Bridging the Information Gap in Emergency Response: A Hybrid Model for Digital Fire Safety Instructions

Rapid access to building intelligence is critical for emergency response, yet paper fire safety instructions (FSi) often provide limited utility under stress. This structured narrative review addresses the “information gap” between unit arrival and decision-making by analyzing the legal admissibility, technological requirements, and security risks of digital FSi across Poland, Germany, France, Belgium, and Hungary. While no explicit prohibition of digital forms was identified, enforcement practices prioritize paper as the evidentiary master. Consequently, we propose a hybrid model: a paper master for compliance and redundancy, supplemented by a digital operational overlay accessed via “zero-install” offline-first progressive web apps (PWA). The review defines a minimum operational dataset (MOD)—prioritizing critical data like utility shut-offs and hazards over full documentation—and addresses cybersecurity threats, specifically QR-phishing (“quishing”). We conclude that the hybrid model minimizes legal and operational risks while significantly reducing time-to-information, provided that strict content identity and change management protocols are maintained.