His frustrated, fruitless pleas – “stop leaving the bloody doors open, you’re letting a draft in” – would, I hope, echo in my mind were I ever be tempted to wedge open a fire door.
Fireco, which manufactures devices that automatically close fire doors when smoke is detected, launched the Wedge Pledge campaign to spotlight the problem of fire doors being wedged open. They’ve already had plenty of responses to their request for heinous examples of wedged-open fire doors, which you can see below.
@Fireco #wedgepledge fire door being wedged open with a fire extinguisher in a rented house. Thanks @LynneEast pic.twitter.com/Iuh1ItJ0Ux
— Flo Powell (@floatmidnight) August 8, 2014
It doesn’t matter how stringently a fire door conforms to legislation – and often they don’t – it’s useless if wedged open.
#WedgePledge #StarWars @Fireco pic.twitter.com/SpqoIkJMOn
— Darren Jones (@Designer_Jones) July 16, 2014
Neil Purssey, Managing Director of Fireco, says: “I see fire doors being wedged open on a daily basis in a range of different buildings including shops, gyms, restaurants, office buildings and blocks of flats.
“If you spot a fire door being wedged open by a door wedge, bin, fire extinguisher or anything else please get your camera out, take a snap and tweet it to @fireco with the hashtag #wedgepledge. We want to unite the nation and put a stop to this dangerous practice.”
I always love hotel fire doors propped open with the door guard, you see this everwhere! @Fireco #wedgepledge http://t.co/Dewb2jPduO
— Amanda Wilson (@AGWilsonBS) July 11, 2014
Recognising the need for wedging open fire doors – indeed, fire doors were wedged open in 64% of premises inspected by the fire service – Fireco has developed Dorgard, a wireless fire door retainer, and Freedor, an award-winning wireless, free-swing door closer, which both allow fire doors to be kept open legally and safely.
To join the Wedge Pledge campaign, send photos of wedged open fire doors to Fireco via the Twitter handle @fireco and hashtag #wedgepledge.
This is dangerous, follow the #wedgepledge, spread the word on stopping this danger and help save lives! #firesafety pic.twitter.com/wzHb4mUwh4
— Isabella Johnson (@isabellajson) July 10, 2014
Inspected over 100 fire doors this week. I now have three more wedges to add to my collection! Does that make me a thief or good samaritan?