Understanding Human Behaviour in Fire

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Human behaviour research consistently shows that people

respond in different and often unexpected ways when

confronted with a fire or fire alarm.

 

Rather than reacting instantly, occupants typically

pause to interpret what is happening,

seek confirmation, and take cues from those around them.

These responses are normal, predictable, and rooted in

psychology, not panic or negligence.

For effective fire safety management, this means we cannot assume ideal behaviour. Instead, we must design systems, test procedures, train staff, and plan evacuations around how people actually behave in real fire situations, not how we hope they will behave.

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1. People don’t evacuate immediately

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What happens

When an alarm sounds, most people pause rather than move. Their first instinct is not to run, but to work out why the alarm is sounding and whether it applies to them.

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Why

People are conditioned by:

• frequent false alarms

• drills

• building familiarity

• everyday routines

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The alarm interrupts normal activity, so the brain tries to make sense of it before acting.

 

Typical examples

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• Continuing a task for a few seconds or minutes

• Looking around to see if anyone else reacts

• Waiting for a voice announcement or staff instruction

• Thinking “It’s probably a drill”

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2. People look for confirmation

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What happens

Occupants actively search for additional cues to confirm whether there is a real fire.

 

What they look for

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• Smoke or haze

• Smell of burning

• Heat

• Fire alarms nearby

• Other people’s behaviour

• Information from staff, fire wardens, or colleagues

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Why

Alarms alone are often seen as ambiguous. People want multiple, consistent signals before committing to evacuation.

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Typical examples

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• Opening a door to check the corridor

• Phoning reception or a colleague

• Looking out of a window

• Asking “Do you smell that?”

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3. People interpret before they act

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What happens

Evacuation is not automatic. People go through a mental decision process:

 

Perceive → Interpret → Decide → Act

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Why this matters

If the interpretation stage is wrong (e.g. “It’s not serious”), action is delayed or inappropriate.

 

Typical interpretations

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• “It’s a fault / drill”

• “It’s not near me”

• “Someone else will deal with it”

• “I’ll wait for confirmation”

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Key point

People do not ignore alarms, they think about them.

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4. Social cues matter as much as alarms

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What happens

People strongly copy the behaviour of others around them, especially in uncertain situations.

 

Two critical effects

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• Inaction is contagious → if others stay put, evacuation slows

• Urgency spreads quickly → if people move decisively, others follow

 

Why

Humans use others as a shortcut for risk assessment, especially when information is incomplete.

 

Typical examples

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• Staying seated because colleagues remain calm

• Delaying evacuation because a manager says nothing

• Evacuating faster after seeing someone run or shout

• Following a confident individual even if they choose a sub-optimal route

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5. People underestimate risk at first

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What happens

Early interpretations are usually optimistic, particularly at the start of an incident.

 

Common early thoughts

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• “It’s probably nothing”

• “It’ll stop in a second”

• “If it was serious, someone would say”

 

Why

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• Normalcy bias (expecting things to remain normal)

• Lack of immediate sensory cues

• Past experience of non-events

 

What changes this

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• Smoke becoming visible

• Smell intensifying

• Alarms escalating

• Others showing fear or urgency

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Risk perception often increases suddenly rather than gradually.

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Conclusion - Behaviour during a building fire evacuation is the result of a behavioural process. Each process begins with new cues and information from the physical and social environment. First, cues need to be perceived, then they are interpreted, and then a decision is made as to what action (including inaction) is undertaken (Erica Kuligowski, 2009)