Passenger response time data is fundamental to ship based evacuation analysis and is a key parameter specified in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) evacuation analysis protocols: MSC Circ 1033 and its successor MSC Circ 1238. Recent research work conducted in the FIRE EXIT project demonstrated that the response time data used in protocol MSC Circ 1033 was not rich enough to accurately represent reality. As such it did not provide a suitable basis either for the use of evacuation simulation programs or for their validation.

The FIRE EXIT sea trials data relating to response times, was submitted to IMO and incorporated within the new evacuation analysis protocol MSC Circ 1238 which replaced the earlier MSC Circ 1033. The old protocol, while limited, was of great use in showing the short comings of present data and showing the way forward.

The collection of human performance data in full-scale ship trials is vital for the calibration and validation of ship based evacuation models. In the February 2007 meeting, the IMO Fire Protection Sub-Committee invited member governments to provide further information on additional scenarios for evacuation analysis and full scale data to be used for validation and calibration purposes of the draft revised interim guideline.