Spearpoint, Michael, Templeton, Anne, Gwynne, Steve ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2758-3897, Nash, Claire, Xie, Hui ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1019-2168 and Kimball, Amanda (2025) Evaluating guidance on fire evacuation from high‑rise residential buildings using Dr Rita Fahy’s research. Fire Technology. ISSN 0015-2684 (Print), 1572-8099 (Online) (doi:10.1007/s10694-025-01756-4)

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Abstract

This paper acknowledges the influence of Dr Rita Fahy’s life’s work on a research project to evaluate fire evacuation guidance from high-rise residential buildings. It compares the application of agent-based simulations with Rita’s publications into pre-evacuation delay times. Her observed bi-modal distribution shape aligns with an approach to modelling pre-evacuation time as a series of component elements. The paper shows where Rita’s work on discrediting the notion of ‘panic’ is further supported by recent surveys and interviews of high-rise residential building residents. Similar to Rita’s findings in which an average of 61% of those in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing would seek information as one of their actions, a key finding is that around 50% of the survey respondents indicated they would likely or very likely seek information from others. The paper describes Rita’s advancement of the EXIT89 network modelling tool and where her work has been used to assess the capability of an alternative model. A comparison is made between EXIT89 simulations with two other tools. A focus on wheelchair users examines Rita’s findings on expected population proportions and movement speeds. Simulation of total evacuation time with varying wheelchair user ratios shows EXIT89 generally predicts shorter times.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	pre-evacuation, simulations, decision-making, disabilities
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management Q Science > Q Science (General) Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences (CMS)
Last Modified:	06 Jun 2025 10:19
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/50636

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