Concerns about Fire Safety?

[RVFun4Us]

Hubby and I are curious if anyone else is concerned about exiting your 5th wheel in case of a Fire (God forbid).
One thing that we noticed with some of the new floorplans is the re-location of the bedroom escape window. The Bighorn 3170 and now 3270 to name a few.. have an escape window located at floor level instead of above the dresser. We immediately felt this was a fantastic improvement in relocating the escape window. It got us to thinking that it would be much easier to escape and less distance to drop to the ground.
Do any of you RVers out there in RV Land concern yourselves with escape plans should the door exit be blocked?? We read statistics that RV fires can quickly consume an RV.... so quick thinking and quick escape will literally be a lifesaver...

Thanks for any input.

 

[GETnBYE]

We did a fire drill a few times. Amazing how you long it takes you to unlock a door or even find the window latch. We saw a camper two for three over from us destroyed just this past winter, a real eye opener. I always keep a flash light within reach at night.

Hubby and I are curious if anyone else is concerned about exiting your 5th wheel in case of a Fire (God forbid).
One thing that we noticed with some of the new floorplans is the re-location of the bedroom escape window. The Bighorn 3170 and now 3270 to name a few.. have an escape window located at floor level instead of above the dresser. We immediately felt this was a fantastic improvement in relocating the escape window. It got us to thinking that it would be much easier to escape and less distance to drop to the ground.
Do any of you RVers out there in RV Land concern yourselves with escape plans should the door exit be blocked?? We read statistics that RV fires can quickly consume an RV.... so quick thinking and quick escape will literally be a lifesaver...

Thanks for any input.

 

[DocFather]

 

[HornedToad]

There are numerous reports of fires in the Permian Basin, many that are fatal, among the oilfield workers temporarily residing in their RVs. I can recall three so far this year and that keeps me concerned about a fire in my trailer.

Two things I routinely do, the fire drill mentioned and adding extra smoke/fire/co2 alarms.

The girl's often bring guest to events, some that have never stayed in an RV, and they usually sleep in the garage of the toy hauler. I always show them the fire extinguisher by the door and fire escape window. I ask them to open it while I stand outside, I don't make them drop to the ground, but I do have them push the bar out all the way and pop the screen to stick their head out.

The very first trailer I owned I added extra alarms, and have done so ever since. In my toy haulers I add one in the garage and one in the bedroom. Walmart sells a Kiddie battery powered voice alert combination smoke/fire/co2 alarm for $39 that works great. I mounted a grill by the entry door on my first TT and I was constantly setting the smoke alarm off while cooking and on a trip in my TH I was parked on a steep slope with the generator exhaust pipe lowered in tall grass setting off the bedroom co2 alarm.

I need to get my flashlight out of the basement and keep it in the bedroom as suggested.

 

['Lil Guy']

Looking at the bus, it looks to be an engine fire. Seems the likely place for a fire in a TT or 5th wheel would be the stove or fireplace. Without fuel, I really don't know just how fast a TT would burn or how it would ignite short of a propane explosion and then you could walk out from any side of the rig after the walls have blown away. I guess an electrical short could cause a fire. I'm just curious as to whether or not and how much fire retardant material is used in these things.
I'd bet that any rig that burned during the winter was due to somebody adding some kind of heater that didn't come with the rig. Seriously, how many rigs can you think of that have caught fire and burnt up?
I have enough trouble sleeping in our rig on the crappy bed without laying there worrying about a fire. But, I'll get a couple of good smoke detectors installed now.

 

[EPaulikonis]

Thanks for starting the thread Sheri. Always good to get a reminder to plan for and exercise a fire/emergency escape plan.

I have a Landmark and the one part that concerns me still is the height of the two emergency window exits. One toward the rear is much lower and you could even swing getting on the roof ladder. I still haven't decided which product to buy, but I want to get the emergency steps for the front bunk area. I'm thinking of the Kidde 2-story fire escape ladder since it's available at Home Depot. Appears that I'd likely have 3 steps that would be against the wall of the coach before the ladder would be below the overhang for the king pin. The other consideration was the MorRyde system, but I'm already having some serious concerns about clearance and the installation takes another 3" of bed clearance away if I read the installation instructions correctly. It also has to be pre-deployed for use, so you'd be setting it up every time you arrive/depart camp.

The other part of fire safety is placement of fire extinguishers. I have a total of three: one in the truck under the driver's seat, one right inside the door on the curb-side storage compartment, and one mounted by the galley in the kitchen. Can't believe how many stories I've seen or read about a tow rig or trailer bursting into flames during transit and the driver's had no fire extinguishers in the truck, external camper compartments, or even in the trailer itself.

Good topic and hope that it's one of those things that any family will not have to experience first hand. Happy Camping!

 

[olcoon]

Can't remember which national rally it was, but there was a vendor selling escape ladders made for RV's. One thing to remember if you get one is to make sure it's mounted solidly in a wall stud, not just in the paneling on the wall. If it's not mounted solid, when your weight is on the ladder, it will come loose & you'll fall probably causing more injury than if you just dropped from the window & were prepared for hitting the ground. Also do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? Have you ever used one? Properly used & caught in time, most fire extinguishers can put out a lot of fire, but improperly used are almost useless. Another thing to think about with dry powder extinguishers is that from possibly years of sitting in the RV bouncing down the road is that the powder settles, and becomes compacted in the extinguisher. When you attempt to use it the "air" inside will come out without any, or very little of the powder coming out. It's a good idea to give it a good bump on the floor or ground to loosen the powder before you deploy the extinguisher. In my volunteer fireman days the fire marshal said that in a mobile home it took only less than ½ hour from the time of ignition, to nothing but ashes. I'm sure they are made better now, but it still can go very fast. I think it was the 2011 Goshen Rally that Mac The Fire Guy gave a seminar on RV fires, and gave anyone who wanted the opportunity to actually use a fire extinguisher.

 

[TravelTiger]

I have some pyro phobia, so I often think about fire escape in the trailer. I made sure we have a larger fire extinguisher by the door than what came with the rig. I also got a much larger one that we keep in the closet, along with a 2nd story escape ladder (since we have the window over the dresser.) we also have an extinguisher in the truck.

Last year Tony experienced a blowout on a box truck he was driving for work-- by the time he got pulled over, the tire/wheel well had caught fire. The extinguisher was not adequately working and he was not able to get the fire out. Fire and smoke caused quite a significant amount of damage to the truck and contents, before firefighters could arrive. Having that first-hand experience, we are much more aware of having proper extinguishers in case of an emergency.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danemayer]

Class A: Fires with trash, wood, paper or other combustible materials as the fuel source.

Class B: Fires with flammable or combustible liquids as the fuel source.
Class C: Fires involving electrical equipment.

I've seen a presentation somewhere that towable RVs are primarily Class A combustible materials that are not fire resistant. Once a fire starts, it spreads very quickly and you have very little time to get out.

MAC the Fire Guy was at one of the Goshen rallies and said that while stationary, most RV fires start in the kitchen and within seconds spread enough to cut off access to the door(s), which is why he advises testing your emergency exits and having an escape plan.

When on the road, I think tire and bearing failures are probably the primary cause of fires in towables. Motorcoaches have additional exposures; a front wheel blowout can damage fluid lines spraying combustible liquid on a hot engine.

 

[superduty08]

I've never tried the emergency windows. Will they fall out when opened or just hold open? Can you just close them after testing or is it tricky?

 

[JanAndBill]

I've never tried the emergency windows. Will they fall out when opened or just hold open? Can you just close them after testing or is it tricky?

Mine came out REAL EASY!! I was standing outside talking to someone and our Brittney managed to use her paw to release the catch on one side. Luckily i was standing beside it, when I saw it push outward, and was able to catch it. LOL

As a VF for many years, I've been in several structure fires, it's not the flame that kills, it's toxic smoke. In today's trailers and homes we love plastics. It's used EVERYWHERE and is highly toxic when burned, even in small amounts. Having an emergency fire evacuation plan in place and memorized by all is your best defense.

 

[JohnDar]

It would be really interesting if the NIST would take a typical 5th wheel RV and do a test burn on it, measuring temperatures, flame spread, and gas evolution. Might answer a lot of questions about which means of egress is really the best.

 

[brianharrison]

MAC the Fire Guy was at one of the Goshen rallies and said that while stationary, most RV fires start in the kitchen and within seconds spread enough to cut off access to the door(s), which is why he advises testing your emergency exits and having an escape plan.

When on the road, I think tire and bearing failures are probably the primary cause of fires in towables.

In addition, my concern with fires in an RV is in the fridge compartment (adsorption unit, springing a leak and fire from the burner). Mac the Fire Guy has a good system that I was planning on installing. I think Bill (wdk450) and Ken and Kathy (kakampers) installed a system. Originally the Norcolds had a recall issue, but I think that has been resolved? My Landmark has a Dometic fridge, but my new coach has a Norcold. Here is the link to that thread.

Motorcoaches have additional exposures; a front wheel blowout can damage fluid lines spraying combustible liquid on a hot engine.

My new motorcoach has the engine in the back....

 

[RVFun4Us]

Thanks for the interesting and informative replies! We have upgraded our Fire Extinguishers and replaced our Co2 and Smoke Detectors. We didn't really think of the refrigerator as being a possible ignition source or fire hazard however. Interesting article about that thanks for the link. Thank you also for the links to escape ladders.
Our main concern is still the location and height of the escape window. I'm happy to see a few others have the same concern,.. I seriously thought we were being a bit too paranoid! Maybe we are... but I'd rather be a bit paranoid and think about the situation than not. Hopefully a few more folks will weigh in on this question.

 

[danemayer]

Two more tips from MAC the Fire Guy

Keep a dowel or other suitable stick near the bedroom emergency exit window. In an emergency, use the stick to prop the window open.

With the stronger of the two of you holding the bedspread, the other goes out the window first, climbing down the bedspread. At least one of you has a shot at getting down without injury.

 

['Lil Guy']

Two more tips from MAC the Fire Guy

Keep a dowel or other suitable stick near the bedroom emergency exit window. In an emergency, use the stick to prop the window open.

With the stronger of the two of you holding the bedspread, the other goes out the window first, climbing down the bedspread. At least one of you has a shot at getting down without injury.

I'm not sure if Debbie is strong enough to hold me up with that bedspread. However, in an emergency situation, I believe I would just bail out of the window and worry about the consequences later. I'm not worried about a fire in my rig and I'm not going to fret over one, however, being caught in a fire is scary and I would get out any way I could, even if I had to go through the wall or jump off the roof head first. Debbie had 3rd degree burns over 40% of her body when a deep fat fryer blew up. I watched her go through burn therapy for about 6 months and it was no fun.
I certainly doesn't hurt to have an escape plan from any part of the rig. As small as these rigs are in square feet, it would be hard not to notice a fire early and be able to fight it or get out of the door.
This is all good info to share but I'm not going to worry about it since it would be the last thing on my mind on a trip.

 

[kakampers]

Brian is correct...We have installed a Halon fire supression system in the refrigerator outside compartment...it gives the added security of quickly extinguishing a fire before it can get started. We also upgraded our regular fire extinguisher and added several more...We regularly make sure our escape window opens...and have developed a plan that includes our pets. Pray nothing ever happens, but you can never be too careful.

BTW...Lady Antebellum's bus fire was caused by a front tire blowout.

 

[RVFun4Us]

KaKampers:
Would be so interested to know your plan for your pets to escape. We have a precious Golden Retriever who weighs 60 lbs... and a kitty person who weighs 11... would you try to wrap them in a bedspread and drop them from the window or ???
Not trying to beat a dead horse here... I just truly would love to know people's thoughts on this subject including escape plans for our precious fur babies.
Thanks..
sign me
Daughter of a Volunteer Fire Fighter... Dad always made me very aware of fire dangers... Bless his Soul

 

[wdk450]

I have a chain escape ladder, pillow for the window frame you have to slide over, and rod to hold the window open. I have a large fire extinguisher to replace the small one Heartland supplies, and a self deploying Halon extinguisher in the refrig outside panel where the gas burner and gas lines are. For many years it was said that the refrigerator was the number one cause of fires in towable RV's. I think the refrigerator makers have made upgrades to the propane valaving system to cut the propane in case of fire. The halon units can still be bought from RV Cooling Unit Warehouse, http://rvcoolingunit.com/Halon-Fire-Extinguishers-C243521.aspx?sid=298

I have also seen an RV fire in person, and it is very smoky and damaging.

 

[brianharrison]

BTW...Lady Antebellum's bus fire was caused by a front tire blowout.

I think it was initially reported as a front tire blowout, but has been corrected to rear tire fire - no initial reporting why the rear tire caught fire - run low flat, or hub/brake malfunction - either one probably created the high temps and ignition.