earticle

영어

Fire emergencies in complex buildings present significant challenges to occupants, requiring rapid decision-making and efficient evacuation. This study examines the impact of fire location awareness on evacuation behavior, with fear and anxiety as mediating variables. A survey was conducted with 309 participants who had experience using multi-story buildings, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships among fire location awareness, fear and anxiety, and evacuation behavior. The results indicate that lower fire location awareness significantly increases fear and anxiety (β = -0.81, p < .001), while higher levels of fear and anxiety are associated with increased evacuation behavior (β = 0.496, p < .001). Furthermore, fire location awareness has a direct negative effect on evacuation behavior (β = -0.282, p < .01) while also exerting an indirect influence through fear and anxiety (β = 0.402, p < .001), confirming a partial mediation effect. These findings suggest that occupants who are unable to accurately perceive the fire’s location experience heightened levels of fear and anxiety, which may in turn excessively drive their evacuation behavior. Based on these findings, this study highlights the necessity of improving fire location awareness through enhanced alarm systems, real-time notifications, and preemptive evacuation training. Additionally, psychological preparedness programs should be introduced to regulate fear and anxiety, preventing excessive panic that may lead to inefficient evacuation behavior. Future research should explore experimental methodologies and real-life evacuation scenarios to further validate these relationships and develop optimal fire safety measures.