NCJ Number
69861
Date Published
1978
Length
26 pages
Annotation
The seminar, sponsored by the US Fire Administration Federal Facilities Design Standards Task Group, dealt with the issue of balancing security and fire safety needs and fire loss management.
Abstract
Nine speakers presented slides, drawings, and information on: (1) the questions of exits and the time it takes for people to leave a building to get to safety; (2) the question of whether to lock doors to prevent unlawful entry into a building or to leave the doors to permit rapid exit during a fire disaster; and (3) a discussion of life safety and building fire codes. Equipment used by the Army for physical security of buildings was examined such as padlocks, combination locks, and electro-mechanical, cypher locking, and recess locking devices. The speakers presented the basic technology common to most systems now operating or being installed in Federal Buildings under GSA control and discussed the neeeds for better guidelines and standards for the application of electric strikes. They also discussed the necessity for security and safety people to work together to develop future fire and security systems. Other topics included the use of an electric retractable bolt-type latch which would allow for both safety and security precautions, and the development of standards to provide a reasonable balance between security and fire prevention needs.