The RV Lifestyle "cookin' with gas"

Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
My wife is a bit paranoid about a coach fire. She recently saw a YouTube video of a motorhome just like ours go up in flames on a California expressway. She seems to think ours is going to blow at any minute now.

All of a sudden, propane is evil. I can’t seem to convince her that this fuel source has been used safely in RVs for decades. I want to make her comfortable with our new lifestyle. How do I get her over this latest hurdle?
--Classical Gas in Garland

Dear Gasman:
I would fight fire with fire (pun intended). It is easy to find additional YouTube videos that demonstrate how safe and efficient propane is.

I am sure your rig has a built in propane detector. If for some reason it does not, you need to install one.

Living in any home, fire safety should be a priority. I am shocked at how many RV owners do not realize they have escape latches on some windows, let alone how to operate them.

A detector is only effective if it is charged and operating properly. A fire extinguisher will only help if you know where it is, how to operate it, and has a charge.

Take your wife through a “Fire Drill.” It may sound like something you do with school kids, but it should be an annual event with all home owners.

Know where your shutoffs are located, what steps you will take and what order you will take them. The first thing most people do is panic. A drill is to hardwire, in your brain, the procedure you should follow. By running through a drill occasionally it will help in a real emergency to act quickly and correctly once the initial shock of an event strikes.

Show your wife you are on top of all these precautionary measures. Involving her should help ease her mind.
--Keep Smilin’. Dr. R.V. Shrink

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