Fire risk: the importance of fire doors

Every time the safety committee of the Paris Police Prefecture visits the Institut Pasteur campus, it notes a recurrent problem with fire doors which are kept open with wedges, furniture or paper.

Despite the various messages published in the newsletter and displayed on the doors themselves, they continue to be wedged open.

A reminder of the importance of fire doors is needed. In the event of a fire, fire doors stop flames, smoke and heat from spreading through a building. It is exactly the same in your home.

 

By keeping fire doors closed, in the event of a fire you will protect the occupants of the building, preserve the building structure and gain valuable time for the emergency services.

Here are some examples of fire doors that have been left open: 

Doors that are wedged open can cause a "chimney effect" and speed up the spread of a fire.

The doors are there to reduce the risk and not exacerbate it.

That is why there are technical measures, procedures and guidelines in place.

But technical and organizational measures are hindered by certain behavior:

 

Fire doors are a vital tool in helping us to keep all our buildings safe.

They are an invaluable fire prevention device that helps contain fires while protecting the people in the building – but we need your help to make sure they do their job properly!

If you have any questions, please email surete@pasteur.fr.