In a healthcare facility, what is the critical function of a smoke control system in stairwells during a fire emergency?

In a healthcare facility, the critical function of a smoke control system in stairwells during a fire emergency is to maintain a tenable environment within the stairwells, providing a safe and clear path for evacuation of occupants and access for firefighters. Stairwells are a critical component of a building's egress system, allowing occupants to safely evacuate the building during a fire. However, stairwells can quickly become filled with smoke, making them difficult to navigate and potentially life-threatening. A smoke control system is designed to prevent or minimize smoke from entering the stairwells, ensuring that they remain relatively smoke-free. This is typically achieved through pressurization, where fans are used to create a positive pressure within the stairwell, preventing smoke from entering from adjacent areas. Alternatively, some systems use a combination of pressurization and smoke exhaust to remove smoke from the stairwell. By maintaining a tenable environment in the stairwells, the smoke control system enables occupants to evacuate safely and firefighters to access the building to fight the fire. Without a functioning smoke control system, stairwells can become death traps during a fire.