Tag Archives: Fire Alarm

Hospitality Industry Security Update: “Hotel Security for the Traveler”

“…There are three questions to ask for selecting a secure hotel: Are there electronic door locks? Is there good key control? And is there a fire alarm and water sprinkler system? Image Generally, the only way to find this out is calling the hotel directly. The number one security issue is controlling who has access to a guest’s hotel room…

The sad truth is that criminals target travelers, especially in and around hotels. The abundance of literature on the topic of hotel security does not seem to have deterred criminals from using hotels as a target of their trade. An informal survey of hotel security staff reveals old patterns of crime repeated and new tricks (or new variations of old tricks) continue as before. There are, however, some practices which can reduce your risk of being the target of crime or other hazards in a hotel.

For more: http://businessdayonline.com/2014/04/hotel-security-for-the-traveler/#.U0v56q1dXnw

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

Hospitality Industry Safety Solutions: Texas Hotel “Fire Safety Audit” Results In Installation Of $100,000 “State-Of-The-Art Alarm System”, Self-Closing Doors & Removal Of Combustible Items

“…There will be a brand new, state-of-the-art fire alarm system installed by the end of the year and will Hotel Fire Safetycost $99,950…the lack of self-closing devices installed in the doors may lead to a potential fire to jump to the other building, the audit noted…One of the problems that State Fire Marshal Chris Connealy reported was that there was a large quantity of combustible items stored in the unfinished basement area of the hotel (which) may overwhelm a fire sprinkler system if a fire occurs placing occupant safety and structural stability at risk…”

The Sam Houston State University Hotel has fixed several fire hazards and are in the process of tending to the rest after they were discovered in a State Fire Marshal audit in February, according to Steve Shields, Director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management.

The University Hotel had nine fire safety problems that needed to be addressed, according to physical plant. Five of them have been fixed and the last two have been scheduled and funded. One problem that has yet to be fixed is the fire alarm system. According to the report, the fire alarm system in the hotel is inadequate and does not have the required detection devices and alarm placement.

The current alarm can’t be heard in all of the rooms, and there is no visual notification devices for the hearing impaired in the public areas. Also, the sprinkler system will not activate the building fire alarm upon activation.

For more:  http://www.houstonianonline.com/news/shsu-university-hotel-making-adjustments-after-alarming-fire-report-1.2841696#.Ul_mvknn-M8

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Filed under Fire, Guest Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Pennsylvania Hotel “Fire Alarm System” Fails During Basement Fire; Over 70 Guests Evacuated After Electrical Panel Circuit Found “Dead”

“…the hotel had a small fire in its basement over the weekend, and the fire alarms did not go off…(it was) found that the hotel’s electrical panel that controls the fire alarms was dead and the alarms didn’t work…the fire alarms for hotelshotel’s general manager said they had to evacuate more than 70 guests Tuesday, and they’ve been working since then to replace the fire alarm system..”

A hotel in a Scranton shut down Tuesday night because of a problem with its fire alarm system. It turns out, that hotel may have been without fire protection for weeks, maybe even months.

Scranton firefighters received a tip call from a former employee of the Clarion Hotel in Scranton. That call unraveled what could have been a big problem for the hotel and city officials.

The city’s director of inspections and permits, Mark Seitzinger went with firefighters to check out the tip calls claim.

“It’s dangerous, as of the other day they had 75 occupants or patrons of the building, that’s 75 people not including employees that are at risk because there’s no fire system,” said Seitzinger.

On the city’s advice, hotel managers made the call to evacuate all of those 75 guests and sent them to nearby hotels. Among the displaced were realtors who were supposed to have a certification class at the Clarion, but they had to change their plans and move to another venue in Clarks Summit.

For more:  http://wnep.com/2013/01/09/hotel-replaces-faulty-fire-alarms-following-small-fire/

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Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Missouri Motels "Non-Compliant" For Failing To Install Manual Fire Alarms With Specific Decibel Levels; Cost Of New Systems Estimated At $10,000

“…The problem at each motel was either a lack of manual fire alarms or an insufficiently loud fire alarm…the specific fire code, chapter 4603.6.5.1, specifies that hotels or motels with 20 rooms or more must install manual pull systems with specific decibel levels…the cost of installing fire alarm systems at $10,000-$15,000…”

The city of Columbia charged two motels — The Deluxe Inn and America’s Best Value — on Aug. 30 for failing to install manual fire alarms. They are among seven motels found non-compliant with the international fire code after an inspection last year, said Columbia Fire Marshal Brad Fraizer. The motels were given one year after Aug. 25, 2011, to make the necessary adjustments.

Two of the original establishments cited, Super 7 and Motel 6, have since complied, but the other five are currently in violation of a city ordinance related to fire code non-compliance.

They are misdemeanor violations of two city ordinances (sections 9-21 and 9-22), which also violate Chapter 46 of the International Fire Code. According to City Prosecutor Steven Richey, the other three motels are being reviewed for compliance.

The state then makes a sentence recommendation to the judge, who will apply it based on motel and fire department statements about what they’re doing to comply. The city ordinance violations carry fines of between $1 and $1,000 and/or up to 90 days imprisonment.

The fire department was unable to specify which of the motels in question did not have fire alarms and which simply had alarms without the proper noise level.

“There was a range of violations with some hotels not possessing the systems and others that didn’t have the proper decibel levels,” Fraizer said.

For more: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/09/14/columbia-hotels-lacking-fire-alarms-working-towards-compliance/

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Hospitality Industry Security Risks: "Intoxicated" New York Hotel Guests Pull Fire Alarm Outside Lobby Doors After Being Locked Out In Early Morning Hours; Arrested On Felony Charges Of Falsely Reporting A Fire

“…(the men) proceeded to strike the lobby’s sliding glass doors “with such force as to rock them and nearly break them from their hinges…they then pulled the fire alarm outside the hotel’s lobby, resulting in their arrest on charges of falsely reporting a fire, a felony, and reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor…”

In the wee hours of Saturday morning, Lewis and his brother, Lamar, found themselves locked out of a hotel in downtown Albany, N.Y. They were intoxicated, according to police, and apparently forgot their room key. Eagles running back Dion Lewis found himself in some trouble over the weekend.

“I want to apologize to my family, the Albany community, the Eagles organization and fans, and to the NFL for my involvement in an incident this past weekend,” Lewis said in a team-issued statement “It was never my intention to cause any public alarm or damage any property. I am sorry for any embarrassment and inconvenience that my actions have caused.”

The 21-year-old Lewis, whom the Eagles selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft, was released after his arraignment in court. His brother was being held in jail because of two previous felony charges, the Times Union reported.

For more:  http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2012/07/eagles-rb-dion-lewis-arrested-for-hotel-fire-alarm-incident/1

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management