08/05/2026
When people think about fire protection, they usually think about sprinklers, alarms or fire extinguishers.
Those are all examples of active fire protection because they respond after a fire starts.
Passive fire protection is different. It's built into the structure itself. Fire-rated walls, intumescent coatings and firestop systems are all designed to help slow the spread of fire and smoke without anyone needing to activate them.
The reality is, neither system replaces the other. Active and passive fire protection work together to help protect people, property and the integrity of the building.
Understanding the difference is the first step toward building safer spaces.