Tony’s tech tips: Fire safety

Practical fixes for your caravan

I ASKED MY local fire brigade for advice before fitting fire equipment to my van, and they said “Don’t fight the fire, just get everyone out.” No-one could disagree with this, but most cooks would be happy to throw a fire blanket over a flaming pan once everyone had left. After that, most people would be prepared to operate an easily accessed fire extinguisher from outside the van in the hope of limiting the flame until help arrived. While such an action must be without risk to life and limb, anything that improves the chances of turning off and removing the gas bottles reduces the likelihood of quite a serious explosion. The Caravan and Motorhome Club recommends a blanket to BS EN 1869; clearly it must be within easy reach of the cook and, if possible, between the cooker and the exit door. Although I value my fire blanket, I don’t want to have to look at it all the time. My way of keeping it out of sight yet accessible was to find a small but convenient space where it could be neatly recessed. First up, I took the blanket out of its supplied bag, rolled it into a sausage and pushed it into a plastic tube. The tube size will depend on your blanket, but mine went comfortably into a 540mm length of 50mm white plastic waste pipe fitted with a wooden plug at the inside end. After checking behind the panel, I used a 50mm hole saw to cut a hole in a wooden partition to hide the tube inside a cupboard with just the end exposed, next to the kitchen. The offcut of black Perspex labelled ‘Fire Blanket’ was the final touch. ■ See overleaf for another fire-safety upgrade

1 The fire blanket came in a red bag, but was rolled up and fitted into a white plastic pipe 2 A 50mm holesaw was used to make the hole to accommodate the plastic pipe 3 The fire blanket is very easily inserted into – and removed from – its new home 4 The final result after a black plastic trim has been glued onto the front

blanket yourStore make but discreetly, easy within it’s sure kitchen of the reach

A new series of everyday fixes for your caravan by TONY BROWN