Stair pressurization is an example of which fire safety concept?

• A. Passive fire protection
• B. Active suppression
• C. Smoke management
• D. Fire stopping

Answer: (C)

Stair pressurization is a smoke management technique used to control the movement of smoke and keep evacuation routes tenable during a fire. By supplying air to the stairwell and maintaining higher pressure there than in adjacent spaces, smoke is less likely to enter the stairs, preserving a safer path for occupants to exit and for responders to operate. This falls under smoke management, a set of strategies focused on directing where smoke goes, how much there is, and how long it lasts. It isn’t about passive fire protection, which relies on non-active barriers like fire-rated walls and doors alone; nor about active suppression, which targets the fire itself with sprinklers or extinguishing agents; nor about fire stopping, which seals openings to stop fire or smoke spread. So stair pressurization specifically illustrates the concept of smoke management.