunnel, while in experimental
scenarios, another individual was present. In scenarios without conflict, the
accompanying individuals moved towards the emergency exit. However, in
situations with active conflict, they moved away from it, and in passive
conflict situations, they remained inactive. Participants were less inclined to
head towards emergency exits in conflict situations compared to non-conflict
ones. Notably, in passive conflict scenarios, participants exhibited delayed
movement timings compared to other conditions and covered the longest distance.
According to (Samuelsson et al., 2023) Perceptions of
planning behavior, safety commitment, safety-specific positive feedback, and
leadership active listening behavior will be positively associated with
employee compliance, participation, and safety voice behaviors. Positive
relationships were found for all cross-sectional hypotheses: the degree to
which employees feel that their managers engage in planning behavior, safety
commitments, safety-specific positive feedback, and active listening behaviors.
Positively related to the extent to which employees engage in safety compliance
behaviors, participation, and sound behavior.
Based on research (Tawfik et al., 2023) It was discovered that
favorable evaluations of leadership conduct correlated significantly with
reduced emotional exhaustion, improved safety and cooperative environments,
decreased perception of workload, and decreased inclination to quit employment.
By (Karahalios, 2017),
Risk assessment is to improve firefighting plans, mathematically risk resulting
from likelihood and severity. Therefore, steps are needed to conduct a risk
analysis of existing accident reports to determine the likelihood of a fire,
assess the severity of each incident based on behavioral analysis, calculate
the total risk
According to (Yasemin et al., 2009) Social psychology
(i.e. environmental and social) and sociology (i.e. environmental) can improve
human behavior in fires which provides human behavioral benefits throughout the
timeline of fire events. Currently, human behavior in fires primarily focuses
on the disaster phase or response to building fires, but that focus misses significant periods of time occurring both before and
after a fire event
Based on analysis (Haghani et al., 2023)
Human behavior in Wildfire requires further exploration, namely with rapid
urbanization, the complexity of fire evacuation which must investigate the
influence of spatial planning, knowledge and experience of the community and
elements of transportation infrastructure on evacuation efficiency; deeper
exploration of cultural, socioeconomic norms and the needs of vulnerable
populations influencing evacuation behavior; harnessing the potential of
emerging technologies and approaches such as machines, monitoring systems
(sensors); decision-makers during fire emergencies.
Fire
evacuation system
The structure's
surroundings and how people respond during evacuations significantly impact how
smoothly evacuations proceed. The effectiveness of evacuations can be affected
by alterations in the building layout, contingent upon the evacuees' familiarity
with the surroundings and the accessibility of fire safety resources. (Tan et al., 2014)
The effectiveness
of evacuations differs greatly based on the level of danger posed by a fire,
highlighting the crucial need to reduce the time taken for pre-evacuation in
fire emergencies (Feng et al., 2023).
An understanding of
how individuals behave in the case of fire and fire evacuation is essential if
we align fire safety measures with the needs of occupants during the incident (Kobes et al., 2010).
The most crucial aspect of a building's safety in the face of fire is the
possibility of safe evacuation (Kobes et al., 2010).
Evacuation models in fire safety engineering operate on a performance basis,
just as pedestrian movement models are crafted to explore crowd dynamics, and
traffic models are tailored for optimizing traffic flow (Ronchi, 2021).
Fire safety
measures in skyscrapers necessitate unobstructed staircases for safe
evacuation, corridors outfitted with fire extinguishers, and elevators tailored
to facilitate evacuation. Regular inspections of fire safety apparatus within
buildings are imperative (smoke detectors and sprinklers) (Gerges, Michael. Mayouf, Mohammad.
Rumley, Peter. Moore, 2017)
Based on research
conducted (Sujatmiko et al., 2014)
at 33
respondents and compared them with results from computer simulation models
comparing ASET (available safe evacuation time) and RSET (required safe
evacuation time) showing that to meet life safety, buildings need appropriate
fire protection systems. The evacuation
speed during the experiment is in accordance with the simulation prediction. If
the occupants are walking normally, the evacuation time can be considered
because it includes the health condition of the occupants. Additional fire
protection, such as sprinklers, detection and alarm systems, and fire load
regulation, must be installed.
According to (Camillo et al., 2013) Every occurrence is shaped by circumstances that
existed prior and by preceding events. The sequence of events impacting the
progression of the fire unfolds as follows:
1.
Source of
combustion: This represents many sources of fire inside the vehicle.
2.
Fire
detection/Alarm: An automatic or manual alarm is activated when a fire occurs.
3.
Ventilation system:
The ventilation system can be stopped when detection is activated
4.
Fire containment
and suppression: methods to reduce the spread of fires or control fires.
5.
Strategy for
halting transportation: Upon activation of detection, the driver or control
center is tasked with determining the location for halting transport to ensure
the safe evacuation of passengers. In the event of an outdoor fire, transport
may cease immediately, whereas within a tunnel, it may be necessary to continue
transport to guide passengers to the designated evacuation point.
6.
Evacuation plan:
Once the detection system is triggered and fires are contained, passengers,
aided by staff, will determine life-saving actions tailored to the layout of
the transport. Certain transports offer designated safe areas, like neighboring
vehicles, providing a temporary refuge from fire until reaching the ultimate
safety destination.
Alternative
approaches can include building lifetime simulations that put fire evacuation
safety in the bigger picture, making it possible to consider the implications
of real fire threats and false alarms on evacuation decision-making (Ronchi, 2021).
Evacuation time is affected mainly
by walking time and to a lesser extent by pre-movement time. The average total
evacuation time was found to be 539 seconds in the case of unobtrusive smoke
and 695 seconds in the presence of disturbing smoke, compared to a value of 524
seconds found in the absence of smoke. The presence of
smoke affects the evacuation process by reducing walking speed, especially with
annoying fumes. Average walking speed is estimated to be reduced from 1.1 m/s
smokeless to 1.0 m/s with unobtrusive smoke, to 0.7 m/s in the presence of
disturbing smoke. The presence of an emergency ventilation system is able to control the development of smoke during a fire
partially. (Caliendo et al., 2012)
Factors
that determine fire response performance are fire, human, and building
characteristics. Knowledge of human behavior in the face of fires is essential
for providing appropriate policy measures for safe evacuation. The performance
of an emergency response depends on the environment in which a person is
located, the starting point for fire prevention measures requires the
interaction between human behavior and building characteristics (Kobes et al., 2010)
Enhanced
attention to human factors is necessary to guarantee sufficient infrastructure,
decision-making procedures, and safety protocols for evacuation. An analysis of
pedestrian and vehicle evacuations was conducted to assess how different
factors influence evacuees' actions across various stages of a fire incident. (Wang et al., 2021)
The design
strategy for developing an evacuation system design for subway stations with
elevators can be a cost-efficient evacuation strategy in many buildings or
facilities. However, there needs to be several steps that meet the needs of
evacuees, for example, 1) sound alerts containing information that elevators
can be used for evacuation in elevator lobbies, 2) systems in elevator lobbies
that indicate that elevators are operating and moving. Along with this,
knowledge in the field of human behavior and elevator evacuation is identified.
Specific areas to consider are 1) Exit options, 2) waiting times, 3) elevator
loads, and 4) social influences influence behavior (Mossberg et al., 2022)
Human
behavior during fires encompasses various responses: from staying put to
extinguishing flames, notifying others, seeking information, and evacuating.
This behavior is influenced by factors such as knowledge, experience, gender,
age, and cultural background. Social psychology and sociology contribute
significantly to understanding and improving these responses. As urbanization
accelerates, there is a growing need to explore the complexities of fire
evacuation, including how spatial planning, individual knowledge,
transportation infrastructure, and evacuation routes impact efficiency.
Evacuation behavior plays a critical role in evacuation performance, influenced
by factors like evacuees' knowledge levels and the accessibility of fire safety
facilities. Understanding pre-evacuation behavior provides insights into how
individuals react during fire emergencies. Ensuring fire safety in tall
buildings involves maintaining clear evacuation routes, equipping corridors
with extinguishers, and designing elevators suitable for evacuation purposes,
with regular checks on safety equipment like smoke detectors and sprinklers
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