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Old 07-19-2020, 07:52 AM   #1
LewisB
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"Emergency" Exits

I've seen several threads where someone made mention of the need for "emergency" exits in an RV. Apparently, this is a mandate by the RVIA.

In a recent other thread, John (JRTJH) posted "Honestly, if you look critically at those "escape windows" and how difficult they are to open and even more difficult to climb through, does it really "much matter about where the ladder is installed" ????" This comment is right on in my mind. Our Raptor has two emergency windows; 1) in the forward bed area - the base of this window is more than 10 feet off the ground, and 2) in the garage area upper window - the base of this windows is about 8 feet off the ground.

My questions; has anyone ever had experience in using one of these windows? How did it go? Does anyone ever "train" their family to use these windows? I've wondered if there are "rope ladders" or other emergency egress equipment available that would work for these exits.

Somehow, I just cant see myself or the DW (both over 70 and horizontally challenged) crawling out of of those windows and dropping to the grownd at 3 a.m. in the morning...

Just musing...
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Old 07-19-2020, 08:14 AM   #2
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To be perfectly honest, if you've ever seen a rv on fire, if you're inside when it starts & the fire department isn't parked outside you probably ain't getting out!! In about 15 minutes all that's left is the frame & a pile of ash.
Not to be harsh or insensitive, but it's either drop 8-10' from the box or be lowered 6' in the box, I'd have to try the drop.
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Old 07-19-2020, 09:03 AM   #3
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I have seriously thought about keeping my 18v sawsall next to the bed so I could fit out the enlarged window. The way my window is positioned I would have to go head first and not sure how that would work getting bottom half out. I know I would have to push the DW out kicking and screaming and after that I'm not sure I would want to face the greeting she would give me on the ground.
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Old 07-19-2020, 09:04 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by travelin texans View Post
To be perfectly honest, if you've ever seen a rv on fire, if you're inside when it starts & the fire department isn't parked outside you probably ain't getting out!! In about 15 minutes all that's left is the frame & a pile of ash.
Not to be harsh or insensitive, but it's either drop 8-10' from the box or be lowered 6' in the box, I'd have to try the drop.


^^^^I think this is right. I've thought about it many times, walked around looking at those exits pondering "what do you do"? I came to the same conclusion as Danny.

By the time you found some sort of ladder, got the exit open and tried to deploy something to escape...you'd already be toast. As I told DW, the best plan I can figure is to get the exit open the quickest way we can, take your chances on the drop (try to position yourself as best you can), I would go first (if there was time) and I would try "slow" her descent however possible. Of course if time was of the essence she would have to make the initial drop. Ideal? Not really. Better than being "well done"? Absolutely, and I wish anyone ever caught in that situation all the best in the world.
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Old 07-19-2020, 10:20 AM   #5
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I don't think it will much matter in a real fire, but I have a fire extinguisher mounted in the hallway at the foot of our bed. The kitchen is in the opposite end of the trailer (area of most probable fire starts) and the door is at the foot of the stairs, closest to the bedroom.

There is an emergency window in the bedroom, with that "head first 10' drop if it's ever used"...

Our "plan" (always subject to good planning and never subjected to actual trial runs with a fire in progress) is to use the fire extinguisher (to fight back the flames) to make it to the door and exit the trailer.

Will it work?? Who knows, but at least we've got some sort of "what if" that we've "thunk about a bit"...

In today's RV's, I think that's about the best you can do, is think things through and hope the actual circumstances, if they ever do occur, go somewhat like you thought they would....

Having been on many aircraft fire scenes, I can say that most "real situations" never occur as the "preplanning" predicted..... The key to survival is the ability to "think on the run" as things change dramatically with every situation....
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Old 07-19-2020, 11:53 AM   #6
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Try looking at the side cockpit window in an airbus and wondering this same thing!
I guess in a true emergency, one makes an easy decision.
There was a copilot that jumped head first back in the 70s out of an airliner on the ramp that was being hijacked... TWA I think? He was fine, even landing on his head! And that was about 18’ up.
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Old 07-19-2020, 12:02 PM   #7
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In our Passport with the rear cargo door, Keystone decided (for whatever reason! ) to put a lockset/handle assembly that only opens from the outside. No interior handle to open the door. This door is accessible from the lower bunk or under it (crawling), or from the top bunk when you drop down to the floor. The kitchen (as John stated, the most likely area for a problem to start) is in the middle between the bunks and the main door. If a fire started in the kitchen area, there would be no way to exit that rear door with that factory lock. You're trapped. For this reason, I changed that lockset to in interior/exterior keyed-alike assembly that matches the main door so anyone can exit in an emergency if it was locked (at the same time I also changed all of the other cargo and access panel locks to match the doors, one key for everything, keep it simple...).
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Old 07-19-2020, 01:33 PM   #8
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One of the things that attracted me to our Outback was that it has a second door in the bedroom. As John said, the kitchen is the most probable source for fires and in our trailer, that is also where the power center is. The fire extinguisher in our trailer was mounted by Keystone on the side of the front door, on the other side of the kitchen from the bedroom. If a fire breakes out in the kitchen, I assume I won't be able to reach the extinguisher.
When we camp, we make sure that the bedroom outside door is only locked by the lock that is openable from the inside, that the steps on that door are down and we plan that that is our escape route. Saving the trailer is not in our plan at all. The other part of the plan is to have a spare set of truck keys hanging at the back door. In any campsite, the truck is always parked close enough that if the trailer went up, the truck would too. Our plan is to at least save ourselves and the truck.
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Old 07-19-2020, 04:49 PM   #9
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You all are discussing the reason why we have a trailer with two doors, an ARP Fridge Defend system, and three fire extinguishers. Also two more fire extinguishers are in the truck.
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Old 07-19-2020, 06:28 PM   #10
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Two Doors

This is why when we were buying last trailer we only looked at ones with 2 doors.
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Old 07-20-2020, 02:45 AM   #11
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Each of us have to figure it out---ahead of time. If you are really worried than you'd better practice the 'drop' out the window.
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Old 07-20-2020, 04:17 AM   #12
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I'm a "plus size" man. 6'3", 260 lbs, size 15 EEE shoes. If there's a fire I'll make any window an "emergency egress" window. An aluminum framed trailer window mounted in a trailer wall won't be a problem.
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Old 07-20-2020, 08:10 AM   #13
retiredusps69
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Emergency exit On our trailer I tryed to open one of the exit windows

on our trailer I tryed to open one it was a NO GO. Stuck to the gasket went outside and pryed with a screwdriver. Now I check all of them when we set up!!!
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Old 07-20-2020, 09:20 AM   #14
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Great thread!!!!

Only thing I can think to add is:

Since I exclusively dry camp "in the middle of nowhere", a lot of times in the rain and cold weather, I thought of the scenario of having to bail out the emergency window, say in the middle of the night,.. and it hit me..... "Now What"???? Very long walk to find another camper and an even longer walk to find an occupied cabin,... probably bare foot with no coat..... So, I now make it a habit to set the truck keys right under the escape window on the bedside pedestal at bedtime.
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Old 07-20-2020, 04:50 PM   #15
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Great thread!!!!

Only thing I can think to add is:

Since I exclusively dry camp "in the middle of nowhere", a lot of times in the rain and cold weather, I thought of the scenario of having to bail out the emergency window, say in the middle of the night,.. and it hit me..... "Now What"???? Very long walk to find another camper and an even longer walk to find an occupied cabin,... probably bare foot with no coat..... So, I now make it a habit to set the truck keys right under the escape window on the bedside pedestal at bedtime.
With our floor plan the main bed is in the front with a sliding door on each side of the entertainment center. The front entrance door is right at the bedroom door. I installed a small strip of wood with hooks so it just misses the sliding door when closed. Mounted it high and put the truck keys on the hook closets to front and dog leash on the hook closest to door. Small but very bright LED flashlight next to keys.

It's habit, muscle memory almost, that when I get up I grab the keys on my way out. I also have a spare key (not cheap as it's a chipped key) that I kept in the center console. The reason for this was that before retiring I flew a lot. I thought if I lost my keys when I returned to the airport I could use the keypad on the driver's door and still be able to drive home.
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Old 07-20-2020, 05:28 PM   #16
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...I now make it a habit to set the truck keys right under the escape window on the bedside pedestal at bedtime.
My keys are in my pants pocket together with my wallet, Leatherman, pocket knife, and my peacekeeper. My pants are on a hook beside the bed.

Our bug out bag stays in the truck.

Important papers and spare cash are in a hidden fireproof/waterproof safe. Hopefully if the trailer burns the safe will survive.
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Old 07-26-2020, 09:46 AM   #17
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Emergency exits

We have also pondered this situation many times. I like the guy who said a while back that he graciously lets his wife go first (out the window) so that "he has a cushion when he goes out".......!! Anyway, I've installed a 5 pound extinguisher in the bedroom, another one at the bottom of the stairs next to the door, and another one in the basement. I've also installed a smoke detector in the bedroom right over the bed, in addition to the one already in the hallway. Plus I added one in the basement, since that is next to the electrical and battery compartment, as well as the furnace area, as well as being right under the bedroom. A little bit of added additional warning, hopefully. As it's said, worse case scenario, take the emergency window exit. Ours is at least only about 6 feet off the ground, and it's swing out, so easy to get open (I test it each time). And, hope nothing ever happens to have to use it.
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Old 07-26-2020, 10:15 AM   #18
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We ...

As it's said, worse case scenario, take the emergency window exit. Ours is at least only about 6 feet off the ground, and it's swing out, so easy to get open (I test it each time). And, hope nothing ever happens to have to use it.


I'd suspect that your "swing out window exits" are similar to ours. They hinge at the top, have a "locking bar" that pulls the window in and swings to the right to lock the window closed.... They open easily, prop open with that closing bar to provide ventilation...

The PROBLEM with that design is that the window must be "extended above 90 degrees for the hinge to fall away so the window doesn't swing down on someone trying to exit in an emergency... The SECOND PROBLEM with the design is that bar... If you push the window open (not enough to disengage the hinge) the bar is "right there in your face" and you can't maneuver an adult body around the bar... So, it's relatively easy, in an emergency when "full mental alertness and reasoning aren't engaged to process solutions" for someone to get trapped between the window and the bar and become "stuck in the exit, 10' above the ground"....

I'd suggest getting on a ladder OUTSIDE the RV, taking some very close and critical looks at the window design, how the hinge works and what you need to do to actually get that damned bar out of the way so you or a loved one can get through the window without being stabbed in the back during exit or getting stuck and unable to get turned around to push the bar away from your body.....

It is a "poorly planned escape route, designed to "fill an RVIA square" with little thought to actual implementation in an emergency situation. If you haven't actually unhinged the window and had it fall away so it's out of the escape route, you're in for a very unwelcome surprise if you really need to use that window as an emergency escape !!!!!
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Old 07-26-2020, 10:39 AM   #19
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^^ That and ending up hands and face first into a pile of broken glass. I guess it beats getting burned alive but if I were "practicing" the emergency procedure I'd see if it's possible given your strength, to remove the window and toss it as far as possible.
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Old 07-26-2020, 11:11 AM   #20
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I've seen several threads where someone made mention of the need for "emergency" exits in an RV. Apparently, this is a mandate by the RVIA.

In a recent other thread, John (JRTJH) posted "Honestly, if you look critically at those "escape windows" and how difficult they are to open and even more difficult to climb through, does it really "much matter about where the ladder is installed" ????" This comment is right on in my mind. Our Raptor has two emergency windows; 1) in the forward bed area - the base of this window is more than 10 feet off the ground, and 2) in the garage area upper window - the base of this windows is about 8 feet off the ground.

My questions; has anyone ever had experience in using one of these windows? How did it go? Does anyone ever "train" their family to use these windows? I've wondered if there are "rope ladders" or other emergency egress equipment available that would work for these exits.

Somehow, I just cant see myself or the DW (both over 70 and horizontally challenged) crawling out of of those windows and dropping to the grownd at 3 a.m. in the morning...

Just musing...
Our Montana has 5 exit windows, but only one is ever likely to be needed, the one in the master bedroom. I keep the Werner MT-13CA ladder folded up below the window that way I just step out the window and onto the ladder. The bedroom window is just a bit over 2ft from the floor and it's 2.5ft wide and 18" tall. Very doable even for this creaky 78-year-old.
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