During a fire alarm event, what must happen to ensure safety in buildings with electrically locked doors?

In buildings equipped with electrically locked doors, it is crucial that these doors unlock automatically during a fire alarm event. This requirement is primarily focused on ensuring occupant safety and facilitating a swift exit during emergencies. In the event of a fire, the priority shifts to evacuating individuals safely and quickly, which means that any barriers to egress, such as locked doors, must be removed.

Automatic unlocking of doors ensures that all occupants can exit the building without delay, preventing potential injuries or fatalities that could occur if people are trapped behind locked doors. The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72) and other fire safety regulations emphasize that, in case of an alarm condition, the system must support safe evacuations by allowing free access to exit routes. This design serves to enhance overall safety in adherence to the principles of life safety systems, ensuring compliance with fire safety standards.

Manually unlocking the doors or restricting access only to authorized personnel could result in dangerous delays during an emergency, thus making these options inadequate for the intent of fire safety protocols.