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Emergency Exit
As I was reviewing news articles today, probably like many of you, I saw another article about a bus fire. http://abcnews.go.com/US/scary-video-shows-boltbus-explosion-massachusetts-highway/story?id=30966741
Which leads to my question: Do Prevost windows allow for an emergency exit if you’re in the back of the bus and a fire starts in the front prohibiting you from exiting thru the door?
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13 Replies
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They do allow for emergency exit…probably not a fun way to leave the bus tho…I have a fire extinguisher, near front door, under the kitchen sink and in the main bedroom closet..also one mounted on cieling of first bay just above my tool box.
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We had a bus fire and I was a nanosecond away from not being able to release the front door air lock. I can say that if the lock had not released it is probable the emergency escape windows would have been more difficult to exit from than if I kicked out the windshield. That was an XL.
Today with an XLII the emergency escape windows are larger, and more user friendly, but still not the best option for quickly leaving a coach. This is a serious problem but apparently not an issue so large that owners are demanding multiple means to exit a coach.
If the coach is laying over on the passenger side the windshield is still going to be the exit of choice.
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Jon,
What do you mean ‘release door air lock’?
I don’t lock the exit door, just the bay doors while driving.
Mark
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I don’t know how the H3 is set up, or even how my XLII is set up because the XLII is an automatic air door lock as soon as I put it in drive. That may or may not open or unlatch if power or air is interrupted.
But on the coach in question it was an XL and anyone with an XL knows the air lock is used by almost all owners to minimize wind noise. The lock configuration would pull the entry door tighter so it was an easy way to stop the door from whistling. On the day of the fire the electric was affected by the engine compartment fire and all 4 chassis batteries burned along with all 6 house batteries. When we lost power the air lock switch would not function. I got it and the floor slide to work about a second before power was lost.
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For safety reasons, I have disabled my air slide and air lock. in the event I have to leave in a hurry while half-asleep, in the dark, with smoke…I would rather deal with the one lock which can easily be overridden in the event of a power failure.
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Airlock on my XL2 seems to be overridden when you open the door if bus is in gear…thought they all worked like that!
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Not sure you can assume that in the event of an electrical or air failure the lock will release.
I am fully prepared to kick out a window or push through the emergency windows.
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How is the air lock disabled?
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On mine (Yours may be different) the locking bolt is spring loaded and will retract (unlock) in the event of an air failure…air is needed to keep it locked. I disabled mine by elmiinating the air source. Obviously, on my bus, loss of air pressure is not a concern in an emergency but, if I still had air pressure, it would be one more obstacle to overcome to get out.
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Thanks,
Mine must be disconnected as it does not seem to work. I was not sure how it was supposed to operate???
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several customers used to keep spring loaded punches near windows for quick exit
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Big hammer
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On my 91, have 2 large sliding windows (one on each side of bedroom) in back, that even a portly fella could get out of easily. Of course make sure you let the wife jump first so the bus driver has something soft to land on. Upfront, would just shoot the windows out.
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