At this time I’m going to cover the best way to be prepared to survive a hotel fire if there had been a fire in the hotel, motel or resort you will be staying in. Just like you do fire drills at house you should know your hotel fire safety instructions and fire evacuation information and facts.
Eliminating panic is one of the key factors in surviving any disaster including a fire. If you plan ahead what you will do in a disaster then you can remain calm at that critical time. Remaining calm allows you to think, function and in a positive way.
This is especially important if you are staying in hotels that are not well regulated or have little or no hotel fire safety preparation. I have stayed in many hotels where I wondered how anyone would get out from upper floors where they barely have a fire department.
It’s not like you see in the movies. Most people die from smoke or toxic fumes inhalation, jumping to their death or from being trampled. I have heard that staying in lower room levels might be better too especially in developing countries.
I am not a fatalist I just know that if you are prepared you shall not fear. So I do a check of my surroundings make a plan and then forget it. Just like you do fire drills at home to be prepared but you don’t sit and worry about it all the time. Rather it gives you peace of mind. My planning ahead starts when I pack for the trip. I always take a whistle, flashlight and duct tape.
Escape Routes
Check where your room is located in relation to the stairs and ground floor. On the back of the door is an escape diagram. See where the exits are and investigate all of them. While you are standing there memorize how your door unlocks and opens from the inside. You may have to do it without your eyesight.
Always use the designated escape routes. Do not use the elevator. Check that your room has a fire alarm and sprinkler system.
Know how many doors are between your room and the stairs. If there is a fire and the hall is filled with smoke or the lights go out and it is dark you may need to feel and count the doors to find the exit or stairway. Check that the stairway and exit doors are unlocked and fire hazards like stairways being blocked, ice machines in the hallway, or fire doors that might close won’t block your way. Find out how many stairway landings there are between your floor and the ground floor. Check to see if the exit is in a hallway inside the hotel or is an outside exit. The whole point is to be able to go outside without the aid of sight.
Check out your windows. Do they open? How many floors up are you? Is there a means of escape from the window? You may not be able to use this as an escape. If more than 2 stories you probably can’t do it.
When the Alarm Goes Off
If there is a fire or other emergency the alarm will go off, the staff will call your room, or they will bang on your door or you may hear them yelling in the hall. (if the later two are the case and there is not smoke in your room hold your breath and check the peep hole before opening the door)
The number one life saving action is to act. Don’t assume when an alarm sounds that it is a drill or that it was accidentally set off. Too many people wait to see if it is real or