Closing your bedroom door at night can save your life. A fire in your home will spread faster than you think. The use of plastics and other synthetics have allowed home fires to spread at alarming rates. Lightweight building materials in newer homes are much different than homes from 50 years ago. Plastic and other synthetic furnishings have made all homes more vulnerable to fire spread. These materials give off deadly smoke and poisonous gases.
According to Underwriters Laboratory, a person used to have nearly 17 minutes to escape a house fire. That escape time is now about three minutes.
The Close Before You Doze program teaches the public to close the bedroom door and provide life-saving protection from heat, flames and poisonous gases. Tests have shown that a closed room can remain at a survivable 100 degrees, compared to 1,000 degrees in the hallway. Poisonous carbon monoxide levels easily spread to unprotected rooms. By closing the door, it gives the occupant time to call 911 or escape if possible. Research shows that nearly half of all residential fire deaths occur during the sleeping hours of 11pm-7am.
There are simple things a family can do to stay protected in case of a fire. Keep working smoke detectors in your home and test them monthly. Also avoid using candles or space heaters while sleeping. Most importantly, close your bedroom door. For more information, visit closeyourdoor.org.