Motor Coach and RV Fires/Refrigerators

[Pubtym]

Posted June 11, 2008.

"On Saturday night our motor coach was destroyed by fire in the hanger where we had it stored. The unit was plugged in to power the onboard battery charger, and the refrigerator was the only appliance that was operating.

This fire completely destroyed our coach, a neighbors coach, both of our Allison cars, two vintage truck and tons of shop equipment.

The point of this message is to notify everyone that has a motor coach or RV of any sort to check your refrigerator for recall. Both Dometic and Norcold have nation wide recalls for units going back to 1999. My coach had one of the model refrigerators that were listed as potential of fire. We were never notified of any recall, and thus had no idea of the potential of the risk. The potential of fire occurs during operation of the refrigerator while connected to shore power or on generator power. I have seen nothing that has indicated the risk while the units are running on gas.

Even if you are the original owner of your coach and RV, I know you would think that you will be notified of recalls. Not so in our case. We are the original owners and have not seen a recall notice from the coach manufacture or the refrigerator manufacture. We received one recall from Freightliner on the chassis the first year, but nothing since. In fact, there was a factory recall issued on our coach in September of 2005. Our coach was at the dealership for three weeks in Decmber of 2005 and there was no mention of this recall.

My coach was a 2005 Winnebago Journey 36 foot diesel pusher. Since the fire, I have also found out that there was a recall by Winnebago for improper venting of the refrigerator that could cause a fire. The recall number for this particular recall is Campaign #05V407000.

I am truly thankful that I was not using the coach when the fire occurred. Please, please check your RVs for this life safety concern. Loosing our coach and race cars has been difficult. I cant imagine what this would be like if someone had been killed or seriously injured.

We have not been given an exact cause of this fire, but the insurance companies are looking at the refrigerator as a significant cause. Please do the research and verify that you and your family are not at risk. This could very easily have happened track side while we were asleep. There are nearly 4000 documented RV fires every year and many result in loss of life.

Please Please look into this. Knowledge is powerful. In the case of our coach we may have found out too late."

Jay Carley
Allison Series Director
Texoma Legacy Motorsports"
----------------------------------------------

With this information I just reviewed our fire response and escape plan in our 2006 Itasca Model 35U. Standard equipment is only one fire extinguisher at the coach entry door.

If fire was in refrigerator or on kitchen stove..and I was in bathroom or bedroom...chances of me getting to the one entry door extinguiser are slim.

With this in mind (approx 4000 RV fires per year), I added another extinguisher in the back bedroom. This brings my total extinguishers to three. One inside entry door, one in bedroom, and one in forward outer side compartment for engine or outside BBQ fire.

Other thoughts from members or added knowledge about recalls on RV refrigerators in Winnebago vehicles?

Does any member know the specific causes of these electrical fires in the affected refrigerator models?

Pubtym

[Pubtym]

Posted June 11, 2008.

"On Saturday night our motor coach was destroyed by fire in the hanger where we had it stored. The unit was plugged in to power the onboard battery charger, and the refrigerator was the only appliance that was operating.

This fire completely destroyed our coach, a neighbors coach, both of our Allison cars, two vintage truck and tons of shop equipment.

The point of this message is to notify everyone that has a motor coach or RV of any sort to check your refrigerator for recall. Both Dometic and Norcold have nation wide recalls for units going back to 1999. My coach had one of the model refrigerators that were listed as potential of fire. We were never notified of any recall, and thus had no idea of the potential of the risk. The potential of fire occurs during operation of the refrigerator while connected to shore power or on generator power. I have seen nothing that has indicated the risk while the units are running on gas.

Even if you are the original owner of your coach and RV, I know you would think that you will be notified of recalls. Not so in our case. We are the original owners and have not seen a recall notice from the coach manufacture or the refrigerator manufacture. We received one recall from Freightliner on the chassis the first year, but nothing since. In fact, there was a factory recall issued on our coach in September of 2005. Our coach was at the dealership for three weeks in Decmber of 2005 and there was no mention of this recall.

My coach was a 2005 Winnebago Journey 36 foot diesel pusher. Since the fire, I have also found out that there was a recall by Winnebago for improper venting of the refrigerator that could cause a fire. The recall number for this particular recall is Campaign #05V407000.

I am truly thankful that I was not using the coach when the fire occurred. Please, please check your RVs for this life safety concern. Loosing our coach and race cars has been difficult. I cant imagine what this would be like if someone had been killed or seriously injured.

We have not been given an exact cause of this fire, but the insurance companies are looking at the refrigerator as a significant cause. Please do the research and verify that you and your family are not at risk. This could very easily have happened track side while we were asleep. There are nearly 4000 documented RV fires every year and many result in loss of life.

Please Please look into this. Knowledge is powerful. In the case of our coach we may have found out too late."

Jay Carley
Allison Series Director
Texoma Legacy Motorsports"
----------------------------------------------

With this information I just reviewed our fire response and escape plan in our 2006 Itasca Model 35U. Standard equipment is only one fire extinguisher at the coach entry door.

If fire was in refrigerator or on kitchen stove..and I was in bathroom or bedroom...chances of me getting to the one entry door extinguiser are slim.

With this in mind (approx 4000 RV fires per year), I added another extinguisher in the back bedroom. This brings my total extinguishers to three. One inside entry door, one in bedroom, and one in forward outer side compartment for engine or outside BBQ fire.

Other thoughts from members or added knowledge about recalls on RV refrigerators in Winnebago vehicles?

Does any member know the specific causes of these electrical fires in the affected refrigerator models?

Pubtym

[LK23]

Two Questions:

1. Where can we find if Dometic has recalled our refrigerator.

2. I plan to add a fire extinguisher to the bedroom, what type should I purchase?

[Pubtym]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LK23:
Two Questions:

1. Where can we find if Dometic has recalled our refrigerator.

2. I plan to add a fire extinguisher to the bedroom, what type should I purchase? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

At this point, I do not know a contact number for Dometic and recall info. Hopefully other members will provide it soon.

The fire extinguisher I just added to the coach bedroom is an all purpose dry chemical model..(Fire Category A/Trash-Wood-Paper, Category B/Liquids, Category C/Electrical Equipment). Brand name on mine is "First Alert". I bought it at Walmart...about $19. Wall mount package included.

[Pubtym]

Motor Coach/RV fires can spread very fast. Here's another graphic RV fire story from Gary Swain. I met him last week when he installed a MotoSat Dish on my rig. From my conversation with him, his coach fire began in the rear engine compartment.

http://swaimquest.com/Coach_Fire.aspx

[John_Canfield]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LK23:
Two Questions:

1. Where can we find if Dometic has recalled our refrigerator.

2. I plan to add a fire extinguisher to the bedroom, what type should I purchase? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Rex - the recalled fridges are Dometic models and not Norcold.

Dometic has taken out full-page ads in most RV publications for the last couple of years (at least) announcing the recall.

Buy foam extinguishers - Google Mac Mcoy - he does fire safety seminars at FMCA rallies and sells the foam ones. (If you ever discharge a dry chemical extinguisher, you will have a humongous clean-up effort with the chemical.)

[Pubtym]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LK23:
Two Questions:

1. Where can we find if Dometic has recalled our refrigerator.

2. I plan to add a fire extinguisher to the bedroom, what type should I purchase? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Rex - the recalled fridges are Dometic models and not Norcold.

Dometic has taken out full-page ads in most RV publications for the last couple of years (at least) announcing the recall.

Buy foam extinguishers - Google Mac Mcoy - he does fire safety seminars at FMCA rallies and sells the foam ones. (If you ever discharge a dry chemical extinguisher, you will have a humongous clean-up effort with the chemical.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

John,

Dometic recall info.

http://www.rv.net/FORUM/index.cfm/fu...d/18592867.cfm

My understanding is foam extinguiser is not Class C (Electrical)fire rated...and I see warnings not to use foam near live electrical sources(microwave-converter-entertainment center items-Exterior A/C control box, interior AC and 12V switch and fuse panels-Inverter)...that's why I believe the all purpose (dry chemical) to be best overall option inside coach.

Outside..where oil-gas-grease fire most probable..foam...agree there..

Effective multisource fire extinguish capability is my main objective in interior. I'll deal with collateral cleanup as side bar.

Thanks.

[steelheadbluesman]

8 months ago, we were following a rig up the west slope of the Oregon cascades, doing about 50 mph and to our great horror and surprise, we watched it catch fire! The driver pulled over, several rigs pulled over, and we all emptied our puny little extinguishers, all five of them, to no avail. No one was hurt, and they even got the dog out, but the coach was totally lost. Point is -- consider carrying one extinguisher that is bigger, maybe a 5 or 10 pound ABC (all-combustibles), so you can bring some serious extinguishing agent if you ever need it. Another aspect of fire safety, and possibly more important than how many extinguishers you have on board, is to make sure every person in your rig knows how to release, open, kick-out or otherwise remove (whatever it takes) your rear escape window. Not to preach, but some communication on fire safety can make the difference.

[Pubtym]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by steelhead_bluesman:
8 months ago, we were following a rig up the west slope of the Oregon cascades, doing about 50 mph and to our great horror and surprise, we watched it catch fire! The driver pulled over, several rigs pulled over, and we all emptied our puny little extinguishers, all five of them, to no avail. No one was hurt, and they even got the dog out, but the coach was totally lost. Point is -- consider carrying one extinguisher that is bigger, maybe a 5 or 10 pound ABC (all-combustibles), so you can bring some serious extinguishing agent if you ever need it. Another aspect of fire safety, and possibly more important than how many extinguishers you have on board, is to make sure every person in your rig knows how to release, open, kick-out or otherwise remove (whatever it takes) your rear escape window. Not to preach, but some communication on fire safety can make the difference. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Good points..
Sounds like this was a rear engine/pusher fire?

[John_Canfield]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pubtym:
--snip--My understanding is foam extinguiser is not Class C (Electrical)fire rated...and I see warnings not to use foam near live electrical sources(microwave-converter-entertainment center items-Exterior A/C control box, interior AC and 12V switch and fuse panels-Inverter)...that's why I believe the all purpose (dry chemical) to be best overall option inside coach.

Outside..where oil-gas-grease fire most probable..foam...agree there..

Effective multisource fire extinguish capability is main my objective in interior. I'll deal with collateral cleanup as side bar.

Thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>There are foam extinguishers that are safe on Class C fires. Here is the link to "Mac the Fire Guy" who we saw in action at an FMCA rally in Perry a few years ago.

I want nothing to do with dry chemical extinguishers.

[hamguy]

Has a competent fire inspector pinned the source on the refrigerator? I would be more likely to suspect a boiled dry battery if you had it plugged into a charger source for any period of time without checking the water regularly.

[RustyJC]

There's LOTS of information on Dometic refrigerator fires and recalls in both the iRV2.com General Discussion and the RV Systems and Appliances forums.

Rusty

[steelheadbluesman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pubtym:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by steelhead_bluesman:
8 months ago, we were following a rig up the west slope of the Oregon cascades, doing about 50 mph and to our great horror and surprise, we watched it catch fire! The driver pulled over, several rigs pulled over, and we all emptied our puny little extinguishers, all five of them, to no avail. No one was hurt, and they even got the dog out, but the coach was totally lost. Point is -- consider carrying one extinguisher that is bigger, maybe a 5 or 10 pound ABC (all-combustibles), so you can bring some serious extinguishing agent if you ever need it. Another aspect of fire safety, and possibly more important than how many extinguishers you have on board, is to make sure every person in your rig knows how to release, open, kick-out or otherwise remove (whatever it takes) your rear escape window. Not to preach, but some communication on fire safety can make the difference. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Good points..
Sounds like this was a rear engine/pusher fire? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep. In a brand new Beaver. Their maiden voyage, they said!

[Pubtym]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pubtym:
--snip--My understanding is foam extinguiser is not Class C (Electrical)fire rated...and I see warnings not to use foam near live electrical sources(microwave-converter-entertainment center items-Exterior A/C control box, interior AC and 12V switch and fuse panels-Inverter)...that's why I believe the all purpose (dry chemical) to be best overall option inside coach.

Outside..where oil-gas-grease fire most probable..foam...agree there..

Effective multisource fire extinguish capability is my main objective in interior. I'll deal with collateral cleanup as side bar.

Thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>There are foam extinguishers that are safe on Class C fires. Here is the link to "Mac the Fire Guy" who we saw in action at an FMCA rally in Perry a few years ago.

I want nothing to do with dry chemical extinguishers. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Interesting stuff. But, at those prices, I could carry one dry extinguisher in each hand..one in each pocket..and one between each big toe..and two more under each arm..now that's a heavy dry chemical response.

[Pubtym]

"Fire Extinguiser 101" Check out 'Location Button' on web page.

http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/agents.html

[Pubtym]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pubtym:
--snip--My understanding is foam extinguiser is not Class C (Electrical)fire rated...and I see warnings not to use foam near live electrical sources(microwave-converter-entertainment center items-Exterior A/C control box, interior AC and 12V switch and fuse panels-Inverter)...that's why I believe the all purpose (dry chemical) to be best overall option inside coach.

Outside..where oil-gas-grease fire most probable..foam...agree there..

Effective multisource fire extinguish capability is main my objective in interior. I'll deal with collateral cleanup as side bar.

Thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>There are foam extinguishers that are safe on Class C fires. Here is the link to "Mac the Fire Guy" who we saw in action at an FMCA rally in Perry a few years ago.

I want nothing to do with dry chemical extinguishers. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

John,

After multiple readings at several websites..this is great site..His products best fit the RV/MH needs. I hope to see him at ralley someday. Does Mac attend GNRs?

See you at GNR 2008

[azloafer]

Recalls.gov

Joe

[azloafer]

Originally Posted by LK23

Two Questions:

1. Where can we find if Dometic has recalled our refrigerator.

2. I plan to add a fire extinguisher to the bedroom, what type should I purchase?

Check for recall here: Norcold Recall

I know this is old, but I just got my recall letter!

[wa8yxm]

Re Refrigerator fires... In addition to checking to see if yours is covered by recall (mine is, and it's been done, and I never got the notice but checked, found it was covered, and called my dealer). INSPECTION is a good thing.. Inspect often and if there is any sign of issues.. GET IT FIXED.

Re: Fire extinguishers: Do not play around.. Google MAC the Fire Guy and contact him

Contact Mac McCoy

[mikron]

By Mac McCoy, Fire & Life Safety
Mac the Fire Guy

There are many reasons to buy a fire extinguisher. It may be for your boat, RV, home, car or for other reasons. When you go to Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Lowes, Menards, Home Depot or where ever, how do you choose the one you need? Do you choose the “type” you need, what “looks good”, or most generally “how much it costs”. What do the numbers and letters mean? Do you stop to read the fine print to see if it’s safe to use around your children or animals? How much clean up? Will it do more damage than the fire? How easy is it to use? How do I maintain it? Can I go to the Fire Department and will they train me?


What do the letters and numbers on the fire extinguisher mean?

Fire extinguishers may have one or more of the following letters on the label, A, B, C, D, or K, and, a number from 1 to 120. The letters A,B,C,D and K represent the types of fire the extinguisher can extinguish.

• Class A is effective for fighting fires involving common combustibles like paper, fiberglass, wood, 12-volt wiring and many other items commonly found in a home, car, RV or boat.
• Class B is effective for fighting fires involving flammable & combustible liquids like gasoline and diesel fuel and flammable gasses such as propane etc.
• Class C is used on fires involving energized 120v electrical equipment, including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers, machinery and appliances. Remember the only way to extinguish a Class C fire is to turn the power OFF. The C means that the material in the extinguisher is non-conductive.
• Class D is effective fighting fires involving combustible metals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, sodium-potassium alloy uranium and powdered aluminum.
• Class K is effective fighting fires involving restaurant grease.

If any of these symbols are missing on a portable fire extinguisher, it has not been rated for this class of fire.

The numbers on the label represent the area the extinguisher will cover. Class B fires are measured in square feet. Class A is measured in cubic feet, such as 1A equals 8 cubic feet. There is no area measurement for Class C.



Types of Fire Extinguishers

BC dry powder extinguisher is the most common and least expensive extinguisher. The material used in this type of extinguisher is non-toxic Sodium Bicarbonate. In a non-motorized RV (trailer or 5th wheel) no matter the size or type of construction, only one 5 BC extinguisher is required. For motorized RV’s classes A, B or C motor homes no matter the size, only one 10 BC extinguisher is required. This means 5 or 10 square feet of a Class B fire fueled by flammable or combustible liquids or flammable gas (LPG)) and Class C energized 120v electrical. These extinguishers pack easily and can loose air over time.

ABC dry chemical extinguisher is the second most common extinguisher used in motor homes. The material used in this type of extinguisher is Monoammonium Phosphate. This material has a Hazardous Material Identification System number of HMIS 1-0-0. These numbers mean the material is a Hazardous Material that is toxic. This material becomes very corrosive when heated. It is very difficult to clean because it melts to the surfaces it comes in contact with. This type of extinguisher has very limited Class A extinguishing ability (common combustibles, paper, fiberglass, wood, 12v wiring and most of the materials used in RV’s or boats). It takes a large ABC dry chemical extinguisher to handle a relatively small Class A fire. These extinguishers also pack easily and loose air.

Purple K (PKP) BC dry chemical extinguisher. The material used in this type of extinguisher is Potassium Bicarbonate. This material has a Hazardous Materials Identification System number of HMIS 1-0-0. These numbers mean that this material is a hazardous material and is toxic. PKP is also corrosive, and is mainly used by the military and airports. This extinguisher packs and can loose air over time.

CO2 extinguishers, the material in this extinguisher is Carbon Dioxide Gas. These extinguishers are heavy and are tested by weighing the extinguisher. These extinguishers are used primarily around electrical equipment and some flammable liquids. Avoid using this type of extinguisher on or near computers because the gas is very cold and can harm electrical components. CO2 is not a good outdoor fire extinguisher because it is easily dispersed by the wind.

Halon extinguishers are more expensive and harder to find or refill for the general public. Halon is very hazardous when used on a fire because of the chemical change it goes through. During the heat phase of the fire, Halon changes to hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen sulfide. During the cool down phase, it changes one more time into phosgene gas. Halon is not a good outdoor fire extinguisher because it is easily dispersed by the wind. When Halon first came out, it was thought that it absorbed oxygen. It doesn’t, it displaces oxygen in the area of the fire. Halon’s danger comes from the chemical changes it goes through.

Halatron I is a popular replacement for Halon (there are others). It is environmentally friendly but still has some of the same hazards. Halatron I is very expensive for the average RVer, boater or home owner. It is also easily dispersed by the wind. A 1A 10BC extinguisher weighs 23lbs and will cost about $250.00 and a 2A 10BC will cost about $350.00.

Class A Foam & Class B AFFF Foam. Class A foam works very well on wood products as well as Fiberglass RV walls because of its ability to cling and penetrate a vertical surface. However, it does not work as well on hydrocarbon fires because it does not flow horizontally as does Class B foam. The material used in this type of application is Aqueous Film Forming Foam. The Fire Service and the Military have used this type of foam for over 60 years. This material is slightly toxic and corrosive. It has not been readily available to the general public. There has been little to no education on this type of material for use in the RV or boating industry. AFFF Foam cools and covers the Class B fuel to extinguish the fire. Firefighters must be careful not to disturb the foam blanket so the vapors do not re-ignite. AFFF Class B foam does not cling to a vertical surface.

ABDK COLDFIRE Wetting Agent from COLDFIRE SUPERSYSTEM has NEW Hand Held extinguishers that can be refillable by the purchaser. This ultimate hand held extinguisher is used for Class A, B, D, and K fires. The fine spray from the unique nozzle provides user safety if using on a Class C fire. The nozzle also greatly enhances the cooling and soaking characteristics of ColdFire®, and reduces scattering of the burning materials. COLDFIRE SUPERSYSTEM units have been designed to meet most residential, commercial, recreational vehicle and industrial applications. COLDFIRE SUPERSYSTEM HH units are available in 1L, and 2L, sizes. COLDFIRE SUPERSYSTEM is also available in the NEW 1L, 2L 3L & 4L Automatic engine fire system for your diesel pusher. COLDFIRE is a UL and ULC Listed Wetting Agent for Class A & B fires, EPA-SNAP Listed and considered an acceptable substitute for the traditional toxic foams and Halon 1211.

ABDK type FOAM/Wetting Agent from FireAde2000 is a NEW TECHNOLOGY, MULTI FEATURED fire fighting and control medium that combines the benefits of 6 different chemical technologies – all in one product. Use of the 16 oz FireAde2000 as a; fire fighting medium, cooling medium, hazardous spill control medium, toxic smoke scrubber, vapor control medium and bioremediation medium. Over 20 years of in house and independent research and testing has led to the refinement of a truly versatile product which has been proven unequivocally to be the most advanced fire suppression technology available today. FireAde2000 is a UL and ULC Listed FOAM/Wetting Agent for Class A & B fires. The 16oz FireAde2000 has the same fire fighting ability as a Dry Chemical extinguisher rated 1A 10B, and is used extensively in the racing industry. FireAde2000 is one of the main fire fighting materials in most European countries.


Recommendation - The Foam and Wetting Agent Extinguishers are great for RVs, boats, business, homes and most other applications. There is an organization called the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that acts as an advocate for public safety. Among other things, the NFPA makes recommendations for the type, size, and location of fire extinguishers for businesses and industry.

Fire departments and fire extinguisher companies that refill and service extinguishers are the watchdogs that insure the NFPA's standards are met. Thanks to these standards, fire extinguishers are in many public buildings and are required in RVs, boats, RV parks, and service stations.

Although the NFPA standards are overall, positive, the standards require the use of certain older style extinguishers such as the dry powder and dry chemical extinguishers. If you have ever used a dry powder or dry chemical fire extinguisher, you'll remember the mess it created. Moreover, it may not have put out the fire or kept it out. Some of the so-called clean agent Halon and CO2 extinguishers lose some of their effectiveness on a windy day and in a confined space, such as an RV or boat. They can also be toxic, heavy and expensive.

I see several problems for us, the public outside of our jobs. (1) There are no standards that say we have to know how to use them. (2) There is no standard to show us how to check and maintain the extinguishers to make sure they will work. We assume that someone else checks them and someone else will be there to use them. (3) There is no standard that requires the manufacture to explain all the information that's on the label. (4) There is no requirement to tell us the "End User" when there is something NEW and better than the OLD material we have always had. Not even the Fire Service has all the answers to what we need for our safety.

That's why I recommend the NEW foam/wetting agent and/or the NEW wetting agent fire extinguishers. These NEW extinguishers are the extinguishers of the future. As mentioned above, they come in ABDK NEW Wetting Agent ColdFire or ABDK FireAde2000 Foam/Wetting Agent. These extinguishers may be just what the doctor ordered for the RVing lifestyle. You also may want to consider the COLDFIRE SUPERSYSTEM engine compartment extinguisher for your diesel pusher. Remember, above all, your life and the lives of your loved ones may rely on what you know about fire and life safety.

Mac McCoy is a 33-year fire-fighting veteran who has worked as a fire fighter paramedic, company officer, training Chief, deputy sheriff and before retiring, the Fire Service Training Coordinator for the State of Oregon. Mac has a bachelor's degree in Fire Science and a master's degree in Fire Administration. He has taught fire safety to thousands of civilians, firefighters, law enforcement and corrections officers across the U.S. and abroad.

For more on Fire & Life Safety information and an on line extinguisher training program contact Mac McCoy at (503) 559-7623 to order products go too macthefireguy.com for emails go to [email protected] to leave a message.


All of the information in this article has been taken from the NFPA 10 Standard on Portable Fire Extinguishers, the NFPA booklet on Portable Fire Extinguishers, Material Safety Data Sheets provided by Kidde, First Alert, Fire Freeze (Cold Fire), and FireAde2000.

TRAVEL SAFE