Emergency escape window

[woof-n]

I keep thinking if I had to use the camper emergency escape window. I would end up breaking my neck while the windowsill adds more injury scraping off body parts. I understand if your alive, your alive and that is something to be grateful for. If you can't exit through door there is very little time to get out. For an old guy this is going to be difficult. I have looked for videos to show how to exit the window but so far, I have not found anything useful. Thoughts?

 

[Isaac-1]

Get a telescoping escape ladder Amazon.com Fasten a retaining cargo strap around the top so you don't accidentally drop it on the ground. To deploy hook it over the open window and drop so it extends, lift up on the hooks for the last segment locks in place then climb down.

 

[Ray-IN]

I keep thinking if I had to use the camper emergency escape window. I would end up breaking my neck while the windowsill adds more injury scraping off body parts. I understand if your alive, your alive and that is something to be grateful for. If you can't exit through door there is very little time to get out. For an old guy this is going to be difficult. I have looked for videos to show how to exit the window but so far, I have not found anything useful. Thoughts?

This video by Mac The Fire Guy might be informative:

Followed by this one.

 

[John From Detroit]

I keep thinking if I had to use the camper emergency escape window. I would end up breaking my neck while the windowsill adds more injury scraping off body parts. I understand if your alive, your alive and that is something to be grateful for. If you can't exit through door there is very little time to get out. For an old guy this is going to be difficult. I have looked for videos to show how to exit the window but so far, I have not found anything useful. Thoughts?

I went out through the emergency exit in my Damon Intruder several times.
It is easier than you think.. I used the front and basically lay on top of the furnature that's just inside thje window and roll out in such a way feet hit the ground first and hands remain on the window sil (not scratchy) if your window is the klng that can be opened and re-latched. you might try it.

But then I'm over 6 feet tall that makes a difference too.

Tri-mark door lock in case you wonder why I used the window.

 

[Oldgator73]

Keep a battery powered saws all in the bedroom. If you need to get out saw a man sized hole in the wall.

 

[SuwanneeDave]

Mac the fire guy does not look like he could get out a window very easily. I would like to see him doing video demonstration rather than talking about it.

 

[Larry N.]

This was a major factor causing us to choose a Newmar instead of another brand for our last motorhome. Note the door aft of the bedroom slideout. We kept a telescoping ladder next to the door.

 

[Domo]

We installed a grab bar to one side of the escape window. Now, anyone can open the window, grab the bar and let the rest of the body snake out while holding the bar and then simply let go of the bar and walk away...

 

[old_toys]

my biggest fear was in case of a fire, I would have to let my wife go first and by the time she got out the window I would be a cinder.

 

[HikerBob]

I keep thinking if I had to use the camper emergency escape window. I would end up breaking my neck while the windowsill adds more injury scraping off body parts. I understand if your alive, your alive and that is something to be grateful for. If you can't exit through door there is very little time to get out. For an old guy this is going to be difficult. I have looked for videos to show how to exit the window but so far, I have not found anything useful. Thoughts?

I went out my emergency escape window because the door in my latch was broke. Come to find out once you go out it it falls off and you have to replace the whole frame and window.

 

[RVfixer]

Our escape window in our old trailer was behind the sofa. In our new trailer it is behind (I should say over the top in both cases) the double recliner chairs. It seems easy to me to climb over the furniture and get out the window, especially in an emergency. In a fire I would have to decide, depending on the circumstances, whether to fight the fire with an extingisher while my wife gets out the window or, depending on the fire, help her out the window before I got out. We are too old to try getting out for practice but have opened the window a few times each and made plans on how we would get out and think we could do it quickly.

A friend of mine bought a new Airstream trailer about 9 years ago. On a camping trip something happened to the door lock and they couldn't get out the door. They tried the so called escape window and for some reason screws had to be removed on the inside to get the screen off to exit the window and no tools in the trailer...lacking plan! That is a huge error by somebody! Lucky there was no fire. They called the park ranger on the phone and they handed him the trailer door key out a very small window and the ranger managed to get the door open.

They changed the escape window screen to some kind of turn latches but in a fire a knife or the like would make short work on the plastic screen. However, they had an Airstream factory double bike rack installed by the Airstream dealer on the back of the trailer where it was designed to go and it blocks nearly half of the escape window. People should inspect their escape routes and make sure they easily open and everyone knows how to open them, has a plan to get out and that the routes are not blocked. Some escape windows that are not opened often get stuck to the seal and can be very hard to open. I open and close our escape window a few times before every trip and keep some baby powder on the seal to keep it easy to open for my wife. A fire in an RV moves very fast and everybody needs easy escape access, knowledge on how to quickly open them and a plan!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You should make sure the escape window actually opens too - sometimes the latch is broken or frozen. Maybe lubricate it too. It's a good idea to try it annually. And do a practice escape once too.

Somethings escape window suggestions that I've read about over the years include...

• Grab a bed sheet or blanket to place over edge to make it easier to slide your body over it.
• Throw pillows to the ground first
• Keep some sort of stick handy to prop that hinged window wide open
• Have a roll-up or telescoping ladder nearby (if you can find a place to keep it)
• Show your spouse how to open it and use it
• Know in advance whether you will go out feet or head first, cause you won't have time to experiment later. Typically you will want to go feet first but that can be really difficult unless the window is directly over the bed. Again, PRACTICE it once!

 

[RRR]

We installed a grab bar to one side of the escape window. Now, anyone can open the window, grab the bar and let the rest of the body snake out while holding the bar and then simply let go of the bar and walk away...

That is a very good idea.

 

[1stimerver]

The door lock on our TT jammed last summer. Fortunately the escape window was unlocked. Climbing up on a couple of milk crates got me high enough to climb thru the window, to get inside. Wish I had thought of grabbing a nearby blanket to put on the frame to avoid the scrapes I endured during the entry.
At 6' 1", 200 lbs and 73 yrs old, I fit thru the window, but dread the idea my better half and me having to exit thru that thing!!!
As a side note I discovered that with the window horizontal it can be slid out of the track for removal, which would have made the entry a lot easier.

Safe travels and all the best.

 

[chuckbear]

Mac the fire guy does not look like he could get out a window very easily. I would like to see him doing video demonstration rather than talking about it.

These Youtubers all love to hear themselves talk. Ten minutes of them talking and one minute of useful information. Did anyone see Mac demonstrate anything about escaping a fire? I didn't. Our window is next to the bed so it's easy to climb out, just a fair way down to the ground. The roll up ladder is a good idea, stowed next to or very near the window. But in a fire, I would rather break a bone hitting the ground instead of being trapped inside. Drop anything soft and not on fire over the window frame. As a boater for almost 6 decades, the wife and I go over all "what if" emergency situations well in advance. Chuck

 

[chuckbear]

The door lock on our TT jammed last summer. Fortunately the escape window was unlocked. Climbing up on a couple of milk crates got me high enough to climb thru the window, to get inside. Wish I had thought of grabbing a nearby blanket to put on the frame to avoid the scrapes I endured during the entry.
At 6' 1", 200 lbs and 73 yrs old, I fit thru the window, but dread the idea my better half and me having to exit thru that thing!!!
As a side note I discovered that with the window horizontal it can be slid out of the track for removal, which would have made the entry a lot easier.

Safe travels and all the best.

We keep a 4 step folding step ladder on the shelf above the propane locker. This can't be locked. Useful foe emergency climb ins, cleaning the windshield and other chores. Chuck

 

[woof-n]

There is a lot of good thoughts and comments. I will need to process all this for a bit and come up with a plan. As previously said, in the fire, there wont be time to figure this out. I am not sure about me practicing the escape plan out the window but I might offer the grand kids $20 to give it a try.

 

[Lou Schneider]

I keep thinking if I had to use the camper emergency escape window. I would end up breaking my neck while the windowsill adds more injury scraping off body parts. I understand if your alive, your alive and that is something to be grateful for. If you can't exit through door there is very little time to get out. For an old guy this is going to be difficult. I have looked for videos to show how to exit the window but so far, I have not found anything useful. Thoughts?

Go out feet first while hanging onto the window sill. Drop and hang with your arms fully extended and your feet will either be on the ground or only a foot or two above it.

 

[John From Detroit]

Mac the fire guy does not look like he could get out a window very easily. I would like to see him doing video demonstration rather than talking about it.

Mac the fire guy. alas is no more and when I saw him I'd bet he could have. Of course that was 17-18 years ago.

As I said I've gone out the front Window (and in it too) a few times. I use a ladder to get back in however. Going out is easy. It looks scary but so long as you can stand on the ground even in reach the bottoom of the window you can go out safely. let's see six feet
6/32 = .1875 =.433 seconds =13 feet per second. (Full fall splat on the ground) of course you don't do that if you go out the window right and hang on to the edge (That's less than 9 MPH)
(I've hit the ground at closer to 20 I don't recommend it (21.8 to be precise)

 

[_Rusty_]

I've often thought about making such a video. It really does sound like a useful tutorial to be made. As a firefighter, we practiced this technique as part of a firefighter survival technique.

Basically
1) Open window (unlatch it)
2) Get your head out (so you can breathe).
3) Shoulder into window frame and use arm to grasp a hold inside window.
4) Lean your body out with your head (hold on!) and your legs will follow.
5) While holding on (dangling) with one hand, you can push away with the other before you drop to avoid getting caught on something.

Assuming with even the highest diesel pusher your window is no more than 8' off the ground, your arm length will get you down a foot to 18". Your body will probably be 4~5 feet tall so the final drop could be just a foot or two (not necessarily fatal according to OSHA). This beats the alternative for sure!

Certainly not something you could practice weekly, but how many campers don't even know how to open that window. And how many salespeople bother to explain the purpose or use of the emergency exit window.