Controlled Exit Devices Secure The Show At Kansas City Movie Theater

Kansas City, Missouri
Controlled exit devices are finding a new use at a multi-screen movie theater, where they provide safe emergency egress while preventing patrons from exiting through adjacent auditoriums in non-emergency use.

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, Ward Parkway Cinema is one of more than 250 complexes across the U.S. that are owned by American Multi-Cinema, Inc. (AMC), the country's second largest theater company. The 70-year old firm, headquartered in Kansas City, started expanding some 20 years ago and now operates a total of 1600 screens. All are in multi-screen facilities, ranging from four to 14 screens, with 24-screen properties being planned. Ward Parkway, located within the Ward Parkway Mall, is a 12-screen facility.

Prior to opening in November, 1991, the theater faced a problem of emergency egress capacity. The mall configuration required exits to open onto a walkway along the exterior of the mall's second level, but the width of the walkway was insufficient for the number of people it would have had to carry in an emergency. The answer was a code exception that allows people from 3 of the 12 auditoriums to exit through the front of the adjacent facility instead of onto the walkway.

However, the location of these emergency exits, along the front side walls of the auditoriums, raised the problem of maintaining life safety protection while restricting door usage. William R. Timper, regional director of design & development for AMC explains, "When a movie is finished, some people will try to leave through the emergency door, interrupting the showing in the next auditorium." Locking the door would have stopped this but also would have violated building codes by preventing emergency egress. To solve the problem without compromising life safety, the architect recommend installing controlled exit devices on each of the doors that connect two auditoriums.

Because of walkway capacity restrictions, exit at front of multi-screen Ward Parkway Cinema leads to adjacent auditorium. Chexit controlled exit device sounds alarm and delays opening for 15 seconds to deter normal use, yet provides quick escape in an emergency. Device is hooked up with a smoke and fire alarm system that can unlock it automatically for immediate egress.

The CX 99 Chexit devices, made by Von Duprin, Inc., are self-contained delayed exit systems that incorporate all controls, auxiliary locking, local alarm and remote signalling output in one easy-to-install device. If someone tries to leave through a door protected by one of the devices, an alarm will sound and the door will remain locked for 15 seconds to discourage people from using the door as an exit. During an emergency, however, a tie-in with the building's smoke detection and fire alarm system will automatically unlock the door without delay to permit immediate egress.

The Chexit device carries a new UL listing, as a Controlled Exit Panic Device for fire doors. Von Duprin has received a patent on the design, which also meets all requirements of NFPA 101T for "Special Locking Arrangement" and UBCE 1988 "Special Egress-control Devices."