Panic Escape responds to the decision by risk experts to remove fire extinguishers from tower blocks. It is an automated system for use in kitchens that utilises a water mist and alarm system.
In 2005 there were 30,512 accidental kitchen fires in the UK, resulting in 49 deaths, 5,800 injuries and an estimated economic cost of £3.3 billion. The average cost of a domestic fire is £25,300 - one of the most expensive incidents that can occur in the home. Recent newspaper articles reported that risk assessors have deemed fire extinguishers in residential blocks as 'fire risks', which can delay evacuation and are ineffective when used by untrained people.
The design process involved user interaction with end users, trauma and stress experts, fire brigade engineers and the fire brigade. A brainstorming session was carried out with the White Watch fire fighters who gave detailed insights into approaches to fire safety and evacuation. The designers also spoke with professionals in the field of water mist, to evaluate the design possibilities. Six automated water mist device concepts were developed and detailed from – free-standing units to retrofitted tap inserts. These were evaluated and the strongest concept was prototyped.
Research began with informal interviews with individuals in their kitchens in order to assess the fire protection they had in place and to assess what the response would be in the event of an emergency. Dr Monica Thomson, a trauma and stress expert, was interviewed to understand how people typically respond in stressful situations. Case studies were discussed with the Red Watch at South Kensington fire station, and conversations revealed that the fire fighters usually agreed that fire extinguishers were a danger when used by untrained individuals.
An automated fire suppression system was developed. The system utilises water mist to extinguish fire; water mist offers considerable advantages over other systems in that it can substantially reduce water damage and contamination of the fire site. It is also applicable to oil fires, which are typical in kitchens. The units could potentially come in a variety of formats from stand-alone units to inbuilt systems.
