# Emergency exits with timers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-exits-with-timers/581648 "2011-05-12T13:31:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-exits-with-timers/581648/1 "2011-05-12T13:31:09Z")
EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY Push until alarm sounds. Door will open in 15 seconds. Really? What sort of emergency might happen that people will have a comfortable 15 seconds to spare? Will the raging fire/earthquake/gang of zombies wait 15 seconds also? What is the purpose of this delay? ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-exits-with-timers/581648/2 "2011-05-12T14:14:55Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > …What is the purpose of this delay? Per [Security Tip #2-5: Delayed-Egress Locking Systems on Exit Doors](http://www.silvaconsultants.com/index_files/Page1645.htm) > [@](#): > > The delayed-egress locking system serves as a strong deterrent to the “grab and run” thief who doesn’t want to wait 15 seconds or more to make his exit from the premises. That page also includes > [@](#): > > Be sure to obtain approval from the “authority having jurisdiction” (AHJ) before installing a delayed-egress system. Most AHJ’s will not approve delayed-egress systems on exit doors for Group A (Assembly) occupancies. These occupancies typically include exhibition halls, auditoriums, gymnasiums, restaurants, nightclubs, libraries, museums, theaters and other such buildings where 50 or more persons may gather. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-exits-with-timers/581648/3 "2011-05-12T14:27:38Z")
That makes sense. I’d just hate to see a real emergency near one of them. For me, one of those is the quickest way out. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-exits-with-timers/581648/4 "2011-05-12T15:09:01Z")
[QUOTE=silvaconsultants] The delayed-egress locking system serves as a strong deterrent to the “grab and run” thief who doesn’t want to wait 15 seconds or more to make his exit from the premises. [/QUOTE] I’ve only ever seen delayed-egress doors in the concourse areas of airports. These exits typically lead down to the airport ramp, where one has full access to the non-passenger areas of aircraft parked there. I always thought the delayed-egress was not about deterring “grab-and-run” thieves in the concourse building, but rather about making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to acess the ramp area: the alarm sounds for 15 seconds, giving airport security a chance to stop the security breach before the individual gets out onto the ramp. Fire shouldn’t be a problem, since the building is equipped with sprinklers, and (per silvaconsultants’ website) the door should automatically release the instant a fire alarm is triggered. Gun/knife fights shouldn’t be a problem either, since everyone on the concourse either has employee credentials or has been anally probed by the TSA prior to admittance. Zombies? Well, they’re pretty slow. Silvaconsultants says that if you can press the release mechanism for three seconds, the door will eventually unlock even if you release it at that point; so you press for three seconds to start the unlock process, then scramble around to draw the zombies away from the door, and then run on through fifteen seconds later after the door unlocks. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-exits-with-timers/581648/5 "2011-05-12T16:04:36Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I’ve only ever seen delayed-egress doors in the concourse areas of airports. These exits typically lead down to the airport ramp, where one has full access to the non-passenger areas of aircraft parked there. I always thought the delayed-egress was not about deterring “grab-and-run” thieves in the concourse building, but rather about making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to acess the ramp area: the alarm sounds for 15 seconds, giving airport security a chance to stop the security breach before the individual gets out onto the ramp. Travelled through Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport recently. I regularly witnessed Delta employees open alarm doors, go through alarm doors, without using their security cards. No airport security arrived. No one else did either. In one case the alarm rang continuously for ten minutes (I timed it.). Security never showed up. Neither did anyone else. Surprisingly, Delta sent me two surveys after my trip asking specifically about my experiences at Atlanta (I’ve never received surveys before from them.). The nature of the survey gave the impression Delta was quite aware of employee problems there and they were seeking first-hand accounts. ---
**Author:** ![Odaran09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Odaran09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odaran09)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emergency-exits-with-timers/581648/6 "2011-05-14T00:29:03Z")
I’ve seen the delayed egress exists in the back of stores. So I would concur with the “grab and run” deterrent.