Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

Ground Level
FIGURE 5
Fire in room 246 of a two-story hotel.
620

---

FRONT OFFICE : HUB OF THE HOTEL
•
Note rooms where you could not contact the guests. If practical, have employ-
ees start knocking on doors to evacuate these rooms. If there is a fire, do not
attempt to fight it unless someone’s life is in danger or the fire is very small,
and staff are trained to extinguish it.
•
If they are not already present, phone the general manager and maintenance
engineer and advise them to go to the hotel immediately.
•
Do not leave the front desk area unless that location is affected by the emer-
gency. Front desk staff will need to handle calls from guests. In multibuilding
properties, if guests call from the affected building, ask them to evacuate rooms
until they are instructed to return.
•
After all guests have been phoned, call their rooms a second time to ensure that
everyone is out of the affected building.
•
In the case of a tornado, phone guests and instruct them to go into the room’s bath-
room. Front desk staff should go into the office bathroom or storage room closet.
When evacuating the hotel, keep these tactics in mind:
•
Do not evacuate unless told to do so because danger is imminent.
•
Follow instructions given by emergency personnel.
•
Walk, don’t run, and keep noise to minimum.
•
Do not use elevators.
•
Do not push or crowd. Use handrails in stairwells and move to the right if
emergency personnel are working in the area.
•
Remove shoes that might cause tripping (e.g., high heels, flip-flops).
•
Move to the designated evacuation area unless otherwise instructed. Check
doors for heat before opening.
•
Assist any nonambulatory and visually- or hearing-impaired persons.
Front office personnel should maintain the following supplies and inspect them
weekly to ensure an adequate supply and proper working condition:
•
Well-stocked first-aid kit
•
Flashlights and spare batteries
•
Weather-band radio and transistor radio with spare batteries
•
Camera and film
•
Chalk to mark doors of evacuated rooms
•
Scissors or sharp knives, or both
•
Incident reports and security log