Recreational Vehicles Have Special Fire Safety Hazards

Vacation vehicles are built to be fuel-efficient and comfortable. Though fire retardent finishes may be used, most trailers are full of combustibles. The main problems from a fire safety point of view are:

• > Most models are built with plastics to reduce weight, which cause toxic fumes when burning
• > The use of laminated plywood and particle/chip board in construction,which burns much more quickly then solid wood due to the glue
• > Fuel for cooking may be onboard
• > The vehicle's fuel tank is close to the living area
• > An R.V. has a small size compared to a house, which means a rapidly moving fire can consume the entire vehicle in minutes

Vacationing itself raises issues. It may be difficult for emergency services to locate a camping site, even within a campground. A spot that lets a camper get close to nature may be far from a hydrant system and have limited access to water for extinguishing fires. Most campgrounds are laid out for maximum number of rental sites and not for maximum fire-safe distance between vehicles.

Nature itself contributes lots of combustible material in the form of dry wood, grass and leaves, suitable for igniting with hot exhausts, unattended campfires, knocked over lanterns, and sparking BBQ's.

What to Include in an R.V. Fire Safety Plan Design

An R.V. safety plan needs many of the same features of the fire safety plan for your house. There should be a designated meeting area for the family after everyone exits. There should be two exits. There should be smoke and CO detectors. There should be a portable fire extinguisher. There should be a charged cell phone always available. Keep working flashlights near where people sleep.

Instruct everyone travelling with you in the details of your plan. Check that everyone travelling with you can open doors and windows. Anyone with special needs, such as small children, people with impaired mobility, vision or hearing, should have an evacuation buddy assigned. Everyone should know how to use the fire extinguisher. Show everyone how to disconnect the power cable and turn off the cooking fuel. Make sure everyone knows what the smoke alarm sounds like. Show everyone how to use the cellphone to dial 911 (especially elderly people who may not have much practice using mobile phones).

Forcefully make the point that everyone should exit quickly when the smoke detector sounds, and not stop to save possessions. Flames may not be visible. The greatest danger comes from toxic fumes.The best exit strategy is too stay low and crawl where the air is clearer.

Go over general fire safety rules, like not leaving a campfire, lantern or candle unattended, not playing with matches, and carefully disposing of cigarette butts.

Practice your plan. Practice at least once at night. Practice once while driving, with seatbelts on.

Part of your strategy should include what you will do if the worst happens and you are stranded without the use of your vehicle, far from home. Check with your insurance company for all your options before you leave town.

Fire Safety Equipment for Recreational Vehicles

Fire extinguishers are required in motor coaches and recreational vehicle parks. Class A and Class B fires are the most common type of R.V. fires. Fire codes require the use of dry powder and dry chemical fire extinguishers. An R.V is only required to have one extinguisher which should be placed away from the cooking area and accessible as you move toward an exit. Another extinguisher outside the vehicle means seconds saved dealing with exterior fires. Become familiar with the approximate size of fire your extinguishers are meant to deal with.

A good time to refresh everyone's memory on fire extinguisher use is before you leave on a trip, when you are going over your fire safety plan.

Remember to inspect extinguishers regularly to make sure they are full and in working order.

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