How can you tell which way a door will swing when feeling the hinges in smoke?

In a fire situation where visibility is compromised by smoke, firefighters often rely on tactile cues to assess their environment. When feeling the hinges of a door, it is important to understand the relationship between the heat of the door and the direction it will swing.

If you feel that the hinges are hot, this typically indicates that the fire is on the other side of the door. Fire and heat tend to rise, so the upper part of the door may be hotter than the hinge area itself. However, the key point is that if the fire is on the other side, the door will likely swing away from you. This means you can identify the door's direction based on the temperature of the hinges: if they are warm or hot, it is likely that the door swings away from you into the heat, which reflects a potentially hazardous situation.

Understanding this principle is critical for a firefighter's safety during operations, especially in smoky conditions. By noting that the door swings away from the heat source, firefighters can prepare themselves to handle what lies beyond the door, helping prevent injury and allowing for a safer approach to addressing the fire.