Fire safety in your motorhome or caravan

In the event of a fire emergency, it’s critical to know exactly what to do.

In the event of a fire, the first thing to do is to get everyone out as quickly as possible. Only after everyone is safely outside the motorhome should you worry about tackling the fire and saving your possessions.

A fire extinguisher should be regarded as standard motorhome safety equipment but it’s important that you carry the right type and it is positioned correctly in your motorhome. You should also know how to use it effectively.

Your fire extinguisher should be manufactured in accordance with BS (EN)3 and tested and

approved by the British Standards Institute (BSI) or the Loss Prevention Council Certificate Board (LPCB) or approved by the British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE).

A list of approved extinguisher manufacturers is available from British Approvals Fire Equipment at www.bafe.org.uk.

BS (EN)3 recommends that extinguishers should be coloured entirely RED although a different colour-coded area on the body may be used so that you can determine the contents, as follows:

Red = water

Cream = foam

Blue = powder

Black = Carbon dioxide

The British Standard Code of Practice for the selection and installation of fire extinguishers is

classified according to the alphabet. E.g. A=Water = Organic material, such as wood, B= Flammable

Liquids = petrol and diesel etc.

Fire risks are classified according to the alphabet:

Class A Involve most organic materials. Such as carbon, wood, textiles and paper

Class B Petrol, diesel, solvents, paints and other flammable liquids

Class C Butane and propane, flammable gases

Class D Flammable metals

Class F Cooking oils and fats

Although dry powder fire extinguishers are very effective in extinguishing all fires, they are not

recommended for use in confined spaces such as caravans. We recommend that AFFF is the most effective for use on a caravan site. However, you should never use AFFF - which is water-based - where electricity is present. AFFF is also not suitable for chip pan or frying pan fires - the water will superheat and cause a flashover.

Fire blankets are an effective option for cooking oil/fat fires. Check they conform to BSEN 1869 and look for approval by LPC or BAFE.

It is important that your extinguisher is checked at regular intervals in accordance with the

manufacturer's instructions – although replacement is generally an easier and more economic option. Never use an extinguisher that has been discharged – even partially.

The extinguisher should be located in a dedicated bracket near the door but not too close to cooking appliances, where flames could make it unreachable.

Upholstery

All new motorhomes must by law use flame-retardant foam in the upholstery and match-resistant cushion covers. If you have an older motorhome, consider replacing the covers and upholstery with fire-retardant materials.

Smoke alarms

If your motorhome does not have a smoke detector, install one made to the appropriate British standard (BS 5446 Part 1, EN 54-7).

Carbon monoxide alarms

A carbon monoxide alarm is also essential, as exposure to this odourless ,colourless, poisonous gas can be fatal. It is generated by incomplete combustion of carbon fuels Alarms must comply with BSEN 50291-2 of 2019 (performance requirements for CO alarms fitted to recreational vehicles).