Which is a component in a required means of egress from normally occupied spaces?

• A. Escalators
• B. Fire escapes
• C. Access stairs
• D. Protected stairs

Answer: (D)

Protected stairs provide a fire-resistant, smoke-controlled path from normally occupied spaces to the outside. They are enclosed by fire-resistance rated construction and backed by fire doors that help keep heat and smoke out, ensuring occupants can move to safety even during a fire. This reliability is what makes them a component of a required means of egress.

Escalators aren’t typically relied on as a required egress because they depend on power and can fail or become unusable in a fire. Fire escapes are exterior and not a continuous protected interior path, and access stairs, unless enclosed as protected stairs, don’t meet the protected requirement.