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aiden  
#1 Posted : 05 April 2017 13:20:33(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
aiden

Whilst delivering Fire Awareness training session to hotel staff  recently they explianed even in the event of a fire alarm activation the guest doors do not unlock/de-activate. The hotel procedure is they knock on each door of the affected area whilst the alarm is going off alerting them to leave the building. I was curious re this practice, however the staff who also have experience of other Hotels, said this is the norm within the hotel industry. In other industries I had seen doors de-activate via a magnetic lock system on the activation of a fire alarm. 

Is this the normal experience within the hotel indusrty generally and if so is it a security rationale that is driving this? How does the Fire Service then confirm if a hotel building is empty in the event of a fire?

Interested in comments.

SBH  
#2 Posted : 07 April 2017 09:58:13(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
SBH

I would say that the staff have given you the basics of a correct procedure, espescially in smaller hotels where the procedure would be all out. 

Some larger hotels will be linked via an interface to disengage when the fire alarm activates, hopefully the hotel will be zoned in compartments and not all the hotel will go into alert. I would suggest that once the alarm activates staff repoprt to the fire panel and then identify where the alert is active . Designated trained staff would then lead to the area in alert to ensure the compartment is cleared of guests by physically alerting guests as stated in the original posting . Not forgetting that the actual rooms should be alarmed and in alert

In a larger hotel, some staff should be appointed to act as fire marshals. Others can be given different roles to be undertaken in the event of fire, such as dealingwith disabled occupants or shutting down cooking equipment.

Such members ofstaff may require additional training, which may need to be delivered by external trainers with suitable expertise.

Regards

SBH

Micky.d  
#3 Posted : 10 April 2017 16:32:53(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Micky.d

Compartmentation would play a large part in Hotels. Good Fire Doors, protected Stairwells etc shouldn't require everyone to leave in the event of an Alarm activation...

That being said, I was recently away from home on business and was just about to check into a Hotel (which will remain nameless) when the Fire Alarm Panel (which was located near to the Entrance Door and not visible from the Reception Desk??) went off... The two Staff behind the counter looked at each other with puzzeled looks on their faces, one of the receptionists got up, walked to the window, and assured the other one it was a Car Alarm!!.

I had to tell them it was the Fire Alarm Panel... I then walked over to the Pub and waited until it was silenced before Checking in!!

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