Abstract: Umbrella-like apparatus for closing an unwanted aperture in a substantially panel-like member in an emergency has a longitudinally-extending shaft, a collar mounted on the shaft for sliding movement therealong, and a spring acting between the collar and a fixed abutment on the shaft. A series of arms are each mounted at one end for pivotal movement relative to the shaft, and the collar is moveable from a first position to a second position to cause the arms to move from a first position substantially parallel to the shaft to a second position substantially perpendicular thereto. A flexible covering is secured to the arms and is in a folded condition when the arms are in the first position substantially parallel to the shaft. A manually-operable retainer retains the collar in the first position with the spring in an actuating condition and with the arms in the first position and the flexible covering in the folded condition.