What Fire Safety Gear Should I Keep in a Van or Tiny Home?
Fire risk in small spaces is about speed: smoke spreads fast, exits get blocked fast, and small mistakes become big problems. The right gear is the gear you can reach in seconds, and the plan is to get out, not fight a vehicle fire from inside.
FIRE
Priority: escape first
Seconds matter
Reachable from bed + door
REALITY
Your best fire tool is a clean exit
In a van or tiny home, the “fight the fire” window is small. The gear you carry should buy you time to escape, stop a small flare-up early, and prevent re-ignition. Anything that delays exit is a bad trade.
Non-negotiable: at least one extinguisher reachable from the bed and one reachable from the main door.
Related:
QUICK LIST
Minimum fire safety gear (real-world, not fantasy)
MUST HAVE
- Fire extinguisher reachable from bed.
- Fire extinguisher reachable from the main exit.
- Smoke alarm in the living area.
- CO detector if any combustion exists.
- Headlamp or small light for exits at night.
HIGH VALUE
- Fire blanket near cooking area.
- Heat-safe gloves or pot holder that can grab hot items.
- Basic first-aid for burns (cooling + dressings).
- Simple way to cut power fast (accessible switch or breaker plan).
- Spare batteries for detectors and lights.
OPTIONAL
- Small secondary extinguisher near electrical/power area.
- Temperature/heat alarm in an enclosed build area.
- Non-flammable storage bin for flammables (if you carry them).
- Basic tool kit to temporarily secure a window/door after damage.
- Simple grab pouch for ID/keys if you must exit fast.
Placement beats quantity: one extinguisher buried under gear is effectively zero extinguishers.
Plan beats gear: if you have to think, you will be slow. Decide your exit route now.
EXTINGUISHERS
Extinguishers: type and placement that make them usable
WHAT TO CARRY
- Carry an extinguisher rated for common vehicle and cooking fires.
- One extinguisher should be sized for a real attempt, not a token unit.
- Know what type you bought and what it’s meant to stop.
- Practice the motion: pull, aim, squeeze, sweep.
WHERE TO PUT THEM
- One within arm’s reach from the bed.
- One within arm’s reach from the main door.
- Mount them so they don’t become projectiles in a crash.
- Do not mount only in the back if you can’t reach it safely.
Use rule: if a fire is growing, producing heavy smoke, or blocking your exit, your job is to leave. Extinguishers buy time; they don’t make you a firefighter.
ALARMS
Smoke + CO detection (early warning is the advantage)
SMOKE
- Put one in the living area where you will hear it while sleeping.
- Do not hide it behind curtains or inside cabinets.
- Test it and replace batteries on a routine schedule.
- Dust and cooking residue reduce reliability over time.
CO
- If any combustion exists, treat CO detection as mandatory.
- Place it where you can hear it from bed.
- Keep it in the cabin airspace, not sealed in storage.
- Replace units at end-of-life even if they “still beep.”
ELECTRICAL
Electrical fire basics (prevention + response)
PREVENT
- Secure cables so they can’t chafe on metal edges.
- Keep connections tight and protected from vibration.
- Don’t overload outlets, adapters, or undersized wiring.
- Keep heat-generating devices away from fabric and clutter.
RESPOND
- If safe, kill power fast using your planned shutoff point.
- Do not spray water on electrical fires.
- If smoke is heavy or you can’t isolate power, exit.
- Afterward, do not re-energize until you understand the failure.
COOKING / HEAT
Cooking and heating fire controls
COOKING
- Stable stove surface with clear space around it.
- Ventilation during cooking reduces grease and moisture load.
- Keep a fire blanket within reach of the cook area.
- Shut down and stow before you drive or sleep.
HEAT
- Keep fabrics and stored gear out of heat paths.
- Use stable mounting and clearances.
- Do not treat open flame as “normal heat.”
- Have a shutdown routine you can do half-asleep.
CONDENSATION
- Wet interiors increase electrical and mold problems.
- Control moisture so you’re not storing wet fuel/gear/towels inside.
- Vent routinely, especially after sleeping and cooking.
- Dry hidden areas before mold turns into “permanent smell.”
EGRESS
Escape plan and egress (what saves you)
PLAN
- Keep the main exit path clear at all times.
- Know your secondary exit route if the main door is blocked.
- Keys, phone, and shoes in consistent locations.
- Practice: from bed to door in the dark.
WHEN TO LEAVE
- If smoke is heavy, leave immediately.
- If your exit path is threatened, leave immediately.
- If you cannot isolate the source quickly, leave.
- Once outside, do not re-enter for property.
Simple rule: if you can’t see clearly or breathe normally, the decision is already made. Exit.
MAINTENANCE
Monthly checks (keeps gear from becoming decoration)
DO
- Check extinguisher pressure indicators.
- Confirm mounts are tight and reachable.
- Test smoke and CO alarms.
- Inspect wiring runs for chafe or heat damage.
- Confirm cook and heater areas are clear of stored gear.
DON’T
- Let gear get buried behind “temporary” storage.
- Ignore end-of-life alarms from detectors.
- Assume a cheap adapter is safe under high load.
- Run heat or cooking with fabrics drifting into the zone.
- Keep flammables in heat paths or direct sun exposure.
AVOID
What to stop doing (because it creates fire risk)
- Putting the only extinguisher in a place you can’t reach fast.
- Cooking or heating near clutter, paper, or fabric.
- Running heavy electrical loads through cheap adapters.
- Storing fuel, aerosols, or lighters near heat sources or windows.
- Ignoring condensation and moisture that keeps systems damp.
- Assuming you’ll “handle it” instead of leaving when smoke is heavy.
Simple target: two reachable extinguishers, working alarms, clear exits, and controlled cooking/heating zones.
Risk reduction: most fires are prevented by keeping wiring sane, keeping flames controlled, and keeping clutter out of heat paths.