Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

Day Before the Storm
On the day before the hurricane struck, an announcement was made over hotel loud-
speakers that a general meeting would be held at two different times in a public function
room. The announcements were made only in public areas of the property. There were
no calls to guestrooms, no notes placed under guestroom doors, and no other tactics
used for notification. Fortunately, many guests were in the public areas waiting for infor-
mation and heard the announcement.
The meeting was facilitated by the general manager and several department heads.
No roll call of guests’ names was made during the meeting. The purpose of the meeting
was two-fold: (1) to emphasize the hotel’s concern for guests (“You are our priority; we
will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe and comfortable”) and (2) to answer gen-
eral questions about the storm and what to expect from it. The general manager sug-
gested that guests stay in their rooms when the storm struck. He also indicated that, if
guests checked out of the hotel, they would not be able to check back in. There was no
other formal communication between guests and hotel staff—no telephone messages,
no lobby bulletin-board notices, no memos distributed to guestrooms. Some guests asked
concierge staff to help them obtain airline tickets, but no seats were available.
The property had no formal evacuation plan. For example, during the general meeting,
guests were told that if problems arose as they stayed in their guestrooms when the storm
struck, they should go to an open-air inner courtyard during the storm. Later, they were told
that there would likely be greater protection under open stairwells in the hotel. Guests were
also informed that the hotel would be able to generate electricity, but only for selected
function rooms, the lobby, and related public areas. Guestrooms and the corridors to them
would not have electricity. The hotel did not have or provide flashlights for guests. One
employee indicated (perhaps in jest) that the hotel could not provide life jackets.
On the day before the storm struck, hotel managers informed their employees that
they would be released from work or they could bring their families (including pets) to stay
at the property; many did. Guests and employees were invited for complimentary meals in
a public function room. The service plan was “first come, first served.” After guests were
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