Fire Prevention Month: Avoiding Fire Accidents And Injuries With Panic Devices

Throughout history and in recent years, there have been millions of fire incidents all over the globe. Each of these cases might have been caused by a variety of factors, but the results are always the same. Properties damaged, people injured and casualties happen, every single time.

That’s why this Fire Prevention Month, we at Magnificent Hardware would like to join the country’s efforts to help promote awareness and remind everyone about the safety measures that you can take to avoid tragedies caused by fire. For buildings with many occupants or establishments where many people go, the exits should have panic devices installed. Panic hardware was invented because of an incident that happened back in 1903 in the Iroquois Theater in Chicago when a spotlight caused a fire which caused a stampede that killed six hundred victims. Most of the victims died trying to exit the theater due to panic but couldn’t because of locked doors, inward swinging openings, and blocked exits. This urged legislators to take action which resulted in two inventors from Indianapolis creating the first door hardware that allowed egress out of a building and featured security and locking outside of the door, the standard basis of the panic device.

If you are building a property or a facility but don’t know how panic devices can help in avoiding fire accidents and injuries with panic devices, here is the information you need.

Easy exit route

One of the main points from the history of how the exit panic device came to be is to have access to an easy exit. The instinctive human reaction when an incident like a fire occurs is always to panic. In moments of panic, groups tend to be tangled up and getting stuck, so instead of going to their safety, they end up being more exposed to other risks compacted by the ongoing fire. Having a fire exit equipped with a panic bar provides a clean and easy way of evacuation, which is always the top priority when an emergency happens. You don’t even have to use your hands to push the exit door with the panic device. You can just lean your body in case you are carrying something with you and the latch will release to allow you through.

Containing the fire

Panic devices are typically found on hallway doors due to the requirement set by most security sectors of compartmentalizing in case of fire emergencies. In conjunction with fire doors, panic devices are installed to attempt to stop and compartmentalize fire and to avoid smoke from spreading. A fire has the tendency of spreading as it grows bigger in an area. Panic devices installed on fire doors are designed to contain the fire within one area, so people in the building will not suffocate because of the smoke that comes from the spreading fire and from getting trapped inside.

Affordability

Investing in a panic device will not be much considering how much money it would cost you when a fire starts destroying your property. It’s better to comply and be prepared for the worse, rather than live with regret after the worse has happened.

The panic device is a precautionary measure that will keep you safe not only during the Fire Prevention Month but the whole year-round. Come to Magnificent Hardware and purchase yours to be ready for any emergency.