A Study on the Safety Evaluation of Escape Routes for Vulnerable Populations in Residential Facilities

The continued increase in human lifespans is accelerating the aging of population most countries. elderly care facilities corresponds to a relative number people who are vulnerable context evacuation. For example, an hospital representative facility for populations as regards evacuation, residents such cannot evacuate themselves event fire. It therefore necessary buildings formulate detailed evacuation plans that consider walking situations their disaster. In this study, fire dynamics simulator (FDS) was used calculate available safety escape time (ASET)—which point at which impossible from ignition fire—for inpatients nursing hospitals. required (RSET), move safe place, calculated by reflecting patient’s speed using Pathfinder. addition, route simulated with three variables—stairs, elevators, and ramps—along movement pattern. simulations performance evaluation based on analysis showed there were differences fatalities depending choice routes patterns each disabled group. Evacuation ramps confirmed reduce least 48 up 60 compared stairs or elevators. usage ramp hospitals has proved be superior other ensuring persons during