Caravans are a great idea for holidays and mini breaks with family and friends. Whether it’s a caravan you tow around with you or a static caravan that you simply visit several times a year in the same place, they give you a home away from home with all of the same conveniences.

With those same conveniences, however, come some of the same risks faced in terms of fire safety. This month at Fire Safety Equipment, we’re going to delve deeper into whether you need a fire extinguisher in your caravan, along with a discussion of the dangers you may face.

The importance of fire extinguishers for caravans

Like any indoor space you’re planning to inhabit – sleeping, eating, socialising – your safety shouldn’t be something you have to worry about. As you relax and enjoy your holiday, retirement or downtime in your caravan, staying safe should be a given.

You should be able to do these things knowing that there are measures in place to protect you, or that you can use to protect yourself, in an emergency. 

For that reason, there are few safety items quite as important as the trusty fire extinguisher. On hand at a moment’s notice, you can safely tackle a small fire in your caravan and hopefully prevent a mishap from becoming a disaster. 

• Rapid response to a fire in your caravan
• Peace of mind for anyone staying in your caravan
• Potential insurance benefits if you own the caravan

Are you legally required to have a fire extinguisher in a caravan?

No, there is no legal obligation to have a fire extinguisher in any private caravan (this would differ for caravan sites that are commercially owned and operated. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one!

The National Caravan Council (NCC) acts as the trade body for the industry and, among other organisations, strongly recommends that fire safety equipment is in place at all times for all caravans as per their manufacturers’ approval scheme. This includes fire extinguishers as well as other safety-checked and compliant features.

What are the unique fire risks in caravans?

While they’re a great place to spend a family holiday or a quick break, don’t let your guard down when it comes to fire. Here are four ways caravans pose unique fire risks:

• Cooking appliances – Many caravans will use gas for cooking in one form or another, presenting a risk in terms of gas leaks and fires.
• Electrical faults – Both basic and luxury caravans will have electrical systems and circuitry, from lighting to entertainment systems. Faults in the wiring or overloading the circuit could result in an electrical fire breaking out.
• Poor ventilation – Because a caravan is a small, enclosed space compared to your home, fire and smoke can fill it easily without enough proper ventilation. 
• Limited escape routes – A typical caravan will often only feature one door, and while they may have windows, a convenient escape route can quickly be blocked off in such a small space. This means you need to be able to react even faster in an emergency to avoid becoming trapped by fire.
  

What type of fire extinguisher best suits caravans?

Here at Fire Safety Equipment, we recommend having a dry powder fire extinguisher. This is the best extinguisher type to help you cover the variety of possible fire classes you could face. We have all the dry powder extinguisher products you need in one handy store, helping you have a safer holiday:

• 1kg powder fire extinguisher (with strap)
• 1kg automatic dry powder extinguisher
• Powder extinguisher identification sign

What other fire safety equipment is useful in a caravan?

As well as the above, you might also want to consider implementing the following additional fire safety features for your caravan:

• Smoke detectors
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Fire blanket
• Fire escape hammer (to break glass windows)

Order your caravan fire extinguisher online today through our store and find out why we’ve been awarded so many five-star reviews. With fast, free delivery in the UK, you’ll be able to kit out your caravan in no time at all.