Why You Should Always Close Your Bedroom Doors at Night
The thought of a house fire is scary. For those who have experienced a fire first-hand, you know all too well how quickly a fire can spread.
According to the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute, house fires spread much faster than ever before because most furniture is now made from synthetic materials.
Those who work for UL FSRI have made it their mission to spread the word about what to do — and not to do — in the event of a fire.
“With a team of pioneering experts … UL FSRI conducts and disseminates research and training programs focused on the changing dynamics of residential, commercial, and industrial fires and the impact they have on strategies and tactics throughout the fire service,” the UL FSRI website says.
A recent study conducted by the institute showed most people hold the belief that it’s safer to leave your bedroom door open at night, rather than close it.
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
Parents want to hear their kids at night. Some might even assume leaving the door open would allow you to hear the crackling flames or smell the smoke sooner.
But this mentality is backward thinking, according to UL FSRI and the “Close Before You Doze” fire safety campaign.
“You know, as firefighters, we’re taught from day one the importance of door control,” Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel says in a campaign video.
“The difference between an open door and a closed door could be life or death,” Los Angeles County Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Derek Alkonis adds.
The “Close Before You Doze” campaign stresses this point. To illustrate and hopefully drive this new way of thinking home, UL FSRI brought in a group of men and women and asked them their thoughts.
Door open or closed at night? Every single individual gave reasons for leaving the door open. So, UL FSRI demonstrated what would happen to a pair of bedrooms during a real-life fire.
During a fire, a closed door can mean the difference between 1,000 degrees and 100 degrees. #CloseBeforeYouDoze. Learn more: https://t.co/fnapHyrB1Y pic.twitter.com/1wpVsgaMOM
— Mississauga Fire (@MississaugaFES) October 20, 2018
One room had its door closed, the other was left wide open. Stephen Kerber, UL FSRI’s director, explained to the group that because of synthetic furniture, you would have less than three minutes to get out of your home.
This small window of time plays in stark contrast to the 17 minutes you might have had about 40 years ago in a home furnished with cotton-filled couches and natural wood.
Watch as this group of men and women witness a house-fire take place right before their eyes. Their viewpoint on closed doors drastically changes following the experience.
The difference between the two rooms is shocking and eye-opening. I’ll certainly be closing every bedroom door in my house before we go to bed from now on.
Hopefully this video demonstration spreads like a wildfire. “Close Before you Doze” has the potential to save many lives, but the sharing begins with you.
You may not be able to prevent a house fire from starting, but you can help raise awareness of the importance of this closed door mentality. As Smokey Bear might say, only YOU can tell others to “Close Before You Doze.”
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