TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— The Terre Haute Fire Department is helping spread awareness on the Close Before You Doze initiative, as it can help be the difference between someone surviving a household fire or not.
This initiative is encouraging people to close their bedroom door before going to bed because it can help slow the fire from spreading into the bedroom, thanks to the door being closed. Toxic gases and smoke will also not be able to enter the bedroom as easily due to smoke and heat rising and the doorway being sealed up top when the door is closed.
Keeping the bedroom door closed can also keep the temperature in the room down to 100 degrees while the room where the fire is in is approaching 1,000 degrees. These steps can help someone shelter in place in their bedroom for a longer period of time and give firefighters more time to rescue someone in their bedroom if their door is closed and they cannot escape.
THFD Captain Nick Arnold said doing something as simple as closing your bedroom door before you go to bed can be a major difference between surviving a home fire or possibly not.
“That prevents the potential spread of fire, and smoke, and the poisonous gases within the smoke from spreading throughout the home,” Arnold said. “That’s why it’s so important for folks to remember to close that door. That prolongs the time to shelter in place so the fire department can come save you in the event there is a house fire in your home.”
To learn more about the Close Before You Doze Initiative and the benefits of closing your door before bed, click here.
