Passive Fire Protection System

• A. A system that uses moving mechanical or electrical parts to achieve a fire protection goal.
• B. A system that uses only alarms to notify occupants without any physical barriers.
• C. A system that sprays water automatically to extinguish fires.
• D. Incorporates fire barriers that compartmentalize a structure, slowing the spread of flame and smoke to provide occupants a means of egress.

Answer: (D)

Passive fire protection is built into the structure itself, working without action or detection to limit how a fire spreads. Fire barriers are fire-resistance-rated assemblies that partition a building into compartments, slowing the movement of flames and smoke and preserving paths of egress so occupants can escape and responders can operate more safely. This containment and division of space is the essence of passive protection, as opposed to active systems that rely on equipment, detection, or automatic suppression. The other descriptions describe active features: moving parts for suppression, alarms that notify, or sprinklers that discharge water automatically.