RV Fire Safety
By Mark J. Polk

Did you know that there are close to 20,000 reported RV fires each
year?

A large percentage of these fires are transmission related fires on
motor homes. Automatic transmission fluid leaking from the
transmission can ignite, and quickly spread if it contacts any portion
of the exhaust system. Before traveling in your RV inspect the
underside for any signs of fluid leaking. Have any potential leaks
checked out and repaired immediately.

Over 25 percent of RV fires are caused by shortages in the 12-volt
electrical system.

Not only do you need a fire extinguisher, you need to inspect it
before each trip to make sure it is charged. Look to see if the arrow
is pointing in the green area in the sight gauge. If it reads empty or
needs charging replace it or have it recharged immediately.

Fire Extinguishers 101

If it's a dry powder type fire extinguisher the arrow pointing in the
green doesn't always guarantee that it will work. Every month you
should turn dry powder extinguishers upside down, tap on the bottom of
the extinguisher and shake it. It should sound hollow, sort of like a
drum. If not, continue tapping on it until it sounds hollow and the
powder that settled in the bottom is released.

There are four different types, or classes of fire extinguishers, A,
B, C, and D, and each type is for a specific type of fire.

Class A extinguishers are used for fires caused by ordinary
combustibles like paper and wood.
Class B extinguishers are used for fires caused by flammable liquids
like grease, gasoline and oil.
Class C extinguishers are used for fires caused by electrical
equipment.
Class D extinguishers are used for fires on flammable metals and often
they are specific for the type of metal it is.

Some fire extinguishers have multi class ratings like, AB, BC or ABC
which means one fire extinguisher can be used to put out different
types of fires.

The National Fire Protection Agency rules that RV's must have a "BC"
rated fire extinguisher near the exit. "BC" rated fire extinguishers
are used for flammable liquids and gasses like grease, gasoline and
oil, and for electrical fires.

Many RV fires that happen inside an RV are type A fires caused by
common combustibles like paper, and they require a type A fire
extinguisher to put them out. This is why, in my opinion you need more
than one fire extinguisher for your RV.

It's a good idea to keep a BC type fire extinguisher in an outside
storage compartment where it is easily accessible. You should also
keep a BC type fire extinguisher inside the RV and keep an A type fire
extinguisher inside the RV.

If you tow a trailer keep a BC type fire extinguisher in the tow
vehicle too.

Having these fire extinguishers available is a great idea but they are
worthless if you and the other people traveling in the RV don't know
what type of fire they are used for and how to properly use them. Get
everybody who will be in the RV together, and make sure they
understand the different types of fire extinguishers you have and
where they are located in the event of an emergency.

The old style labeling for fire extinguishers, to designate what type
of fire they are used for was with the letter A, B, C or D. Newer
style labeling for fire extinguishers includes a picture designating
the type of fire it is used for. If it can be used for multiple types
of fires it will show the pictures for the types of fires it can be
used for and it will have a red diagonal line through the picture of
what it cannot be used for.

Once everybody understands the different types of fire extinguishers
the next step is to teach everybody how to properly use a fire
extinguisher.

There are different types and sizes of fire extinguishers, but for the
most part they all work the same way. Teach everybody to remember the
word PASS. This is an easy way to remember how to use a fire
extinguisher, especially during an emergency. PASS stands for Pull,
Aim, Squeeze and Sweep.

P -- Pull the pin located at the top of the fire extinguisher.
A -- Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
S -- Squeeze the handle, standing approximately 8 feet away from the
fire. Release the handle if you want it to stop.
S -- Sweep the nozzle back and forth at the base of the fire until it
is out. Observe the fire to make sure it does not re-ignite.

Emergency Escapes

Last but certainly not least you need to have an emergency escape
plan. The National Fire Protection agency requires that RV's have
emergency escape windows. Make sure everybody knows where the escape
window is located and how to use it. It's a good idea to practice
using it so you are familiar with how to get out of the RV in case of
an emergency. You should have an escape plan for the front of the RV
and the rear of the RV.

Most important, do not risk your personal safety, or the safety of
others, attempting to put a fire out. The first step is to get
everybody out of the RV and away from the fire safely. Have somebody
call 911 for help, and if you can't extinguish the fire within the
first minute or so let the professionals put it out.

Happy Camping,

Mark

Mark Polk is the owner of RV Education 101. He also hosts the RV Savvy
segments on RVTV, which airs on the Outdoor Channel. RV Education 101
is a North Carolina based company that produces professional training
videos, DVDs and e-books on how to use and maintain your RV. Our goal
is to make all of your RVing experiences safe, fun and stress free.
For more information, visit www.rveducation101.com.