Faulty Fire Safety Sticks – Check Yours Now

A thread started by a MotorhomeFun member has uncovered a potentially serious issue with Fire Safety Stick extinguishers — and the problem may affect far more owners than first thought.

It started simply enough. A forum member removed the yellow base cap from their FSS50 Fire Safety Stick — bought at the NEC show a few years ago — and found that the small brown circular striker mechanism inside was wet to the touch. Both of their units were the same.

What followed was a fast-moving thread that has since prompted dozens of Funsters to check their own devices, with a significant number reporting the same problem: moisture on the striker cap, and in some cases a striker that had changed from domed to concave — raising real questions about whether the units would work when needed.

What Members Are Finding

The striker mechanism is the component you strike to activate the extinguisher in an emergency. Members checking older units — particularly those produced before Spring 2023 — have reported finding the brown chlorate pad wet, damp, or visibly degraded. Several described liquid on the striker. One member checked two units in their home and found one fine, one with a wet striker dating from November 2022. Others who had given Fire Safety Sticks as Christmas gifts found themselves alerting family members to check theirs too.

The concern is straightforward: a damp or compromised striker might not fire reliably in an emergency. Given that these devices are carried specifically for that moment, it matters.

The Response From the UK Distributor

To their credit, the UK distributor responded quickly when contacted. Their position is that a flat or concave black chlorate end cap is considered normal, but that damp striker caps are a known issue in units made before a production process change introduced in Spring 2023.

The distributor's advice is as follows:

If your striker cap is damp and — having watched their explanatory video at fss.link/DampStriker — you still want it replaced, email info@firesafetystick.com. Include where you purchased it (relevant if you didn't buy directly from their store), your postal address, and the model — the FSS50 and FSS100 have different parts.

If you're unsure whether what you're seeing is a problem, email a clear, in-focus photo to info@firesafetystick.com and they will advise and agree a resolution.

Units manufactured after Spring 2023 use a different production process and are not affected by this issue.

What You Should Do Right Now

If you own a Fire Safety Stick — in your motorhome, car, or home — take two minutes to do the following:

1. Remove the yellow base cap carefully.
2. Inspect the small brown circular striker pad. It should be dry.
3. Check whether the striker cap is domed or has become concave.
4. If anything looks damp, wet, or degraded, contact Fire Safety Stick directly at info@firesafetystick.com.

If you bought your unit using the MotorhomeFun discount code, contact the same address and mention where you purchased it.

The Bigger Picture

Fire Safety Sticks have been popular on MotorhomeFun for several years, and with good reason — they're compact, have a 15-year claimed lifespan, leave no messy residue, and are used by a number of UK fire and rescue services. This issue does not appear to affect newer units, and the distributor is handling replacement requests.

But the thread is a timely reminder that no piece of safety equipment should be assumed to be working just because it's sitting in its mount. Check it. If it's pre-Spring 2023 and the striker looks damp, get it replaced before you need it.

The original thread — and the follow-up alert posted to reach as many members as possible — are both on the forum. Worth a read if you own one of these.