A big part of the RV lifestyle is safety. One often-overlooked but essential part of safety is fire safety! You RV has propane, electrical systems and is often near campfires, which puts it at risk. To help you lower that risk, we’ve written the following article. For all your RV needs, come to RV Station in Colbert, Oklahoma .
Fire Safety Equipment
The first right step towards fire safety for your RV is getting the correct equipment. You need something to alert you when there’s a fire. You’ll also need something to help you put the fire out.
Smoke Detectors
You’ll want to be alerted immediately if a fire starts in your RV, even though you may be asleep or in another part of your rig. This is where smoke detectors come into play. They can alert you to the danger so you have time to act.
To keep your smoke detectors working well, you’ll have to keep them supplied with fresh batteries. Test them at least once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year. One easy trick is to time it with daylight savings time. When you change your clocks, change your smoke detector batteries.
Fire Extinguishers
A crucial piece of RV fire safety equipment is your fire extinguisher. These will be your first line of defense in case of a fire. You should ideally place fire extinguishers in the kitchen, bedroom and in a compartment outside your RV. Make sure that everyone on board the vehicle knows exactly where all the extinguishers are placed.
Cooking and Fire Safety
Quite a few RV fires start in the kitchen but you can reduce the chance of that happening by taking a few precautions. The first step is to keep your kitchen clear and clean. All combustibles, like paper towels and curtains, should be placed away from the stove.
Apart from this, be mindful when cooking. Don’t leave the burner on if you’re not there to watch it. Make it part of your routine to check that all the burners are off before you exit the kitchen. Turn off the overhead exhaust fan when you’re not in the RV. All barbecues and campfires should be started far away from your RV.
Electrical Systems
One fire hazard in your RV is its electrical systems. To ensure that everything stays working properly, conduct regular inspections. Check cords and replace all damaged ones; ignoring them can be a fire hazard. Check all your 12-volt connections as well.
Ensure that the cord connection your RV to the campsite’s electric grid is in good working condition. Also make sure that the gauge wire can handle the power supply’s capacity. Don’t overload any electric outlets. If there’s anything you can’t handle personally, bring it over to RV Station Colbert and we’ll fix it for you!
Have a Fire Plan
Ideally, you won’t ever need to execute this plan, but it’s best to have a plan to handle any RV fire that you can’t put out by yourself. That way, if the need ever arises, you can take swift action instead of wasting time wondering what to do. Have two separate routes to exit your RV; that way, if one is blocked you can use the other. Have a meeting spot decided for your family so if you all exit separately, you know where to go. All children must know fire safety rules as well as how to dial emergency numbers. Ensure they know never to enter a burning RV for anything left behind.
This information is for educational purposes. VIARV shall not be responsible nor retain liability for RVer’s use of the provided information. Prior to making any RV service decision, you are advised to consult with an RV professional.