Tag Archives: Guest Safety

by | December 5, 2011 · 7:00 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Arizona Hotel's Elevator "Free-Falls" Several Floors Injuring Female Guest

“…Right after the second-floor button lit up, she heard a loud noise and the elevator went into a free-fall mode…The elevator hit the ground. The woman broke her right ankle, and possibly her left ankle, too…”  

A woman suffered broken bones after the elevator she was riding in fell several floors at a Phoenix hotel Saturday night, fire officials said. The woman, who was not identified, was riding up to the third floor at the Embassy Suites at I-17 and Greenway, according to Capt. Scott McDonald of the Phoenix Fire Department.

It was not immediately known what caused the elevator to fall.

For more:  http://www.kpho.com/story/16185739/woman-hurt-in-falling-elevator

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by | November 26, 2011 · 6:37 am

Hospitality Inudustry Fire Risks: Georgia Hotel Is "Nearly Destroyed" By Fire That Was Started By "Cigarette That Missed The Outside Ashtray"

“… the fire started on the ground level outside the hotel near the ashtray… someone threw a cigarette and missed the ashtray, eventually igniting a bush…the fire then ignited the building, crawled up the wall and into the attic…”

The blaze that nearly destroyed the La Quinta Inn in Warner Robins apparently started outside the building, near an ashtray, fire investigator Danny Williams said Friday.

Ginaline Belcher, the hotel’s manager, said her main concern is making sure the 22 guests who were at the hotel Thursday are taken care of. They paid for the displaced guests to stay at the nearby Candlewood Suites and Hampton Inn, and bought pizza for them Friday.

Belcher called the Salvation Army and Red Cross seeking assistance for the hotel guests whose money was lost in the fire, while other guests braved the Black Friday crowds at local stores to buy necessities.

Read more: http://www.macon.com/2011/11/26/1800660/hotel-total-loss-after-fire.html#ixzz1ep1CqQMP

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by | November 18, 2011 · 6:37 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Safety: Hotel Management Must Have "Guest Privacy" Policies To Protect Names And Room Locations

“…Privacy is key when it comes to safety in a hotel, most importantly at check-in…”

“If the person giving you your key says your name out loud or your room number, you want to be sure to get another key and another room, because anyone lingering in the lobby could overhear that.”

  • Female travelers should “never put down your name. Just put down your initials and never indicate you’re just one person.”

Greg O’Neill, who heads up security at Boston’s Mandarin Oriental, says security measures generally work, when guests use them:

  • … take advantage the in-room safe. You’ll find this in most every hotel
  • …take advantage of the peephole in the door, and be aware of the nearest exit

Here’s another tip: check crime statistics for particular neighborhoods before making a hotel reservation. Most police web sites will have those details.

Security experts also suggest taking your room key out of the little envelope they give you at check-in, because it usually has your room number on it.

For more:  http://www.14news.com/story/16068750/experts-providing-hotel-safety-tips-around-the-holidays

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by | October 18, 2011 · 9:04 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Wisconsin Hotels Respond To Complaints Of "Bed Bugs" With Swift Action

“Although the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) estimates there has been an increase in bed bugs in America over the last several years, the increase has had a minimal impact on the vast majority of hotels. Bed bugs are brought into hotels by guests; it is not a hotel sanitation issue. Education, awareness, and vigilance are critical. A trained and knowledgeable housekeeping staff is one of the best lines of defense, along with having regular pest control inspections as we have in place at the Rodeway Inn and Suites.”

The Health Department said it has gotten bed bug complains about the Rodeway Inn on Hastings Way and the Days Inn on Craig Road. These reports show how both hotels took quick action to control their bed bug problems.

But the Health Department said it’s important to remember that just because a hotel has the bugs, it doesn’t mean they’re dirty. “They can get into small cracks and crevasses and crawl out in the place they stop at and quite frequently that is a hotel,” said Courtenay Johnson, the Director of Environmental Health.

A complaint about the Rodeway Inn, filed with the Health Department by a guest claims they found six bed bugs on their bed. Another complaint about the Days Inn on Craig Road showed bed big sniffing dogs looking for the blood sucking pests. Both documents show the hotels took swift action.

“I haven’t seen a hotel or heard of one anywhere else that’s allowed a bed bug infestation to persist,” Johnson said.

For more;  http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/131902858.html?ref=858

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by | October 9, 2011 · 7:36 am

Hospitality Industry Pool Safety Risks: Nevada Hotel Guests Hospitalized After Suffering "Chlorine Burns" In Jacuzzi Spa Caused By Possible Malfunction Of Chlorine System

“…The Clark County Fire Department says two hotel guest at the Hooters Casino Hotel were taken to the hospital for second degree burns…it called the Southern Nevada Health District, which shut down the pool pending an investigation…”

When Knox called an ambulance, paramedics told him his son’s friend had second-degree burns on 91 percent of his body and he was almost going into shock…”

Andrew Miller has burns on his legs and feet. He is also friends with the two victims that were sent to the hospital. “It seemed like we were fine but as we started walking back up to the room we all started noticing we were kind of itchy,” Miller said. Miller and his friends called Kevin Knox, a father of one of the group who made the room reservations. Knox tells FOX5 when he arrived things were pretty bad.

“Went up to see him and he was in his bed and he was shaking he was so cold, and he just from his neck down to his feet he was completely red and on his back it was actually bubbling,” Knox said.

“That’s when they said we got to take him to the emergency and we’re taking her too because she couldn’t even walk; her legs were just red,” Knox said.

But Knox heard a rumor of what happened. “They do have a chlorine system that goes every 15 minutes or so that puts out a little bit of chlorine, but at six o’clock in the morning when these kids were in it, it dumped all of it,” Knox told FOX5.

Clark County Fire believes the burns were caused by chlorine exposure, but it is still trying to confirm if the accident was caused by a malfunction or human error. Knox believes his son’s friends weren’t the only victims.

“The security explained to the fire department that (they) had several complaints of people getting burned so it’s not just these two or these four,” said Knox.

For more:  http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/15650310/two-hooters-casino-guests-hospitalized-after-hot-tub-chlorine-burns

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by | September 16, 2011 · 6:32 pm

Hospitality Industry Lawsuit Risks: "Hotel Negligence" Lawsuits Are Proliferating To Include Hotel Physicians Who Provide Guests' Medical Care

“…Hotel negligence is so prevalent in a vacation destination like Florida, with so many people harmed, that an increasing amount of our practice focuses on so-called resort litigation…and the types of negligence are expanding…to cases involving hotel physicians — doctors with whom the hotels have arrangements, that are called in to care for hotel guests…”

 The problem, says Reboso, is that the hotels typically do not check the credentials of the doctors and house call services they provide to guests. “You don’t know if you’re getting the best doctor in Florida or the worst,” says the injury lawyer. “And neither does the hotel. It’s a recipe for disaster. The clients we’re representing in these kind of resort litigation lawsuits have been harmed by negligent medical care.”

Nor do the hotels give guests the real picture on prices, adds Reboso: “In one case we are handling, the hotel said the service would cost $600, while the credit card charge — which comes well after you’ve left the hotel — was $6,300. We have found plenty of other cases in Florida when a $500 charge suddenly turns into a $4,000 or $5,000 bill. Obviously, the hotel industry and the medical profession need to educate themselves about what is going on and do something about it.”

 

For more:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/9/prweb8793265.htm

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by | September 12, 2011 · 7:11 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Minnesota Hotel Security Employees "Fight" With "Partiers" As Mini Riot Erupts Outside Hotel

 “…hotel security employees were fighting with event-goers… partiers soon began moving north on Nicollet Mall, throwing restaurant patio furniture into the streets and getting into fights, but damage was minimal…

Police made three arrests after what they’re calling a “mini riot” broke out on the streets of downtown Minneapolis. Dozens of officers responded to a dance party involving several hundred teens called Big Bash 2 around 10 p.m. Saturday. The event was held in a hall next to the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Three people were arrested, including someone who punched an officer in the face.

For more: http://www.chron.com/default/article/Police-arrest-3-after-mini-riot-in-Minneapolis-2165669.php

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by | July 13, 2011 · 10:19 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Security: Hotels Launch "Radio Frequency Identification Technology" (RFID) To Better Secure Guestrooms And Limit Guest Access To Different Floors

One of the latest innovations to be launched in the customer security market within the hospitality industry is non-contact Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. This allows guests to access the hotel and their rooms simply by waving their room card, rather than having to insert it into a lock.

The RFID cards can also be extended to lift-systems with cards encoded to allow guest’s access to only the floors that they are entitled.

This means that visitors can be rest assured that from the front door to their rooms, their safety is of the utmost concern, which will only enhance the customer experience.

  • Hoteliers need to ensure that they have a robust threat assessment procedure in position and ensure that a crisis plan is prepared and rehearsed. Security operations need to be agile to respond or expand to meet the required needs if new threats emerge.
  • When enforcing security checks or CCTV, be sensitive, as the guests still need to feel as sense of relaxation as well as safety.
  • Ensure all current staff is trained to identify, inform and respond to any suspicious activity or any crisis that a hotel could face.
  • Hotel staff should remain visible. This gives guests peace of mind and is a key way to deter any criminal activity.
  • Where possible, incorporate security features into the guest experience but do not let a security operation intrude on the customers stay.
  • Outsource specialist tasks like outdoor patrols and vehicle checks to trained third-party security providers. However, ensure they are trained in guest interaction by the hotel so they adhere to your standards.

For more:  http://www.hotel-industry.co.uk/2011/07/identification-systems/

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by | July 10, 2011 · 5:20 pm

Hospitality Industry Fire Risks: Maryland Hotel Suffers Over $3 Million In Structural And Content Damage As Fire Alarms Successfully Assist Evacuation, Limiting Injuries

A four-alarm fire that injured three people and caused several million dollars in damages to a Days Inn hotel in Catonsville began in a locked storage room, Baltimore County fire investigators said Sunday.

Guests said they heard fire alarms go off, then encountered heavy smoke in the hallway.

The cause of the fire on the seventh floor at the Days Inn at 5701 Baltimore National Pike is still under investigation, said Elise Armacost, director of public information for the Baltimore County Fire Department and Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Authorities contradicted earlier reports from hotel patrons blaming the fire on smoking materials.

Fire dispatchers were notified of an alarm at the Days Inn at 8:14 p.m. Saturday. Engine 13 of Westview station arrived first and found billowing smoke. The fire escalated to four alarms and involved nearly 70 pieces of equipment, including units from Howard and Carroll counties, Baltimore city and other jurisdictions, officials said.

Firefighters evacuated about 160 patrons from the building and the guests were relocated to other hotels and motels.

Two guests suffered minor injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. One firefighter was treated at the scene for minor injuries.   Fire investigators estimate that the fire caused about $2.5 million worth of damage to the hotel and about $1 million to the hotel’s contents.

“We heard the fire alarm go off, then stop, and go off again,” said Omar Oliver of Landover, who was visiting with Theresa Tolson and had rented a third-floor room.

“We called downstairs and they said it was nothing, just somebody playing with the fire alarm,” Oliver said. “Then the TV went out and we started to smell smoke.”

At least one guest was evacuated from an upper floor down a fire department ladder.

For more:  http://elkridge.patch.com/articles/four-alarm-hotel-fire-began-in-locked-storage-room

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by | June 19, 2011 · 7:16 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Safety Risks: Child Dies From Fall From 5th Floor Balcony Of A Florida Hotel; Balcony Had 4-Foot High Railing With Tightly-Spaced Bars

“…Family members said the girl was on the balcony with two adult relatives and was playing with an inflatable toy, Bernstein said. The toy became wedged in the railing and she slipped through and fell…”

“…detectives were trying to determine how the child could have fallen from the balcony, which is secured by a 4-foot-high railing with tightly spaced bars that extend to the floor…”

A toddler who fell from a fifth-floor balcony at an Oceanfront hotel Friday night died Saturday. The girl fell from a balcony at the Sandcastle Oceanfront Resort Hotel and landed on a patio of the Ammos Authentic Greek Cuisine restaurant, said Officer Adam Bernstein, a police spokesman.

The names of the toddler and other family members are being withheld to give the family time to inform relatives and friends, Bernstein said. The girl’s family lives in Staunton.

“Everything right now is pointing toward horrific accident,” Bernstein said. “At this point, there’s no indication of any foul play or neglect.”

For more:  http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/child-dies-after-falling-oceanfront-balcony

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