Millburn Fire Department Provides Residents with Fire Safety Tips

The Millburn Fire Department offered residents fire safety tips, including the importance of closing doors in their homes before going to sleep each night.

In an article in Fire Engineering, Millburn Fire Chief J. Michael Roberts explained the importance of closing doors.

“Fire needs three elements to exist: heat, fuel, and oxygen,” explained Millburn Fire Chief J. Michael Roberts. “Something as effortless as closing a bedroom door at night can halt a fire’s growth by preventing it from pulling oxygen from adjacent rooms -- oxygen that the rooms’ occupants need to survive,” Roberts said. “Furthermore, closing the door can inhibit deadly smoke and carbon monoxide from spreading, and provide temporary refuge as you plan your escape.”

The fire department referenced an article in Fire Engineering, which mentioned a fire in a Maryland apartment. The article said a fire gutted the living room of the apartment, but an adjacent bedroom looked largely untouched because its door was closed.

The fire department also emphasized the importance of closing exterior doors when fleeing a fire to prevent outside oxygen from feeding the flames.

“We’re always on the lookout for new ways to help our residents prevent a tragedy,” Roberts said. “As you lock up your house and go through your other bedtime rituals this evening, remember to close the bedroom doors. This simple act may save not only your home, but your family’s lives.”