kestral
09-25-2005, 11:15 AM
This came up on another board, and I felt motivated to "spread the word" so please take a moment to read and review. I don't travel that much (maybe 3x a year) and I have had a fire alarm go off in a hotel twice (false alarms both times fortunately) I was AMAZED at the number of guests that did not follow these safety guidelines. If it had been a fire, some of them would have died I am sure.
I saw a Primetime special called "Survive" that told you what to do in various emergency situations. Here is what they said. Please read and heed - the life you save may be your own!
CHECK THE HALLWAY WHEN YOU ARRIVE
As soon as you arrive in your room, check the floor plan on the back of the door that shows the location of the fire exits. Go out into the hallway and count the doors to the closest exits so you will be able to find them in the dark and smoke of a fire. In the experiment at the Sheraton Yankee Trader (with a fake fire, theatrical smoke), none of the 16 guests inspected the hallway when they arrived.
LEAVE YOUR ROOM KEY WHERE YOU CAN FIND IT
When you go to sleep, leave your room key on the bedside table so you can find it quickly.
IF YOU HEAR AN ALARM, CHECK THE DOOR FOR HEAT
If the fire alarm goes off, test the room door with the back of your hand to see if it is hot, which could indicate there is fire in the hallway.
IF THE DOOR IS NOT HOT OPEN IT SLOWLY
If the door is not hot, open it cautiously and if you have visibility — at least near the floor — make your way to the nearest exit.
IF YOU LEAVE, TAKE YOUR KEY BUT LEAVE YOUR BELONGINGS
If you leave the room, take your room key in case you have to return. Leave your belongings — every second counts. In Primetime's simulation, many of the volunteers took their time leaving, wasting precious time as they debated what valuables to take or gathered up watches, fanny packs and so on.
STAY LOW!
If there is smoke in the corridor, stay low. In the live fire at the abandoned hotel, temperature checks showed that just outside the room where the fire was burning, the hallway was a safe 87 degrees near the floor. But at the top of the hallway it was 137 degrees — hot enough to induce third-degree burns, down to the bone, in just five seconds.
IF THERE IS TOO MUCH SMOKE STAY IN YOUR ROOM
If you can't see your way to the exit, put wet towels under the door and call 9-11 to report your location. Stay near the window but don't open it, and wait for help.
IF THE EXIT IS BLOCKED, RETURN TO YOUR ROOM
If you try to get to the exit but find that it is blocked or the smoke and heat are too much, return to your room, seal the doors with wet towels and fill the tub with water.It is safer to wait inside your room than inside a smoke-filled hallway. In the experiment at the Sheraton Yankee Trader, the 16 guests stayed in the smoke-filled hallway when they found the exit was blocked, yelling and banging at the door instead of returning to their rooms. If the theatrical smoke used in the simulation had been real, they might have died. "They should be back in their rooms defending their place," said Division Chief Stephen McInerny of the Fort Lauderdale department.
NEVER USE THE ELEVATOR
Walk down the corridor and find fire exit.. Remember, never use the elevator in a fire - the call buttons may take you to a floor filled with smoke or flames
PACK A FLASHLIGHT
It's a good Idea to always pack a flashlight in your suitcase. You may need it to guide yourself through smoke or darkness.
Credit Note: I quoted most of this list from the website of www.iklimnet.com/hotelfires/survival.html They make fire suppression systems for buildings, and they were referring to the Primetime Special "Survive" as their source.
I could not find the list on the Primetime website
I saw a Primetime special called "Survive" that told you what to do in various emergency situations. Here is what they said. Please read and heed - the life you save may be your own!
CHECK THE HALLWAY WHEN YOU ARRIVE
As soon as you arrive in your room, check the floor plan on the back of the door that shows the location of the fire exits. Go out into the hallway and count the doors to the closest exits so you will be able to find them in the dark and smoke of a fire. In the experiment at the Sheraton Yankee Trader (with a fake fire, theatrical smoke), none of the 16 guests inspected the hallway when they arrived.
LEAVE YOUR ROOM KEY WHERE YOU CAN FIND IT
When you go to sleep, leave your room key on the bedside table so you can find it quickly.
IF YOU HEAR AN ALARM, CHECK THE DOOR FOR HEAT
If the fire alarm goes off, test the room door with the back of your hand to see if it is hot, which could indicate there is fire in the hallway.
IF THE DOOR IS NOT HOT OPEN IT SLOWLY
If the door is not hot, open it cautiously and if you have visibility — at least near the floor — make your way to the nearest exit.
IF YOU LEAVE, TAKE YOUR KEY BUT LEAVE YOUR BELONGINGS
If you leave the room, take your room key in case you have to return. Leave your belongings — every second counts. In Primetime's simulation, many of the volunteers took their time leaving, wasting precious time as they debated what valuables to take or gathered up watches, fanny packs and so on.
STAY LOW!
If there is smoke in the corridor, stay low. In the live fire at the abandoned hotel, temperature checks showed that just outside the room where the fire was burning, the hallway was a safe 87 degrees near the floor. But at the top of the hallway it was 137 degrees — hot enough to induce third-degree burns, down to the bone, in just five seconds.
IF THERE IS TOO MUCH SMOKE STAY IN YOUR ROOM
If you can't see your way to the exit, put wet towels under the door and call 9-11 to report your location. Stay near the window but don't open it, and wait for help.
IF THE EXIT IS BLOCKED, RETURN TO YOUR ROOM
If you try to get to the exit but find that it is blocked or the smoke and heat are too much, return to your room, seal the doors with wet towels and fill the tub with water.It is safer to wait inside your room than inside a smoke-filled hallway. In the experiment at the Sheraton Yankee Trader, the 16 guests stayed in the smoke-filled hallway when they found the exit was blocked, yelling and banging at the door instead of returning to their rooms. If the theatrical smoke used in the simulation had been real, they might have died. "They should be back in their rooms defending their place," said Division Chief Stephen McInerny of the Fort Lauderdale department.
NEVER USE THE ELEVATOR
Walk down the corridor and find fire exit.. Remember, never use the elevator in a fire - the call buttons may take you to a floor filled with smoke or flames
PACK A FLASHLIGHT
It's a good Idea to always pack a flashlight in your suitcase. You may need it to guide yourself through smoke or darkness.
Credit Note: I quoted most of this list from the website of www.iklimnet.com/hotelfires/survival.html They make fire suppression systems for buildings, and they were referring to the Primetime Special "Survive" as their source.
I could not find the list on the Primetime website