Experience with using emerency windows

[Ladywendolyn]

My husband and I were quite disturbed that when we bought out trailer the escape window was sticking all the time. We could hardly open it, so we have sprayed it with lubricant and try to use it regularly for air. That being said, one item that has not been mentioned here is a "smoke hood" this is a mask that pulls down over your face and allows you to breath toxic air through a filture for about 20 minutes. We always travel with these, on planes and in hotel rooms. etc. They can buy you time. I paid about $100 each for ours, but I noticed that they sell for as little as $30 online. More people die from smoke inhelation than from flames.. my dad was a fire fighter and drilled these truths into me. So my sudgestion is for anyone who is concerned to purchace a quality "smoke hood".. it is a small price to pay in comparison to your life.
Here is an example of one like I have.. http://www.moreprepared.com/emergenc...hood-case.html

[Clayton4971]

Originally Posted by Ladywendolyn

My husband and I were quite disturbed that when we bought out trailer the escape window was sticking all the time. We could hardly open it, so we have sprayed it with lubricant and try to use it regularly for air. That being said, one item that has not been mentioned here is a "smoke hood" this is a mask that pulls down over your face and allows you to breath toxic air through a filture for about 20 minutes. We always travel with these, on planes and in hotel rooms. etc. They can buy you time. I paid about $100 each for ours, but I noticed that they sell for as little as $30 online. More people die from smoke inhelation than from flames.. my dad was a fire fighter and drilled these truths into me. So my sudgestion is for anyone who is concerned to purchace a quality "smoke hood".. it is a small price to pay in comparison to your life.
Here is an example of one like I have.. http://www.moreprepared.com/emergenc...hood-case.html

Learn something every day !! I would have never thought something like this ? Thanks for sharing.

[DMRGMC]

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

Like KFAn said, time is the key. My next purchase will be 2 more smoke detectors from W World. They can be annoying when the wife [never me] sets them off with the toaster or cooking bacon, but will give you a few seconds of time in an emergency. My wife and I will sit down before our trip in 3 weeks and discuss an evacuation plan. We will include the dogs in the plan, like kids they will need our help to escape. My thinking is that my wife will make a run for the door which is about 6 feet from the bedroom and then evaluate the situation while I locate and grab the first dog. When that dog is sent to the door, I'll then locate the old guy by first checking the status of the emergency and then going to his 2 favorite overnite locations. I know I am talking about seconds to get this accomplished which means there is no time to figure out who is doing what. We will have to know the plan and follow it. A drill the first day that we get set up will be followed by a discussion about problems and suggestions to improve the plan.

Questions for the fireman:

Is it smart to open a roof vent? Won't that suck air to the fire?
How much good do RV extinguishers do if fire is in the wall or under a cabinet like a furnace?
Isn't it smart for the first person out to trip the breaker on the post since many fires are electrical?

I'm not freaking out about this, but as I've gotten older [a bit wider] and we are spending extended "living" time in our RV: the subject has taken on greater focus. I feel better just talking about it with you guys.

Is it smart to open a roof vent? Won't that suck air to the fire?

In the initial stages of fire the volume of in air in the rv will allow the fire to grow exponentially. Depending on how air tight the rv is and the amount and type of combustibles (fire load) determines how quickly the volume of air is consumed and the fire growth. Any opening like a ceiling vent or window would help to provide the air or oxygen.

How much good do RV extinguishers do if fire is in the wall or under a cabinet like a furnace?

The rv extinguishers that are in most units would probably be useful on a fire that is witnessed or in the very early stages such as a grease fire. A fire involving the furnace would likely be as a result of an overheat, improper combustion of the fuel or a fuel leak. So if it is an overheat the fire would be as a result of contact with combustibles. Then you would have to turn off the heat source, the furnace and then extinguish the combustibles. If it is improper combustion then it could be the flame making contact with combustibles as a result of a defective combustion chamber. You have to turn off the furnace, turn off the propane fuel and then extinguish the combustibles. If the fuel (propane) is leaking and burning in a location before the combustion chamber then once again, turn off the furnace, turn of the fuel, extinguish the combustibles.

Isn't it smart for the first person out to trip the breaker on the post since many fires are electrical?

Turning of the power to the rv would be a good thing. An electrical fire is usually as a result of an overheat in the wiring system. It could be as a result of a surge or resistance at a loose joint. The wire insulation becomes a combustible eventually involving the combustible materials that are the rv or items being stored nearby. As with the furnace, de energize the wiring (turn off the power) to stop the overheat and make the extinguishing of the combustibles safer. If conditions are right the extinguishent can conduct electricity or if the extinguisher (the black cone) makes contact with the wiring you could be electrocuted.

Think safety first. Be reasonably prepared. If you are going to use an extinguisher then at least read up on how to use it, better still get some training for yourself and pass it on to the family. My secondary hose for rinsing the sanitary system is hooked up to a manifold on the post for firefighting purposes or cooling exposures (the rv or trees on the sight). I like Seann45's idea of multiple foam extinguishers in multiple places or KachFam's idea of larger dry chemical extinguishers strategically placed. Even well trained experienced Firefighters with the proper tools and protective equipment would have trouble breaching walls or getting through windows or small openings. Add some emotion, time of day, weather conditions and it changes quickly. Have a plan that includes egress (getting out) right away.
The Sermon is over.

[KachFam]

Questions for the fireman:

Is it smart to open a roof vent? Won't that suck air to the fire?
How much good do RV extinguishers do if fire is in the wall or under a cabinet like a furnace?
Isn't it smart for the first person out to trip the breaker on the post since many fires are electrical?

I'm not freaking out about this, but as I've gotten older [a bit wider] and we are spending extended "living" time in our RV: the subject has taken on greater focus. I feel better just talking about it with you guys.[/QUOTE]



As far as the roof vent goes, I was speaking from more of a situation of being trapped. You may buy a bit of time by opening a roof vent to raise the overall smoke level and reduce the heat at the floor. Same concept as when you see a hole cut in the roof during a house fire. If the fire is already big enough you can't get to the door, the small bit of air getting sucked in probably won't make much of a difference. With the amount of smoke at that point, you will probably have to get your head out a window to make it much longer, which will feed the fire even more.

RV extinguishers are very small (I think I'll be upgrading mine soon as I mentioned above). For a small fire in a confined space, I would think you could get it done with even the RV extinguisher. I just wouldn't count on it for a larger free-burning fire in the main body of the trailer. Bigger is better, but also heavier and harder to control.

It's always a good idea to control the utilities if it's safe to do so. Unplug the trailer or flip the breaker on the power. If no heat is on the propane tanks you could turn off the valve on those as well, but be cautious and get the heck away if the tanks area getting direct heat or flames. No reason to turn off the water - I actually recently responded to a fire under a mobile home. The fire actually melted the plastic water pipe and the water spray put out the fire before we got there. Lucky break there...

[KachFam]

Originally Posted by Ladywendolyn

My husband and I were quite disturbed that when we bought out trailer the escape window was sticking all the time. We could hardly open it, so we have sprayed it with lubricant and try to use it regularly for air. That being said, one item that has not been mentioned here is a "smoke hood" this is a mask that pulls down over your face and allows you to breath toxic air through a filture for about 20 minutes. We always travel with these, on planes and in hotel rooms. etc. They can buy you time. I paid about $100 each for ours, but I noticed that they sell for as little as $30 online. More people die from smoke inhelation than from flames.. my dad was a fire fighter and drilled these truths into me. So my sudgestion is for anyone who is concerned to purchace a quality "smoke hood".. it is a small price to pay in comparison to your life.
Here is an example of one like I have.. http://www.moreprepared.com/emergenc...hood-case.html

That is an interesting product! I had to research how it works because those are some pretty hefty claims. It looks like it could buy you some significant time if it works as stated - especially in a larger structure in which smoke inhalation would kill you long before the fire spreads throughout the building.

[Bassdogs]

Just want to remind all that the first priority is to exit the unit. Fighting the fire, unless you are front and center when it breaks out, should only be considered after all living things are safe outside. These things will fill with toxic smoke and become fully engulfed in flames in a heart beat. Get out first, call 911, and then consider damage control.

[tjhack]

I typically use our window for cross ventilation and was closing it one day when I used too much force and snapped the small plastic tab that holds the lever in place. I have written the manufacturer to ask about a replacement tab, it is held in place with pop rivets and should be easy to replace. I just need the tab to make the repair. Has anyone else had this issue and if so, how did you deal with it??

[Octopus Prime]

We have two smaller children. The kitchen being between us and the kids makes me rather nervous. I need to have another fire drill with them soon.
We taught them how to open the window, but we need to reteach and have them do some run-throughs.
I also bought a better fire extinguisher.

[Quantum]

I know this is an old thread (2013) but I'm glad someone commented on it. I went back and read the entire thing.

We going camping soon, kids in the back, separate bedroom up front in our Whitehawk. I'm going to be having a talk with our kids about how to get out. There's an emergency window in the bunks, plus our bathroom (beside the bunks) has a full height exterior door.

It's always good to go over these things with your kids, because you don't always think logically when you are panicking. I bet the kids would default to the main entry/exit door instead of thinking about the bathroom one that we never use.

I've always checked the smoke alarm before each season (in fact I checked it today while putting some gear in the trailer), but going over a safety plan is a must-do on our next outing.