In this deeply emotional episode, Stuart takes us on a journey through one of the most challenging experiences of his RV life. A fire that not only tested his resolve but reshaped his perspective. Dive in as he recounts the harrowing moments, the split-second decisions, and the profound lessons learned as he helped a family as their trailer burned to the ground.
Key Points:
- The Day of the Fire: Stuart paints a vivid picture of the day, from the first whiff of smoke to the roaring flames. What went through his mind? How did he react?
- Decisions in the Heat of the Moment: Faced with a rapidly escalating situation, Stuart had to make choices that would impact not just his RV, but that of those who lived in the RV and those close to it. Discover the thought process behind these crucial decisions.
- Life After the Blaze: The fire left more than just physical scars. Stuart delves into the emotional aftermath and the changes he’s made since that fateful day.
Engage with Us:
Have you faced a similar challenge on your RV journey? Or perhaps you have thoughts on Stuart’s experience? We’d love to hear from you. Share your stories, insights, and reflections on our RV Dreaming Facebook page. Let’s build a community where we learn, grow, and support each other.
…
Connect With RVDreaming and Stuart:
Call our Hotline and Leave Us a Message: 714-623-0924
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Follow RVDreaming on Facebook: RVDreamingTV
Check Out Our Website: RVDreaming.tv
Affiliate Links From The Podcast:
Harvest Hosts | Boondockers Welcome | RVLife Trip Wizard
Want to be a guest on our program?
Reach Out! Stuart@RVDreaming.tv
Transcript
Stuart Doing Stuff: A fire broke out in
a trailer just a few spots down from me.
2
:This is what happened, and what I did, and
what I learned during this chaotic time.
3
:Welcome to the RV Dreaming Podcast.
4
:Welcome to RV Dreaming.
5
:In this podcast, we help you
prepare for life on the road.
6
:Whether you're in an RV, van, or in
the back of your car, we teach you how
7
:to get on the road and how to survive
your first year as a full time nomad.
8
:RV Dreaming.
9
:Start here.
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:Go anywhere.
11
:How you doing, everyone?
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:My name is Stuart from Stuart
Doing Stuff on Instagram.
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:I've been a nomad since:split my time between my 40 foot Super
14
:CR V and my 24 foot Sprinter van.
15
:I travel with my two cats, Camden
and Izzy, and you can follow
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:me on Instagram at Stuart Doing
Stuff for more stories and videos.
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:So today we're going to talk about
something that I think if you ask any
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:rv or what is your worst fear being
on the road Fire breaking out in your
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:rv and just totally taking it over
is going to be the number one Answer
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:you're going to get I think no matter
how brave somebody is fire is just
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:something that still terrifies everybody
because you just can't control it.
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:A lot of times you can't predict
it and a lot of times it happens
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:so fast you don't even know that
it happened and that's exactly.
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:The experience I had when I was staying
at a campground in Las Vegas, I was
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:sitting down to record a podcast, and
all of a sudden, I had my windows open,
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:and all of a sudden I started smelling
smoke, like campfire smoke, like, you
27
:know, the smell of things burning.
28
:different than other smells.
29
:And my first thought was,
Whoa, wait, what is that smell?
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:It's really strong.
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:So my first thing is fortunately I'm in a
van so I can just look left, look right.
32
:And I can see that there's
nothing in my rig that's burning.
33
:That was my first thing that I
popped my head out my back window.
34
:And I looked at my, , you know,
the pedestal where you plug in
35
:your power because I thought, well,
maybe that might be something.
36
:So I looked at that and that was fine.
37
:And then I kind of dismissed it.
38
:I kind of went, well, maybe someone just.
39
:Starting a campfire and they're, you
know, I'm in a campground, there's
40
:a lot of kids, it's a weekend.
41
:But then I realized, duh, I'm
in like freaking Las Vegas.
42
:It's 90 something degrees out
outside in the middle of the day.
43
:No one, no one is starting
a campfire right now.
44
:And so I was like, wait, what's going on?
45
:So I kind of took my head and I looked
around my other window and that's when
46
:I saw it., There is a trailer that was
about five or six spaces down from me
47
:and the back part was just flaming.
48
:You could see smoke coming out
of the front door, you could see
49
:smoke coming out of the windows,
and at that point, I could see...
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:Flames as well some orange, you know
kind of flame so I threw my headphones
51
:off because I was recording the podcast
and I put some shoes on and I ran over
52
:to where the Trailer was to see if there
was anybody inside and as I got really
53
:close, I'm talking maybe about 10 feet
from the trailer I saw this little
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:girl and she was just standing there.
55
:She was all alone and she wasn't Doing
anything she was just standing there like
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:frozen and I grabbed her and I talked
to her and I said hey Hey, little girl.
57
:Is this your trailer?
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:Do you do you live here?
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:And she goes?
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:Yes.
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:I was like, well, where's
your mommy and your daddy?
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:She goes, I don't know and I said, well,
do you have any brothers or sisters inside
63
:and she goes no and I said, okay Well,
why don't why don't you just come with me?
64
:And so I grabbed her and I grabbed
her hand and then I walked her back
65
:behind my rig and there were some
other people That were gathering so I
66
:found a family that had something and
and I said this this is a girl that
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:lives in the trailer Can you watch her?
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:While I go back and they're
like, yeah, we'll watch her.
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:We'll keep her safe.
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:So I went back over there to look.
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:And by now the fire is even more
engulfed and it's even hotter.
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:So I was like, okay, I got to
go get my fire extinguisher.
73
:I, and I thought at this point, and we're
maybe less than a minute into the fire.
74
:We're maybe like 30, 45 seconds
from the time that I started
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:smelling smoke to this point.
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:Okay.
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:So I ran back to my van and I went
to go get my fire extinguisher.
78
:I knew exactly, I knew
exactly where this thing was.
79
:It's right behind my passenger
seat, right by the sliding door.
80
:Easy to get to.
81
:I ran back to my van, I opened the sliding
glass door, or the sliding door, and I
82
:went to go get the fire extinguisher.
83
:But here's the problem.
84
:Behind my seat, I happened to have
a lot of crap in my van at the time,
85
:so my fire extinguisher was buried.
86
:So for me to be able to get to that fire
extinguisher, I had tomove my toolbox...
87
:There was a case of soda that
was sitting in the back there.
88
:There was some other dirty clothes
that was just kind of piling
89
:up in that corner over there.
90
:I had to move all this stuff,
and then I got to the fire
91
:extinguisher, but it was stuck.
92
:I couldn't get the clip.
93
:The clip was broken.
94
:It wasn't...
95
:I wasn't able to get it off right away.
96
:I had to break the clip to be
able to get the fire extinguisher
97
:off of the back of the wall.
98
:That process of moving all that stuff
and getting that fire extinguisher
99
:probably was another 20 to 25 seconds.
100
:And by the time I grabbed that thing and
I turned around and I started heading
101
:back to the trailer that was on fire...
102
:It was completely engulfed.
103
:There were flames coming
out of the front door.
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:The smell of that smoke
was just so overwhelming.
105
:The heat was getting
stronger and stronger.
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:And just as I start getting over
there and I'm there, I realized
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:my little fire extinguisher is not
going to do anything at this point.
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:It could have started, it could
have helped at the beginning.
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:But now this thing is, is all gone.
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:There's no way that I can do anything.
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:And just as I was having that kind of
revelation, coming around the backside, so
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:this would have been the driver's side of
the trailer, um, I saw the mom, and mom's
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:screaming and yelling, Where's my baby?
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:Where's my baby?
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:So I grabbed her, I grabbed the
mom, and said, She's over there,
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:we got her safe, she's okay.
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:So the mom ran over to
the kid and was okay.
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:And dad was over there hooking up a garden
hose on the driver's side of the trailer.
119
:He was taking one of those
garden hoses and trying to
120
:get, and that also did nothing.
121
:That was...
122
:A futile, it was a nice try, but it, it,
it, it, it, it made no difference at all.
123
:This thing was engulfed.
124
:And what made it worse is even after
the fire started and it started coming
125
:out of the roof, they were parked under
a tree and then that tree caught fire
126
:and that thing just started whoosh.
127
:I mean, we're talking Vegas,
you know, so it was dry.
128
:It was hot.
129
:And that, when that tree caught
fire, that's when I think a
130
:lot of panic from some of the
other camps started setting in.
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:People were starting to move their rigs.
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:Cars were starting to get pulled away.
133
:We were trying to create a path for the
fire trucks, which had still not arrived.
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:And it was, um, it got...
135
:Really, really, really
intense, really fast.
136
:We're talking, this was only two
minutes into this, I would say,
137
:that all this started happening.
138
:So then, we had to kind of take a step
back and go, Listen, we're not going
139
:to be able to get anything in there.
140
:So we're looking at the situation.
141
:It was a trailer, it was probably
about 30 feet, maybe 28 feet longer.
142
:So it was an older one.
143
:And then right in front,
there were two cars.
144
:There's an SUV and a
sedan car that was parked.
145
:And I asked the wife, I said,
do you guys have propane?
146
:She goes, yes, the tanks are in the front.
147
:And so fortunately right now,
the fire is still contained to
148
:the back and it's moving forward.
149
:And my thing is fire gets to the front.
150
:You got propane, you got cars, you
got gas tanks, you got all this stuff.
151
:And people were just kind of standing
around watching and recording.
152
:And I said.
153
:Do you have your car keys?
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:Can we move your cars?
155
:And she goes, no, they're inside,
they're inside, we can't do it.
156
:I said, are your cars unlocked?
157
:Maybe we can run and grab one of
the cars, put it in a neutral,
158
:and push it out of the way.
159
:And she goes, I don't know
if it's locked or not.
160
:And so there was another dude that
was just sitting there, or standing
161
:there next to me, you know, probably
like two or three people away from me.
162
:And I said, can you help me?
163
:You want to go and push this car?
164
:And the dude just kind of goes, nah.
165
:He's like, nah, I'm good, man.
166
:So I'm like, alright, well,
I can't do this on my own.
167
:And there's no one else that's able to,
everyone else is moving their own stuff.
168
:You know, people are breaking down
their cars, people are breaking
169
:down their camps and moving.
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:Because we were afraid at that time,
with that tree going up, that it
171
:was going to catch the other trees
and it was going to travel around.
172
:So I'm looking around, and just
kind of looking, and I go, these
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:people are right across the street.
174
:And they're in one of those...
175
:Big huge fifth wheels one of those big
ones and they they're carrying those,
176
:you know They're towing with this big
Dodge Ram dually trucks or whatever.
177
:They they weren't even outside I knew
they were home because their trucks
178
:were outside, but they weren't outside
watching I was like, I wonder if they
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:even know what's going on three spaces
down from them So I went over and I
180
:banged on their door and I said hey
and the door and it's all hey, man
181
:You might need to move your, you might
want to move your truck, just in case.
182
:And the guy's all, what
are you talking about?
183
:He comes around, he's like, holy crap.
184
:And he grabs his keys,
and he moves his truck.
185
:He had no idea any of this was going on.
186
:So as soon as he moved his truck
out of the way, he grabbed his
187
:garden hose, and then he started
hosing down the roof of his...
188
:fifth wheel because it by this time it
was raining ash that tree was totally
189
:engulfed in flames and ash and little
bits of Things were coming down on us
190
:that could have easily Although unlikely
could have started another little fire
191
:So he gets up onto onto the roof of
his fifth wheel with his hose And just
192
:starts hosing everything down and kind
of all the stuff that's around and
193
:around this time The first fire truck
got there, and it's a fire medic it's a
194
:fire truck, but it was like an ambulance.
195
:It was one of those tinier paramedic,
uh, things, but they were fire.
196
:They were able to get this.
197
:The guy asked me, , if I knew
where the fire hydrant was,
198
:and I said, I I have no idea.
199
:I've never come to think of it.
200
:I don't think I've ever
seen a fire hydrant.
201
:Inside of a campground and maybe you
have but I haven't but he goes do you
202
:know where I can find a fire hydrant
because this is the truck again.
203
:It's an ambulance, but it's a
firefighting capability truck, but
204
:they don't have their own water so.
205
:I don't, they, I don't, I don't remember
what they or did or what they didn't do.
206
:I don't remember because I said,
hey, the wife is over here.
207
:She's complaining of chest problems.
208
:She's lying on the ground.
209
:That's why I went to ask if
you were a medic or whatever.
210
:So, , just after that short amount of
time, then the next fire truck comes
211
:in here and then more and more and more
and all of a sudden Calvary is here.
212
:So they put out the rig fire, they put
out the tree fire, they put out all the...
213
:All the stuff they tend to the wife they
they go through this and then during the
214
:time where the fire truck started arriving
is when the Campground management started
215
:showing up on their golf carts and stuff.
216
:I guess nobody really informed them
or they didn't know Uh, because the
217
:campground office is way on the other
side But I bet you once the fire trucks
218
:and the ambulances and all that other
stuff starts rolling through their park,
219
:you know They're gonna they're gonna know
that they're gonna get picked up on that.
220
:So that was it.
221
:They got there They put out
the fire Everyone was safe, but
222
:the trailer was a total wreck.
223
:The firefighters were able to get it so
that it burned from the back to the front.
224
:And about 80 percent of it was
totally destroyed and then it was
225
:just getting to the front part before
the fire was able to be put out.
226
:So, the good thing is the two
vehicles that were there...
227
:They, they were fine.
228
:They didn't get hurt at all.
229
:The propane tanks were fine.
230
:The front cap of the
travel trailer was fine.
231
:I mean, smoke damage, water damage,
all that, but it didn't burn.
232
:It wasn't like, you know, things.
233
:So, so that was that
moment in all of this.
234
:Was in the span of,
like, under 10 minutes.
235
:This happened so fast, you
didn't even have time to really
236
:comprehend what was going on.
237
:And, and I think that was the thing,
and now that I've had a chance to kind
238
:of stop and think about it and replay
it over again in my head, and, and
239
:to say, what did I learn from this?
240
:Or what, What could I have done better?
241
:What could people around
me have done better?
242
:What could the people who lived
in that trailer have done better?
243
:You know, I started kind of
thinking about this and going, Am
244
:I really prepared for an emergency?
245
:Or am I as prepared for an
emergency as What I thought I
246
:would be, and I think that was kind
of got me really, really going.
247
:So after the everything settled, I
started talking to the wife again.
248
:I didn't talk to the husband.
249
:He was, but I said, What happened?
250
:And she said that she was watching TV.
251
:They were all watching football.
252
:It's a Sunday afternoon.
253
:They were watching football.
254
:And the husband said, You
smell something burning.
255
:And she goes, yeah, so he got up off
the sofa and went to the back of the
256
:trailer where their bathroom is and
he opened the door and as soon as he
257
:opened the door, that's when whoosh,
a huge fireball just overtook the
258
:entire trailer and they were gone.
259
:The, the mom, dad, and the kid,
they just, they just ran out.
260
:That was, and they couldn't,
and they never went back in.
261
:It was that fast of a moment where
that fireball comes in and whoosh, that
262
:overwhelming heat inside that trailer
goes, oh crap, and then they were gone.
263
:They were out of the thing.
264
:They didn't have shoes
on, didn't have jackets.
265
:They didn't have anything, but
literally the clothes on their back.
266
:And that's how I found the little
girls just standing right there by
267
:the trailer with, you know, barefoot
and, and her little, you know, Sunday
268
:pajama things, watching the game.
269
:That was.
270
:That was all they had after this
was over, and it, and it happened
271
:all in just a matter of seconds.
272
:And that was, it's just even
thinking about it now, on how
273
:fast everything just took place.
274
:You've really got to ask yourself,
are you, are you really prepared?
275
:So, as I kind of go through this in
my head, and I'm like, well, what
276
:did I hear and what did I not hear?
277
:What did I learn?
278
:What could I have done better?
279
:I, a couple things, okay?
280
:When I look back on it, if I saw the fire,
which I did, if I had grabbed my fire
281
:extinguisher right away and headed over to
the trailer, it was small enough to where
282
:maybe, maybe my tiny extinguisher or maybe
one or two other fire, tiny extinguishers
283
:could have gotten the fire out, but
my first thought was Is there anybody
284
:inside, which is why I took off from
my van and went straight to the trailer
285
:is to see if anyone needed help getting
out, you know, it's an older trailer.
286
:You don't know if
they're seniors in there.
287
:You don't know if there's
somebody with mobility issues.
288
:You don't know if there's,
you know, whatever.
289
:So my first thought wasn't grab the
fire extinguisher, put out the fire.
290
:My first thought was, let's get over
there and see if anybody needs to get out,
291
:see if anybody needs help getting out.
292
:That was where my first thought was, so
that's why I ran over there and I found
293
:the girl and we moved her to the side.
294
:That's why I had to come back to the van
to get the fire extinguisher, because
295
:now that I knew everyone was out and
everyone was away from the fire, then it
296
:was like, okay, let's put the fire out.
297
:Now, was that the right call?
298
:I don't know.
299
:You, you tell me, because I could
have grabbed my fire extinguisher,
300
:and headed straight over, but
my, that wasn't my first thought.
301
:My first thought was.
302
:Is there anybody inside
they need to get out?
303
:And then I, I think even my
thought may have been, the
304
:fire's not that big right now.
305
:I can get in there and help
somebody get out if they need it.
306
:And somebody else can help with the fire.
307
:I don't, I don't, I don't exactly
remember the, all the thoughts
308
:that were going through my head.
309
:I just remember, if there's someone
in there, they need to get out.
310
:And that was, that was
where my mindset went first.
311
:Not, put out the fire.
312
:It was, get people out.
313
:So, I noticed that.
314
:As I started processing things more,
another thing I didn't no another
315
:thing that I noticed that I didn't
notice at the time, if that makes
316
:sense, is I didn't hear a fire alarm.
317
:Normally, in a trailer with
all that smoke, you'd be
318
:hearing a fire alarm go off.
319
:Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep,
beep, and I didn't hear that.
320
:Like, I was cooking one day in my van,
um, with the air fryer, and the air
321
:fryer set off my fire alarm on my van,
and I had somebody from my neighbors
322
:come over and knock on my van just
to make sure everything was okay.
323
:So, these things are loud, and when
you're, you're, when you're tucked
324
:in as tight as you are, especially
at this campground that I was at
325
:in Las Vegas, you know, you can
hear your neighbor's television
326
:if they have their windows open.
327
:You can hear them screaming
and yelling and fighting.
328
:You can hear a fire alarm, you
know, and I didn't, now that
329
:I think about it, I didn't.
330
:I didn't hear a fire alarm, so it
either melted, which is possible,
331
:but I don't remember hearing one at
all, uh, during this entire time.
332
:Another thing that, , I didn't, I
don't, I didn't ever even thought about
333
:until I said, Can we move your car?
334
:Do you have your keys?
335
:You know, they're just lounging around,
and they didn't have their keys to,
336
:to move the vehicles in that event.
337
:Their, their instinct was get out,
and they didn't grab anything.
338
:They didn't grab their wallet,
they didn't grab their car keys,
339
:they didn't grab their cell phones.
340
:Didn't grab anything.
341
:Instinct just kicked in and said, I'm out.
342
:So, this tells me that, like, if you're
trying to, if you think that you're
343
:prepared, and you think you know what
you're going to do, you're really
344
:maybe not as prepared as you think.
345
:That you're gonna that you're gonna be
and then like mom and dad and the kid
346
:she was five years old She's five years
old this little girl this little girl
347
:mom and dad's their first instinct was
to run out I'm sure the kid followed them
348
:and mom and dad ran out of the Passenger
door out of the door of the trailer and
349
:they both went over to go in and try and
attach the garden hose because it Wasn't
350
:attached already They went over Tried
to attach the garden hose to try and get
351
:that thing once dad got the hose going
and started doing the fire That's when
352
:mom came around and said where's my baby?
353
:So even mom's first impression
was Put out the fire or get
354
:the garden hose or something.
355
:They didn't even know
where their child was.
356
:Like, there could have
been another baby in there.
357
:And that's why I asked, is
there anyone else inside?
358
:You know, I didn't know if
there was anyone else in there.
359
:And mom and dad, I'm looking around
going like, well, where are they?
360
:They're not here.
361
:And now that I'm saying this story
again, it's like, I was gonna say, mom
362
:and dad may have just left this kid
at home alone, or maybe they're at the
363
:pool or doing laundry or something, but
I got, I remember there were two cars
364
:there, so I'm like, they gotta be here.
365
:Where are they?
366
:I didn't see them.
367
:At all.
368
:Until after I got the kid to safety,
and I grabbed my fire extinguisher,
369
:and then I went back over there.
370
:So that was, all of this just
happened so fast, , and, and, and I
371
:just can't even, uh, think about it.
372
:So, all of this just kind of
gives me a second to think.
373
:Ever since this moment, I
relocated my fire extinguisher.
374
:So it's still in the same spot
behind the back seat, but I moved it.
375
:Into a pocket that I had, um, so I got,
on the back of my passenger seat, I got
376
:one of those, uh, shoe racks, you know,
where they have little pouches where you
377
:put your shoes in them, they go over the
back of a door or something in a home.
378
:So I had one of those
and I use it for storage.
379
:So I moved my fire extinguisher
from the clip that was attached
380
:to the back of the seat and I put
it in one of those, uh, pockets.
381
:So that way, if I need it, I can
just grab it, it's always there.
382
:It's in the same spot.
383
:Behind the seat, but I don't I
don't have to grab it anymore I
384
:checked the expiration date and
I noticed it didn't have one.
385
:I think it's okay But I made it more
available and more accessible and more
386
:quickly accessible Ever ever since
then the other thing I recommend that
387
:You do is if you can go to Amazon.
388
:I did this too and look up fire bags.
389
:These are some amazing fireproof bags
that you can put your possessions and
390
:your Important documents in so I put
like my passport inside of my fire bag.
391
:I put all my spare keys I put a
lot of the the stuff that you need.
392
:I put some cash in there as well It's
a small amount just in case I need like
393
:a hotel room or something like that.
394
:I've got multiple credit cards, a lot
of them that I don't use but are active,
395
:so I put those in there as well because
if you need to, something happens and,
396
:and you need to go and get a rental
car, you need to go get a hotel room,
397
:at least I have my credit cards with me.
398
:That I can use to be able to do that.
399
:So even if I don't have my
phone for Apple pay or whatever,
400
:I have some form of payment.
401
:I have my passport card and some old
credit cards that are still working that I
402
:can use to be able to in a pinch survive.
403
:You know, if you have medications
that you have, you need to put
404
:some medications in that fire bag
as well and put it in a spot that.
405
:Is safe, put it in a spot that
you know, that you can grab it.
406
:And that's the thing.
407
:If you have to leave your rig, just like
this family did you, you're not going
408
:to think about grabbing your phone,
your keys, your shoes, your wallet.
409
:You're not going to think about it.
410
:You're only going to think
about get the heck out.
411
:And that's what you should do.
412
:Just get the heck out.
413
:So once the fire department got there,
once everything gets out in the fire,
414
:hopefully that fire bag will preserve
many of your important documents
415
:that you'll need to be able to.
416
:, at least for the short term
interim, take care of your needs.
417
:Uh, while we were doing that, and,
and, and, this is what was great about
418
:the community of the people that were
all at the RV park, is we all, we all
419
:experience, you know, different kind
of events when we're on the road.
420
:While the firefighters were still fighting
the fire, this thing was still going.
421
:Still, you know, flaming while they
were doing that there was a group of
422
:ladies that actually already were on
the phone with the American Red Cross.
423
:They were already on the phone with all
these aid people to come out because mom
424
:was hysterical during this entire time.
425
:They were full time in this thing
and everything they had within it.
426
:So there was a group of people
that were there making phone
427
:calls to these organizations while
that thing was still burning.
428
:That was, they, they had that
foresight to say, I can't help.
429
:Put out the fire, but I can't help
them with what's next and there were
430
:aide workers on site within probably
about two or three hours from the
431
:time that the fire department left.
432
:So that was great work from the American
Red Cross and the people that were
433
:making those calls on behalf of the
family to get them set up with food,
434
:shelter, clothing, everything they
needed for that night and the next, you
435
:know, several days that's going on so.
436
:Look, so, look at your firebag, and know
that you need to put stuff in it, and
437
:if you just need to get out, know that,
like, think about it, if you had to start
438
:over today, if you had nothing, if you
were in their shoes, and you just ran
439
:out of your rig, with nothing on, but the
clothes on your back, what would you need?
440
:ID.
441
:Credit card.
442
:Backup cell phone maybe?
443
:I don't know.
444
:Documents?
445
:Insurance documents?
446
:Prescriptions?
447
:Um, have those in your go bag.
448
:Have them in the fire bag.
449
:Ready, ready to go.
450
:What about your fire extinguisher?
451
:When was the last time you
checked the expiration date on it?
452
:When was the last time you took
it off of the wall and learned
453
:how to attach it to the wall and
check the hinges and, and all that?
454
:And...
455
:Did you fall into the same trap that
I did, where I know where it is, but
456
:through just the course of life, it
got buried, it got pushed away, it got
457
:pushed back, and it made it inaccessible,
and it took me time, you know, precious
458
:seconds to be able to retrieve that.
459
:That was, um, that was the
learning experience for me.
460
:That was, uh, that was something else.
461
:Um, another thing, if you're really
concerned about fire and you should
462
:always be concerned about fire,
, there's a solution that I was looking
463
:at when I first started RVing in my
super C and that's called Proteng
464
:fire solution, it's P R O T E N G.
465
:And what this is, is think of it.
466
:It's like a road flare.
467
:It's about the size of a road
flare and you put it where fires.
468
:start.
469
:You put one in the engine compartment.
470
:Maybe you put one by your generator.
471
:You put one during your, where
your circuit breakers are.
472
:And this thing...
473
:If it senses heat, or there's a
triggering mechanism, I forget
474
:what it is, it's either heat,
or fire, or flame, or something.
475
:Um, as soon as it reaches that point, the
device explodes, and it just sends fire
476
:retardant chemicals all over whatever
the thing is, and it stops the fire.
477
:Even before it starts, so it works when
you're at your rig, and when you're not
478
:at your rig, it works whether you're
aware of it, as a matter of fact, they
479
:were telling me that this thing will work
and go off before you even knew there
480
:was a fire, so if you're really concerned
about that, look into the Proteng, and
481
:I'm sure there's others, but that's
just the one that I remember, and I'm
482
:not supported or endorsed or anything
affiliated with them, I just, that,
483
:they're just the ones that I remember
going to the seminars and, and learning
484
:about them, P R O T E N G, um, they're
expensive, But think about the alternative
485
:as well, as to the cost of, of what.
486
:other options maybe out there.
487
:So, so think about that.
488
:And there's also fire blankets.
489
:And when you have a fire blanket, it's,
it's just a simple blanket that just
490
:hangs somewhere easily accessible.
491
:You pull out the thing from the
bottom and then you just put
492
:it over the top of the fire.
493
:And this is especially , useful
in, uh, kitchen fires.
494
:So as I was researching RV fires, one
of the things I saw, and this was a
495
:house fire video where there's a fire
that starts on the stove, maybe too much
496
:grease or whatever, and you take the
pan and people will take the pan and
497
:they'll move it away from the stove.
498
:But there was one video I saw, and
I don't mean to laugh and make light
499
:of it, but they moved it from the
stove to the countertop, but where
500
:the countertop was, there was, it
was, there was a window and there was.
501
:Curtains hanging off that window, the
flames from the pan moved over to the
502
:fire or moved over to the curtains
and it set the whole kitchen up.
503
:That's where a fire blanket
would come in handy.
504
:You know, where instead of having
to move open flame from one place
505
:to another where you can drop it, it
could spill or it can, you know, the
506
:flames could catch something else.
507
:Just take that fire blanket and throw
it right on top of whatever is on
508
:fire and that will take care of it.
509
:So a fire blanket would be
really good to have as well.
510
:If you're in a space where you can use
it, and you know that that's an issue.
511
:Especially for a lot of us
that have propane rigs, and
512
:propane stoves, and all that.
513
:You could be cooking up some bacon
in the morning, and some grease.
514
:Catches fire, and it just gets
too hot, and whoosh, next thing
515
:you know, there everything goes.
516
:So, that's an important thing, if you
can have a, if you can have that as well.
517
:That would be, , Really beneficial and
I'm sure there's a lot of other things
518
:that you can have that can prevent fires
or different tools my impression from
519
:What happened with the father is when
he opened that door and that flame, you
520
:know Caught that the the fire caught
that oxygen when the door opened and
521
:it just fireballed out through the rig
I think you learned this in elementary
522
:school, where you feel the door.
523
:If you think there's a fire, you feel
the door and you see if it's hot.
524
:And if it's hot, don't open it.
525
:Like, there's some common,
basic stuff that was there.
526
:I'm assuming that he left the door open.
527
:I'm wondering if when that flame
If he closed that bathroom door
528
:again and isolated that fire, if
that was even a possibility, um,
529
:that could have stopped something.
530
:So, I don't know.
531
:All that's hypothetical.
532
:All I know is that I wasn't as
prepared as I thought I was, and I
533
:thought I was pretty well prepared.
534
:And now I start questioning, did
I do things in the right order?
535
:You know, like I said, my first
thought was, Is there anyone in there?
536
:We need to get them out.
537
:Not.
538
:Let's put out the fire and you just
don't know how you're going to react
539
:until you're in that kind of situation
and I'd Love to hear from you.
540
:If you've been in a similar
situation, how did you react?
541
:What did you do with my
thought process, right?
542
:Was it wrong?
543
:I don't know.
544
:That's just what happened The moral of
the story here is everyone's okay and
545
:stuff can be replaced, but it's still a
traumatic event Especially for this five
546
:year old that's gonna carry that memory
for with her for the rest of her life.
547
:So I'd love to hear your comments on it.
548
:I'd love to hear your thoughts.
549
:Please leave them in the comments.
550
:Go to our Facebook page and our
RV Dreaming pages, and let me
551
:know what your thoughts are.
552
:Uh, email stuart@rvdreaming.tv
at rvdreaming.
553
:tv.
554
:I just, you know, this is one of those
things that I just would love to hear
555
:what you think, how you prepare, and if
you've had similar situations, alright?
556
:So, thank you for listening
to the RV Dreaming podcast.
557
:If you've liked what you heard or you
got something out of this episode,
558
:please take a moment and leave us
a review on Apple Podcasts Spotify.
559
:It helps us get more exposure
and it helps more people just
560
:like you to thrive on the road.
561
:So, enjoy your travels, make them safe,
make them fun, and make them memorable.
562
:RV Dreaming, start here.
563
:Go anywhere.
564
:We'll see you in the next episode.
565
:Thanks for listening to
the RV Dreaming Podcast.
566
:See the action on Instagram, Stewart
doing Stuff, hear about it on the podcast.
567
:Be sure to subscribe.
568
:We'll see you in the next episode.
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