Manual fire alarm boxes must be located within how many feet of an exit door?

Manual fire alarm boxes must be located within how many feet of an exit door?

• A. 3 feet
• B. 5 feet
• C. 7 feet
• D. 10 feet

Answer: (B)

The main idea is accessibility of the manual alarm device from the exit path. Codes require a manual fire alarm box to be placed so someone exiting can reach it quickly as they pass through or just before leaving an area. That means it should be within five feet of an exit door, ensuring immediate access to trigger the alarm and provide early warning. If the device were farther away, it could be hard to reach in an emergency, delaying alarm activation and potentially endangering occupants. A distance of three feet would be tighter than necessary and less practical, while seven or ten feet would violate typical spacing requirements and could hinder rapid response.

The main idea is accessibility of the manual alarm device from the exit path. Codes require a manual fire alarm box to be placed so someone exiting can reach it quickly as they pass through or just before leaving an area. That means it should be within five feet of an exit door, ensuring immediate access to trigger the alarm and provide early warning. If the device were farther away, it could be hard to reach in an emergency, delaying alarm activation and potentially endangering occupants. A distance of three feet would be tighter than necessary and less practical, while seven or ten feet would violate typical spacing requirements and could hinder rapid response.