What is meant by 'passive fire protection'?

Passive fire protection refers to measures designed to contain fires through the use of structural elements and features within a building or vessel, without the need for active intervention. This can include fire-resistant walls, floors, and doors that compartmentalize areas, limiting the spread of fire and smoke. By effectively containing the fire to a designated area, passive fire protection buys valuable time for occupants to evacuate and for emergency responders to arrive, thereby enhancing overall safety.

In contrast, options that involve active fire-fighting tools or strategies, such as the use of fire extinguishers or automated fire suppression systems, do not fall under the definition of passive fire protection. These methods rely on human intervention or technology to combat a fire, whereas passive fire protection is inherently part of the building or vessel's design. Similarly, personnel training to respond to fires is also an active measure and does not pertain to the structural containment aspect intrinsic to passive fire protection.