Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

Follow-Up Notes
This case study was written about two months after the storm. During that time, neither
Marilyn nor Chandra received any follow-up communication or even an invoice from the
property. One of the women had noticed a charge from the hotel on her credit card that
seemed excessive. She assumed it included a fee for Tuesday, the day they had left the
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city, which they had done quickly without informing the front desk. She contacted the
property, a copy of the bill was faxed to her, and that charge was deducted from the bill.
Marilyn phoned the hotel’s general manager and learned that he and his wife had
lost their home, as did about 60 percent of the staff. He didn’t know where all his
employees were, but he thought some had relocated to other cities. He explained that
he was finally able to get two buses late Tuesday night to transport most of the guests
to the Houston airport. He had paid $6,000 of his own funds for the buses and had yet
to be reimbursed by his organization. He also noted that he was pleased that the prop-
erty had not suffered greater damage, and he was already addressing the problems that
had occurred, including obtaining a large-capacity generator. The general manager
thought the changes being made would enable the hotel and its staff to be better pre-
pared in the future, and he was very pleased that all guests were safe and at their homes.
Hotel experts, managers, and security consultants will likely critique the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina for years to better learn what hoteliers should do when natural disas-
ters occur. One important lesson is evident in this case study: Concern for guest safety
does not replace the need for careful planning. In fact, concern for guests should be the
incentive for the planning that is absolutely essential so that hoteliers can fulfill their
primary duty of providing security for their guests.
Fires
Hotel fires are, unfortunately, more common than many people think. In a typical
year, about 25 percent of U.S. hotels have a fire that requires a fire department
response. These fires are frequently started by cigarettes or other smoking material in
guestrooms. However, fires can begin in storage areas, kitchens, and laundries; some-
times they are of suspicious origin. Most hotel fires are small and involve little prop-
erty damage and few, if any, injuries. Nevertheless, a small fire can become out of con-
trol quickly if there is the right combination of heat, ventilation, and combustible
materials. Then a fire can spread rapidly from room to room, down corridors, and
through ventilation shafts until an entire section or wing of the hotel is involved.
Hotel fires can threaten hundreds of guests who are in unfamiliar surroundings,
who often are tired or asleep, and who have widely varying physical capabilities.
Guests may be housed multiple stories above the street and well out of reach of fire
department ladders.
A hotel fire need not be a major disaster to have a significant effect on the hotel
and its employees. Any fire will cause disruption and property damage, and any fire
can lead to injuries and lawsuits. A fire of any proportion will generate adverse pub-
licity, sometimes nationwide, and can result in a loss of business and a loss of jobs.
The property’s managers and employees are the best fire protection available to
the hotel. Managers can provide the appropriate fire safety equipment and can develop
exemplary disaster response procedures. As well, they can implement a continuous
training program that includes goals of prevention and appropriate response.
Employees are the first line of protection, because they work throughout the hotel
and can discover hazards, alert appropriate supervisors, and can even deal with a fire
in its very early stages (e.g., if they are trained in the use of fire extinguishers).
All reports of a fires should be considered real, should be responded to, and
should be investigated immediately. After a possible fire is reported, the following
actions should be taken:
•
The manager on duty and a security officer should immediately visit the area
to determine if the fire is real.
•
If there is a fire, the fire department should be contacted immediately.