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Fire Safety For RV Travelers

Dec. 19 2022 Health & Safety By Herold Trailer Sales

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As a responsible RV owner, keeping everyone safe while you travel should be one of your biggest priorities. There are many aspects of RV safety to concern yourself with, and one area you don’t want to overlook is fire safety. A fire can break out anywhere, and when you’re camping, you’re likely to start a campfire that could swiftly go out of bounds if you’re not careful. Here are some tips on how to practice good fire safety in your RV.

Equip Your RV

You should install smoke detectors in your RV’s bedroom and kitchen and test them periodically to make sure they work correctly. You’ll also want to have a few fire extinguishers on hand; store one near your kitchen (the main source of fires indoors), one in the bedroom, and, if you have an external storage compartment, one outside. This way, you can quickly extinguish any fires outside of your RV.

Be Careful While Cooking

Due to all the heat sources you’re using, cooking is the time when fires are most likely to occur. Whether you’re cooking in your RV’s kitchen or on a grill or campfire outside of it, you need to be mindful of what you’re doing. Keep these rules in mind: 

  • Never leave your cooking unattended; if you must step away, get a responsible teenager or adult to take your place.
  • Thoroughly extinguish your fires or coals and turn off all burners and appliances when you’re done cooking. 
  • Avoid having anything flammable or combustible near your heat sources; this includes paper goods, fabric, or fluids like oil.

Develop a Fire Plan

You and your family should also create a plan in case of an emergency so that you all know what to do. Whenever you arrive at a campsite, determine a safe location far from your RV where everyone can gather together. Everyone who’s old enough (teens and adults) should know where your fire extinguishers are and how to use them. 

If you have younger kids, it can be helpful to do some fire drills with them. Make sure that everyone understands that, if they leave the RV due to it being on fire, they must never go back inside for anything until the fire is put out.

When you’re ready to check out our great selection of new and used RVs for sale, visit our dealership in Indianola, IA. We can also provide you with financing options. Herold Trailer Sales serves our customers in Des Moines, IA, and Omaha, NE.