Large arena designers must address many considerations when designing fire/life safety systems due to the unique challenges presented by these large spaces with large occupant loads. Like any assembly occupancy, the sheer number of expected occupants presents an egress challenge during a fire event. This challenge is compounded by the human tendency to consider leaving only the way they came in, even when their safety demands they leave a space as quickly as possible. Those of us in the life safety industry may make a habit of familiarizing ourselves with the many available exits as soon as we enter a new environment, but few in the general population do so. Under panic conditions, most of the general population can be expected to leave the same way they came in, reflexively, especially under panic conditions. As a result, the International Building Code requires rather particular egress challenges be considered in arena design.
Performance-based design is used often to address the challenge through a thorough life safety analysis.