Hotel Front Office Management, 3rd Edition

390 CHAPTER 14: SECURITYimprove guest, employee, and inventory safety. The economies of scale will make theelectronic key system an affordable necessity.Fire SafetyHearing someone shout “Fire!” will panic anyone who is unprepared to deal with thisdangerous situation. Well-orchestrated safety procedures that are well managed at theonset of a fire can have lifesaving implications for guests and employees. The front officemanager and the director of security must develop effective fire safety and evacuationplans, as well as training programs for employees, to ensure their effectiveness.Fire Code General RequirementsFire safety plans begin with the fire safety codes of the municipality where the hotel islocated. These codes will stipulate construction materials, interior design fabrics, entranceand exit requirements, space limitations, smoke alarm installation and maintenance,sprinkler system installation and maintenance, fire drill testing, fire alarm operation andmaintenance, and the like. These extensive codes were developed to ensure guest safety.They may require extra financial investment, but they are intended to protect the guestand the occupants of the building.Guest ExpectationsHotel guests expect, either consciously or unconsciously, to find a safe environmentduring their visit. Some guests may ask for a room on the lower levels or inquire if therooms have smoke alarms. However, most guests are concerned about other matters andwill not ask about fire safety procedures. When the guest settles into a guest room, he orshe may give a passing glance at the fire evacuation procedure posted behind the door.Some guests may even count the number of doors to the nearest exit. Is this enough? Willhuman lives be in jeopardy because guests’ other, more pressing concerns have causedthem to place their safety in the hands of the management and employees of the hotel?Fire Safety PlanThe front office manager who wants to take active measures to ensure guest safetymust develop a simple fire safety plan, communicate it to employees and guests, and trainemployees and guests to handle a stressful situation. This will include the following commonsenseconcepts:1. Equip all guest rooms and public areas with smoke detectors that are tied in to acentral communications area.TLFeBOOK