# 6yr. old fell out of the top bunk !



## chipb43 (Mar 22, 2004)

We just took our second camping trip in the 21RS and my 6 year old fell out of the top bunk.







It was about 3 am. that we heard a thud and then crying. I flew out of the bed hopped the 85 lb. Lab in the floor and grabbed him in a matter of seconds. He didn't cry much and didn't seem to have a scratch on him. I am not sure he even woke up. He didn't even remember it in the morning. The next night we had him turn around and sleep with his head toward the window and behind the bathroom wall keeping most of his body protected from another roll-over. I still want to put up some kind of side rail. We have bunk beds at home that basically have a rail that slides between mattress and board. I remember seeing someone posted a picture of one they had. I believe it was a metal one that they may have bought. I may decide to just make something.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Hello Chip, and I'm glad your son is OK after his fall. It's scary and amazing to see just how durable the little ones can be sometimes. My 2 year old also fell from the top bunk but for a different reason (ladder).

Not long ago we had a very active topic about this you can read here:

Bunkbed Rail & Ladder

FYI, my 28BHS has bunk beds that are half closed in by the bathroom wall. We make both girls sleep head first into the bunks so when they roll around they don't fall out. This has worked well for us and without incident. We also make the little one sleep on the bottom.

Best of luck with whatever modification you decide to do.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Chip I'm sorry to hear about that, glad everything is okay though. I sleep much better now with our setup, though anything will work. You just need to decide if you want build it yourself or buy one. The thread above goes over much of the various choices we've all made. If you want, here is my site pages with our mod, just click here.


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Wow, talk about coincidence. Glad your boys ok. While camping this past weekend, my son 5 yo son did the same thing, except he wasn't in the top bunk. Didn't wake up though, and I impressed my wife with the agility I displayed extricating myself from the rear slide, and dashing up to the bunk house.

Its kinda funny too, as earlier that evening, my wife and I were talking, and figured my son would be ok, as he normally doesn't move much while sleeping, while my 3 yo daughter moves from one end of the bed to the other about 5 times a night. Oh well, I guess I'm just going to have to make a trip to the lumber yard to get those ladder/railing built like yours Steve.

Tim


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## kimacobb (Apr 4, 2004)

Im thinking of adding rails/ladder also..... for now I have them sleep down farther in the bed behind the bathroom wall and also I have them open their sleeping bags on the inside intead of the outside.

Kim


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Hi

Just finsihed this mod due to our 10 day trip into the mountains.









I just bought expandable bed rails from Safety 1st. It is the same ones you use for your beds at home. They just tuck under the matress and they are installed. No tools or screws.

The next mod was... I built ladders so the kids can get up and down by themselves. I bought 1x2x8' maple (2 pcs) and made to ladders. I painted them white to match the rest of the TT. I used L brackets to secure the ladder. I made sure that the handle of the door misses the ladder so it does not interfer with it. I am pretty happy with this mod because it looks like it came from the factory this way. When the kids get older the ladders can be removed with no visible screw holes.

This mod took about 2hrs. (mainly waiting for the paint to dry). I rounded the edges with my router. Kids just love it









I will post the pics once we are back. Just ran out of time

Thor


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## RCCL Cruisers (Apr 17, 2004)

Hi,

Glad to here your little one is okay, we have the same trailer as you and we have a two year old who sleeps on the lower bunk. We bought one of those rails from Wal-mart in Canada they were only $14.99 but it has a metal frame with a vinyl mess covering which sits under the matress and stops the little ones from falling out the bed. It is great as it will fold flat and fit in a suticase as we use it when we go on vacation and our little one sleeps on the bunks aboard the ship.

Lee sunny


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

In the 26 RS bunk room, we have our kids in the upper bunks sleep with their heads towards the front of the trailer. That way if they squirm, they hit their head on the side of the door chest (instead of the floor).

Camping this weekend, I tucked my kids into bed after their movie, then checked on them before I went to bed. My 5-year-old (who likes the top right bunk), had completely flipped around (feet were on the pillow). She managed to do a 180 in bed and not fall out. I think she must have been hot in her sleeping bag, so she crawled out, and laid down the opposite way.

Randy


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Well, I spent a good bit of this afternoon cutting pieces of hardwood for my rail/ladder set up. It will be similar to Steve Y-Guys, except I'm not going to cover the rail with batting, as least for right now that is.

I have to work tomorrow, but hopefully I will get some time to work on it after work. I will post some pictures when I get things finished up.

Tim


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Tim I look forward to seeing your setup.


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Steve, finished the glue and screw yesterday for side one. I was going to paint it today, but the humidity is about 150%, with scattered thunderstorms. Haven't taken any photo's yet. I have already made some modifications in the plan that will be incorporated on side two. Of course, then I will have to redo side one so they match.

On another note, the latest camping world order is scheduled to be delivered by the Brown truck tomorrow. Then I will have a turbo maxx fan and some vent covers to install.

Tim


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## begood (Jun 9, 2004)

After reading this post i was telling my wife that by chance it didn't happen to us because we use one of those rail that is sqeezed under the mat. 
guess what... the same night my 8 years old boy fell out of the top bunk.

No injury but what a wake-up!

he probably moved so much that he slowly pushed the rail out.

at 1h30am i screwed the rail directly under the mat. Now it"s safe.

don't trust those rail for taller / heavier child.

a couple of screws can give the peace of mind!


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> ...finished the glue and screw yesterday for side one.


Hi Tim, did you or are you planning to screw through the wood trim on the upper bunks edge? I can't quite tell what the trim piece attaches to. It seems there is a space between the wooden bottom of the top bunk and the ceiling of the bottom bunk. Is it an aluminum rail behind the wood trim? I have looked at the Y-Guys pictures of his install and I just want to make sure I hit something solid beyond the trim piece. I will put an "L" bracket to connect the rail to the wall for additional support as well.

My daughter fell out last April (not hurt, whew!) now we are heading out for a week long trip to the coast and I would like to get a rail in place so we don't repeat that incident!









Thanks everyone!

Herbicidal


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

Well I actually figured this one out for myself!







I did not realize that those brown things on the bunk rail actually covered up a screw!







So I removed the whole trim piece and saw the aluminum rail behind it. I ended up running down to Lowes and bought a nice piece of walnut that was 12" x 48" and just slightly thicker than the trim piece. I bought some additional self-tapping screws and the matching covers (I learn quick!) and some small "L" brackets. Then I sanded down the sharp edges of the board, and on the end nearest the entrance to the upper bunk took a jigsaw and rounded the top corner off. I used a screw every 6", pre-drilled the wood and then screwed right into the the aluminum rail. Then I added 3 "L" brackets that mount to the board on the bottom of the top bunk to the new "rail". When the pad is back in place it hides the "L" brackets. Then I carefully measured and cut the trim piece to fit back on. The walnut looks almost identical to the trim.

The true test came this past week while camping at the coast for five nights. My daughter (7) did not fall out!









Now I just need to do the same thing for the other side. Thanks everyone for your ideas and suggestions on how to keep our little ones safe in the top bunks!

Herbicidal


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Glad things worked out well.







I know the ladder and rail comb mod was a must for us. 3 little one all under 5. So far know one has fallen out including the 3 year old.
















Thor


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Herbicidal, Sorry I didn't get back to you right away. We where camping this last week, and I went right back to work after coming home. I did remove the trim pieces from the beds. I lined the trim up on the replacement piece, and pre-drilled the holes for the existing screws, then added two to three more per side. I used poplar, and plan on painting the rails and ladders white to match the cabinetry.

I hope to post some pic's this week, if I get the chance. I still haven't unpacked the truck, and I picked up two overtime shifts this week too. More money for camping I guess.

Tim


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> Herbicidal, Sorry I didn't get back to you right away. We where camping this last week, and I went right back to work after coming home. I did remove the trim pieces from the beds. I lined the trim up on the replacement piece, and pre-drilled the holes for the existing screws, then added two to three more per side. I used poplar, and plan on painting the rails and ladders white to match the cabinetry.
> 
> I hope to post some pic's this week, if I get the chance. I still haven't unpacked the truck, and I picked up two overtime shifts this week too. More money for camping I guess.
> 
> Tim


No worries! I was gone all last week as well.







We came back on Friday and this gave us the whole weekend to get things cleaned up etc.

Hope you enjoyed your time away like we did.

Thanks,

Herb


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## tasman (Aug 4, 2004)

Definitely something to address - our 10 year old now has a fractured collar bone and a sling for the next 6 weeks. Screwing a rail in place is my next mod. Tossing and turning can displace a mattress rail! With as narrow a corridor as there is between bunks (we have the 28rss) all it takes is hitting just once at an odd angle to bring your camping trip to a halt (not to mention his soccer season). Anyways, I wouldn't count on age of child, sleep orientation, or a slip under rail based upon our experience.


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