Wow. I recently saw the most striking demonstration of fire safety on an NBC-TV Today show Rossen Reports segment. What a lifesaving tip to share while its still October, National Fire Prevention Month. The video shows the difference between two bedrooms in the same house that is set on fire by burning a sofa in the living room. One bedroom door is left open. The other bedroom door is closed.
Within minutes, the bedroom with the open door is full of smoke and is not survivable. The bedroom with the door closed, provides many more minutes for escape – and remains remarkably free from smoke.
The video is life-changing and lifesaving. Watch it here.
Here are additional bedroom fire safety tips from the Sleep Products Safety Council:
- Don’t smoke in bed. This is a common cause of fatal bedroom fires.
- Keep matches and lighters away from children. Playing with fire can be deadly.
- Using candles in a bedroom can be dangerous. Even a small candle can ignite a deadly fire.
- Keep space heaters far away from beds and other flammable items. Follow all the space heater manufacturer’s instructions and warnings.
- Don’t run the electrical cords under your bed or trap them against a wall. Heat from cords can build up and cause fire. Avoid placing lamps where they can fall on the bed.
- Don’t sleep with a baby or let a baby sleep in an adult bed. Babies can suffocate or be strangled if trapped between a mattress and a wall or bed frame, or if an adult rolls over them.
- Discard the plastic wrapping on your mattress. A child or pet can become entangled and suffocate.
- Promptly dispose of old mattresses to avoid a fire hazard.
Most important, be sure you have at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and perhaps more near bedrooms. Have a fire escape plan. Consider keeping emergency ladders in each bedroom near the window—and a method for breaking the window. In case of fire, exit your home first, then call 911.
The Sleep Product Safety Council, supported by the mattress industry, offers information in English and Spanish, and kid-friendly lesson plans for teachers and parents on their website at www.safesleep.org.
