A lot of parents keep their kids' bedroom doors open at night so they can hear if they cry or get sick.
Shutting the door could save their lives in case of a fire.
Firefighters nationwide are pushing the importance of adding "Close Before You Doze” into your bedtime routine.
Closing your bedroom door at night will serve as a barrier between you and a fire. It'll also protect you from toxic gases and smoke which will allow for several more minutes to escape.
To demonstrate its effectiveness, Lansing Community College's Regional Fire Training Center opened its doors to News 10's Clayton Cummins.
It may not look like much on the outside but don't let looks fool you.
“We're one of the few facilities in the state of Michigan, one of the few regional training centers that has a facility like this,” said Bill Pawluk, LCC's Fire Science/Fire Academy Adviser.
With eight burn rooms replicating everything from kitchen to basement fires, LCC’s live fire compound on their west campus is where Mid-Michigan’s prospective firefighters learn to save lives; including their own.
“We're one of the few states that does not require live fire training but we think it's invaluable that we put new firefighters in real fire conditions,” said Pawluk.
It’s a perfect place to suit up and to prepare for the real thing.
The fire is started in an upstairs bedroom. The door is shut to the room next to it as if it was a room you're sleeping in.
Pawluk uses a thermal camera to measure the heat.
“It showed that in the hallway and in the bedroom doors that were closed, it was an average of about 79 degrees and it was very tenable and survivable,” said Pawluk. “The room that was on fire was around 700 degrees.”
700 degrees and climbing. When crews open the door, temperatures soar.
“It quickly went to 300 and 400 degrees within about 10 seconds so it quickly changes that environment,” said Pawluk. “You can also quickly change it back, slam that door and hopefully get back to much more tenable and survivable conditions.”
Conditions which could buy precious time in today's day in age.
“Fires burn often much quicker in today's type of construction, much faster than back in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s in what we call a legacy type home,” said Pawluk. “Today’s products, furniture, televisions, plastics burn much faster and much hotter.”
All the more reason to make sure you've got fire precautions in place.
“Nobody expects that tonight when I go to bed that I’m going to wake up and my hallway is on fire, nobody thinks like that but it happens,” said Pawluk. “It happens several thousand times a year in the United States and unfortunately we do have several fire fatalities nationwide and in our state of Michigan.”
Pawluk says it doesn’t matter what type of door is used. Anything that serves as a barrier from the flames and smoke will buy you time.
Click here for more information on ‘Close Before You Doze.’
