What should staff do during a discharge event?

• A. Evacuate the area if advised and alert the appropriate authorities; do not re-enter until safe.
• B. Continue normal operations and ignore alarms.
• C. Attempt to suppress the discharge with water.
• D. Shut down the entire building's power.

Answer: (A)

During a discharge event, the priority is to protect people and ensure responders can manage the situation safely. Staff should evacuate the area if advised and immediately alert the appropriate authorities or building safety/fire personnel. This allows trained responders to assess hazards, control the scene, and reset or service the system as needed. Re-entry should not happen until an all-clear is issued by those authorities. The extinguishing agent released by a wet-chemical kitchen system can irritate eyes, skin, and lungs and may create slippery surfaces, so staying out until it’s declared safe is essential. Continuing normal operations ignores alarms and hazards, and trying to suppress the discharge with water is inappropriate because it can react with the agent or spread contaminants. Shutting down the entire building’s power is not a standard immediate step unless specifically directed by safety personnel, as it can hinder evacuation and emergency response.