CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Firefighters want you to shut your bedroom door before you go to sleep in the hopes of saving your life.
According to new numbers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), half of fire deaths happen between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep.
Firefighters said the bedroom door being open or closed could be the difference between life or death. It's all part of a campaign called "Close Before You Doze".
"Door closed increases your chances of surviving a house fire?" asked NBC Charlotte's Xavier Walton.
"Correct," said Jeff Long, assistant chief with the Pineville Volunteer Fire Department.
Fires spark and spread at an alarming rate. Reports show each year more than 350,000 homes catch fire. That's why now more than ever fire officials are pushing prevention.
"Closing your door when you sleep is imperative," said Long.
That's the life-saving message Pineville firefighters hope sticks with you and the dozens of kids Long spoke to on Monday.
"I asked each class as I went in how many of you sleep with the bedroom door open," said Long. "It was astonishing to me that more than half the kids raised their hands."
"When you see more than half the class raise their hands and say they sleep with the door open, you knowing how dangerous that can be, how does that make you feel?" asked Walton.
"I felt like it needed to be corrected," said Long.