Three simple words can save lives during a fire: “Close the door!”
The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office and Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) are telling the community to remember those words during a fire.
Closing the door reduces fire growth and spread, limits damage to your home, and could possibly save lives. A closed door can hinder flames and smoke from spreading to other rooms and can help deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to grow.
“Fires can spread fast,” said Fire Rescue Chief Mark Foulks. “Closing the door can help control the fire and provide precious seconds needed for you and your loved ones to escape.”
Getting out of a burning building and calling 911 are crucial to survival during a fire, but closing doors during an escape can potentially limit the structural damage a fire can cause and save lives.
For example, if you leave your apartment door open during a fire, you could contribute to the rapid spread of smoke and fire, making it more dangerous for firefighters to fight a fire and more difficult for other occupants to escape.
During a fire, remember:
- Close the bedroom door when sleeping, if possible.
- Close doors behind you when escaping a room/building that’s on fire.
- If you are unable to escape a building that is on fire, close all doors between you and the fire. Use towels or sheets to seal the door cracks and cover air vents. Call the fire department to report your exact location.
- Keep fire doors closed. These specialized doors are used to compartmentalize a building and prevent the spread of smoke and flames. Never wedge, disable, or prop open fire doors in apartments or other buildings.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office and MFRD also urge citizens to have working smoke alarms on all levels of their homes and to develop a home fire escape plan. For more tips on keeping your home fire-safe, download the State Fire Marshal’s home fire safety checklist at http://1.usa.gov/1DcZeqt.
Photo (L to R): Daryl Blair, Fire Chief Cookeville Fire Department, John Talent, Fire Chief Madisonville Fire Department, Gary Farley, Assistant Commissioner at Commerce & Insurance, TN State Fire Marshal’s Office, Michael Williams, Fire Chief Paris Fire Department, and Mark Foulks, Fire Chief, Murfreesboro Fire Rescue.