Safety Update: What Those Firefighter Hat Decals Mean

You may have noticed or soon will be noticing small decals featuring firefighter hats installed above some doors throughout Methodist facilities. 

What do they mean? They serve several purposes, but the most important one for ALL staff is to indicate which doors are smoke barrier doors or fire area doors. In a fire emergency, these decals can help you determine which doors are the compartment doors for horizontal egressing or which can lead you to your next point of safety. That means you don’t have to think about or look at a drawing to determine when you have crossed from one area to another – you just have to “pass the hat.”  

For the most part, the color of the hat isn’t as important as its purpose, but it does indicate the fire rating of the barrier. Black hats are installed above doors rated as one-hour fire barriers while red hats indicate two-hour fire barriers. These indications are important for facility maintenance staff and surveyors when they visit our facilities. 

Why are the decals not always installed on both sides of the door opening? The decals are installed on the egress side of the opening. This means you will only see them on the side you would be egressing from in accordance with the exit signs and egress plans for the facility.   

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to Matt Ruhrer, life safety manager for Methodist Health System, or your facility manager.