How far must fire alarm pull stations be located from an exit door?

The requirement that fire alarm pull stations must be located at least 5 feet from an exit door is based on safety regulations designed to ensure that individuals can easily locate and access the pull stations in the event of a fire emergency. This distance allows for safe and easy operation of the pull station without obstructing the door's functionality or creating a bottleneck when exiting a building. If pull stations were placed too close to doorways, they could become less visible or accessible when people are trying to exit swiftly, which could lead to dangerous situations in emergencies. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides guidelines that specify these distances to optimize safety during an evacuation.

In this context, the other options fall short of the established safety distances, which is why only the 5-foot requirement meets the standards for appropriate placement of fire alarm pull stations.