ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a broad array of “fire warnings,” which vary from warnings on gasoline pumps to special “vocal” smoke detectors. The National Fire Protection Association Fire Safety Concepts Tree is used to illustrate the logic of fire safety that can be used in a hazard analysis of a particular warning scenario. The communication-human information processing model (C-HIP) is presented as an important component of all fire warnings. The human factors aspects of the warning require careful consideration of the “delivery” and effectiveness of the communications process to achieve the safe behavior. In some cases, understanding of the warning depends on education and training, but in many cases, the background of the target population cannot be assumed. This makes the warning design challenging, requiring an innovative and perhaps a redundant approach.
