Tips for Preventing a Hotel Fire

10/9/2019 (Permalink)

Fire in a Waterloo, OK building

Being a hotel owner in Waterloo, OK, comes with its own set of responsibilities and stresses, one of the most important of those being the safety of your hotel guests. From physical building safety features to on-staff security guards in unsafe locations, and proper building maintenance, there are many legal requirements you must meet in order to be up-to-code as a commercial building and consumer-oriented business.

Fire Prevention

One of the most vital categories of safety you should be well prepared for is fire prevention. Especially with large numbers of people staying at your establishment, a hotel fire is one of the last things you would probably like to experience. By putting the right things in place ahead of time, you can have more peace of mind that you can handle any hotel fire incident without widespread damage.

• Fire risk assessment: This includes identifying major hazards such as damaged appliances and obstructed ventilation system, as well as potential fire contributors including furniture and chemicals. It’s important to put the most vulnerable people in rooms that are easiest to evacuate from. Put checks into place for examining high risk areas and items that are ready to wear out and keep paperwork for local fire authorities, as they do check hotels and issue fines or warnings for code violations.
  
• Staff training: Someone on your staff will need to be trained more extensively than the rest of the staff on hotel fire safety. The size of your hotel will determine how many individuals need to have this training.
  
• Alarm and sprinkler systems: Legally, hotels must have well-maintained alarm systems, and some may also require sprinkler systems.
  
• Fire evacuation plan: Your designated fire route should be constructed with fire and smoke resistant materials, include emergency lighting, signs, and ventilation, and be obstruction-free.
  
• Guest information: Depending on your state, there may be differing laws governing what type of information you must provide to your guests in the case of an evacuation. Many hotels have pamphlets in each room or evacuation maps on guest doors.
  
  

Hotel Restoration

If you do experience a hotel fire that causes structural damage, consult with a fire restoration company. They are well-equipped to do everything necessary to ensure your insurance claim is accepted, including properly cleaning the damaged area, establishing safety perimeters, and fixing your building up quickly so your business is interrupted as little as possible.