A visual notification appliance should always be within ____ feet of any end of the corridor.

• A. 10
• B. 15
• C. 20
• D. 25

Answer: (B)

Visual notification appliances are placed to guarantee quick recognition of an alarm by people moving through escape routes, especially along corridors. The idea is that from the end of any corridor, you should be able to see a visible alarm within a short distance so a signal isn’t missed, even in noisy or smoky conditions where sound alone might not be effective.

Fifteen feet is used as the standard distance because it provides reliable visibility coverage for typical corridor widths and sightlines, reducing the chance of a blind spot at the corridor end. If the end were farther away from the closest strobe, someone standing there might not notice the warning promptly, which delays evacuation and can be dangerous. Placing visual notification appliances within fifteen feet of each end of the corridor achieves a practical balance between adequate coverage and reasonable device spacing.