An effective solution to the counter-flow issue is <br />a dedicated firefighting stairway. Codes in the <br />United Kingdom contain specifications for such fire- <br />fighting stairs, elevators, and intervening lobbies in <br />buildings of a certain height (Figure 2.23). Current <br />U.S. codes do not require dedicated stairways or <br />elevators. The disadvantages of dedicated firefight- <br />ing stairways include: cost, space, and the effort <br />needed to keep them clear and in operating order. <br />A solution to egress delays caused by either <br />counter-flow or total evacuation is to provide addi- <br />tional exit capacity by means of additional stairs or <br />widened stairs. Cost and space are also disadvan- <br />tages of this solution. <br />111.-1- 1 d;. CL1rnponeoIts of e <br />firrfighl!ng n4zifg <br />1' I <br />i /Z <br />(Fig. 2.23) Dedicated firefighting stairway/elevator <br />tower. © Crown Copyright 2000 Queen's Printer of <br />Acts of Parliament. <br />These issues currently remain unresolved in the <br />code community; however, a designer may <br />encounter these issues on projects for large, high- <br />security, or high-profile facilities. Further guidance <br />on the movement of people in buildings can be <br />found in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers' <br />publication, Human Behavior in Fire. <br />Considerations - Firefighter Access <br />■ Consider firefighter foot access in site design. <br />■ Avoid using areas that are likely to be <br />obstructed (i.e., shipping and receiving areas). <br />■ Label blocked doors with exterior signage. <br />■ Coordinate temporary construction storage <br />and loading areas with access points and fire <br />protection features. <br />■ Provide key boxes when required; recommend <br />their use in other areas. <br />■ Locate key boxes as recommended by the par- <br />ticular fire department. <br />■ Include fire protection features on building <br />directories. <br />■ Provide signs or diagrams at limited access <br />entrances. <br />■ Identify rooms containing utility shutoffs and <br />fire protection equipment. <br />■ Coordinate elevator recall level with fire serv- <br />ice operating procedures. <br />■ Design elevator shutdown feature to minimize <br />the chance of trapping firefighters. <br />■ Provide identification signs at each level of <br />every stairway. <br />■ Extend stairs up or down with construction or <br />demolition; consider the need for lighting and <br />rated enclosure. <br />■ Where total evacuation of a large building is <br />likely, consider additional egress capacity. <br />■ Where firefighter counter-flow is expected, <br />consider additional egress capacity or dedicat- <br />ed firefighting stairs. <br />FIRE SERVICE FEATURES OF BUILDINGS AND FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS 2 5 <br />141 <br />