Hannah Hattaway
Columbia Southern University
Mr. Carl DeCarlo
Unit VIII Journal September 26, 2023
I personally have never been in a situation where smoke was present in a building, but I do know a bunch of firefighters that have been in this situation many times. After reading the Unit VIII Study Guide and Chapter 8, I would highly recommend a place with occupancy establish a smoke management system. Even though a fire maybe be contained in one area, smoke can travel very easily through different avenues like:
Cracks in the walls
Ducts
Open doors
Vertical shafts
Pipe penetrations
HVAC systems
History has proven that smoke management systems are necessary due to the large number of theater fires that happened in the 19
th
century and early 20
th
century, resulting in hundreds of unnecessary fatalities. Some of the main purposes of a smoke management system are as follows:
Reduce occupancy death and injuries
Aids in the safety for firefighters
Reduction of property loss
Safe escape routes and refuge Smoke management systems are designed to slow the migration of smoke from the area on fire and to help maintain an environment clear in the area of egress for occupants to evacuate safely and quickly. Also, help firefighters in their search and rescue operations, as well as signal emergency personnel where
the fire is located and controlling it. Smoke management and control systems are a necessity for prevention of property loss but also for life saving purposes for both occupants and firefighters.
