Parents make every effort to make their home a safe place, but sometimes it’s the very basic things we do that put children at higher risk.
Many families have the habit of leaving the bedroom doors open at night for many reasons: To be available to the kids, or to be able to hear children in their rooms.
However, this might be the worst precaution against any possible event of a fire, as an open door lets smoke, heat, and flames enter the room, reducing the time occupants have to escape or be rescued.
I think this photo really highlights the importance of closing internal doors in forming a sound night time routine #closebeforeyoudoze pic.twitter.com/dphyplvMsR
— Sam Mills (@sam_mills5) October 11, 2018
The research done by the Underwriters Laboratory Firefighter Safety Research Institute (UL FSRI) states that in modern homes there is just a three-minute window to escape. The team uploaded a segment of real-life footage to illustrate the dramatic life-saving difference a closed door can make during a fire outbreak.
Steve Kerber, the director of UL FSRI, noted that new fire-safety techniques for preventing its spread are more essential today than ever due to the “evolving fire environment.”
“We started to see that the furnishings, open layout, and construction materials of modern homes allow the fire to spread and become more toxic much faster. It all leads to less time to get out of the home,” Kerber said.
Tell your friends to close doors for fire safety. Spread the word with these tools: http://bit.ly/2eILsGq
Posted by UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute on Friday, September 15, 2017
An open-door vs. closed-door demonstration clearly illustrated that a closed door keeps the majority of the heat from entering a room, increasing the time to escape the fire and smoke.
Their initiative, “Close Before You Doze” comes from over 10 years of research that closing your doors before bed could be the difference between getting you and your family out of a house fire.
A good example of what a door can hold back…and maybe buy you that much needed time to escape. Keep doors closed!!…
Posted by Franklin Fire Company on Tuesday, March 7, 2017
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, fires account for seven deaths a day in the United States. The report by National Fire Prevention Association mentions that the U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 358,500 home structure fires per year between 2011 and 2015.
These statistics are indeed alarming.
Close Before You Doze: See the dramatic, life-saving difference a door can make
In a house fire, are you safer sleeping with your bedroom doors open or closed? See the dramatic, life-saving difference a door can make. #CloseBeforeYouDozeFind more resources to share with your community online at closeyourdoor.org!
Posted by UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute on Monday, October 8, 2018
Kerber said that if we keep the doors and windows properly closed the “fire won’t have oxygen to burn and it’s going to stay right there, giving other people in the house more time to get out and also helping protect your property.”
“If Stop, Drop & Roll is for when your clothes are on fire, ‘Close Your Door’ is for when your house is on fire and you cannot get out. It’s the modern version of what needs to be done,” he added.
