Evacuation Time Calculator
A rough sense of how long a space takes to clear: pre-movement (the delay before people start moving) plus travel time to the exits plus the flow time to squeeze everyone through the exit width. It shows which of the three dominates, so you know where to look. An indicative planning estimate — not a fire or evacuation design. Runs in your browser.
- Pre-movement (detect + react before moving)2.0 min
- Travel (walk to the exits)0.5 min
- Exit flow (queue through the exit width)1.3 min
This is a simplified hand calculation, NOT a fire/CFD or full ASET/RSET evacuation analysis. It assumes an orderly single-stage evacuation and ignores queuing at merges, smoke, mobility needs and stair behaviour; high-rises often use phased evacuation, which differs entirely. The real requirement depends on occupancy classification, building height and the AHJ — a licensed fire consultant runs the actual analysis under NBC (SP 7:2026) / NBC Part 4 and the local fire officer / AHJ signs off. A wrong number here can cost lives: verify everything. Use it to sanity-check drills, not to certify a design.
Turn the estimate into a plan
Related Guides — Deep-dive reading
Emergency Exit Planning in India (2026): Number of Exits, Travel Distance & Two-Way Escape
The building-scale means of egress that a home escape plan sits inside: why you need two independent, remote exits, how travel distance and exit width scale with occupant load, and why exits must open outward, discharge to safety, and never be locked.
SecurityHigh-Rise Fire Safety in India (2026): Pressurised Stairs, Refuge Floors & Evacuation
Why tall buildings are a distinct fire problem, and the defences that answer it: pressurised fire stairs, refuge floors above 24 m, wet risers and sprinklers, compartmentation, and a defend-in-place, phased-evacuation strategy.
SecurityRefuge Areas in India (2026): The High-Rise Safe Haven Between You and the Ground
Why tall buildings need protected, ventilated refuge areas where occupants who cannot descend all at once wait in safety, why they must be kept clear, and the notorious Indian failure of the converted refuge floor.
SecurityRelated Tools — You may also find these useful
Emergency Exit Capacity Calculator
Does your building have enough exit width for its occupant load? Required width in 500 mm units versus what you provide, with the at-least-two-remote-exits check and a pass/fail. An indicative planning estimate; a fire consultant sizes exits to NBC and the AHJ approves.
Exit WidthEmergency Lighting Calculator
How many emergency luminaires light the escape route if the mains fails? Route length over the spacing plus open anti-panic coverage. A minimum count — you also need a fitting at each exit, stair and direction change. An indicative estimate; a consultant does the lux design.
Escape LightingExit Travel Distance Checker
Is the walk to the nearest exit within the allowed limit? Check your longest real travel path against an adjustable NBC-style limit, with the sprinklered allowance and dead-end warning. An indicative pass/fail check; a fire consultant confirms limits to NBC and the AHJ approves.
Travel Distance