Hotel fire accident handling procedures and fire extinguishing and escape methods

V. Fire Accident Handling

(I) Timely firefighting

If the fire area is not very large, it can be extinguished using buckets of water or fire extinguishers. When extinguishing the fire, be sure to turn off all electrical switches and ventilation equipment. If you see smoke coming out of the door crack, first touch the door to check its temperature. If it is very hot, do not open the door to prevent the fire from spreading.

(ii) Report to the police promptly

Fire alarms can be handled in two levels. A "Level 1 alarm" means that after a staff member discovers a fire, they should report the fire to the hotel's fire department as soon as possible. A "Level 2 alarm" means that the hotel's fire department, after confirming the source, condition, and extent of the fire, will report the fire to the entire hotel.

(iii) Respond to inquiries at any time

Front-of-house staff should remain at their posts, answer guest inquiries promptly, reassure guests, and stabilize their emotions.

(iv) Promptly control and shut down the elevator.

Front desk staff near the elevator should bring the escalator down and warn guests not to use it or return to their rooms to retrieve items.

(v) Properly safeguard property and documents

Checkout staff should properly secure and assign safekeeping to important valuables such as cash, guest accounts, and ledgers, and be prepared for evacuation at any time. Room check-in staff should quickly organize guest registration information, and upon receiving an evacuation order and assembling at the designated location, promptly count the number of guests based on the registration information and report the results to the security department.

(vi) Properly store guests' belongings

The baggage service staff immediately moved the guests' belongings from the storage area to a safe area and assigned someone to guard them closely.

(vii) Assisting in evacuation

The doorman quickly opened all the exits leading to the outside, assisted the security personnel in organizing the evacuation of guests, and prevented unauthorized personnel from entering the lobby.

VI. Basic Firefighting Methods

There are four basic methods for extinguishing fires.

(I) Isolation Method

Remove the flammable material; combustion will cease due to the lack of flammable material.

(ii) Asphyxiation

(iii) Cooling method: Prevent air from flowing into the combustion zone, thus depriving the burning materials of sufficient oxygen and causing them to extinguish.

Lowering the ignition point of the burning material prevents it from burning.

(iv) Inhibition method

Use water, chemical fire extinguishers, or other means to isolate and cool the fire, thus suppressing and stopping the combustion.

VII. Firefighting Equipment

Commonly used manual fire extinguishing equipment in hotels includes fire hydrants, carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, dry powder fire extinguishers, "1211" fire extinguishers, and chemical foam fire extinguishers. Generally, one extinguisher is provided for every 50-100 square meters.

(1) Carbon dioxide fire extinguisher: used to extinguish fires caused by live electrical equipment (below 10 kV), important documents and archives, precision instruments, valuables and oil fires.

(2) Dry powder fire extinguisher: used to extinguish fires of burning liquids, electrical appliances, archives, textiles and valuable instruments.

(3) Foam fire extinguisher: mainly used to extinguish the initial fires of oil, flammable materials and flammable fixed objects.

(4) "1211" fire extinguisher: used to extinguish fires involving oil, chemical raw materials, flammable liquids, precision equipment, important documents and archives, and electrical equipment.

The following points should be noted when using fire extinguishers.

(1) Quickly and accurately determine the wind direction, stand downwind, and spray at the base of the flames in front, do not go upwind.

(2) If the fire is large, multiple people should be organized to fight the same spot of fire, and they should not be too scattered.

(3) If a liquid catches fire, aim the fire extinguisher at the surface of the liquid, not at the flames.

(4) After extinguishing the fire, do not leave immediately to prevent it from reigniting. Do not leave until you are sure that the fire is no longer burning.

8. Fire Escape

Hotels educate guests on escape and self-rescue methods in the event of fire or other emergencies through publications such as "Guest Information," "Fire Safety Precautions," and other means. The aim is to remind guests, and hotel staff alike, to remain calm in a crisis and take proactive measures to organize rescue efforts or save themselves. The main fire escape methods include:

(1) Check and understand the public areas and familiarize yourself with the location of fire evacuation routes on each floor.

(2) Know the location of the alarm bell and fire extinguisher.

(3) When the fire is not large, all efforts should be made to extinguish it.

(4) If the fire is out of control, close the door immediately and evacuate quickly through the fire escape.

(5) Do not worry about your personal belongings or go back to your room to get clothes.

(6) Never take the elevator.

(7) When leaving the room, take a wet towel with you.

(8) When passing through a smoky area, cover your mouth and nose with a wet towel.

(9) When passing through areas with dense smoke, bend over and walk quickly or crawl forward.

(10) Stick one eye with paper or tape, smoke the other eye, and then use the first eye to see the way and escape.

(11) A wet knitted garment can be put over the head to make a simple gas mask.

(12) Blow air into the plastic bag, put it over your head, and quickly pass through the smoke area.

(13) If your clothes catch fire, take them off or tear them off, or roll on the ground to put out the fire.

(14) If people on higher floors cannot go downstairs, they can run upstairs instead of trying to run downstairs.

(15) After running to the roof, stand against the wind and wait for rescue.

(16) If the evacuation route is unusable, immediately return to the room to save yourself or wait for rescue.

(17) Tear the bed sheet into strips, tie them into a rope, and attach it to the balcony or window railing. Slowly climb to a safe floor.

(18) Fill the bathroom basin or bathtub with water and then pour in shampoo and body wash for better results.

(19) When smoke enters the room, immediately seal the gaps in the door with a damp cotton cloth.

(20) If the door handle is hot to the touch, do not open the door. Instead, keep splashing water on the door to cool it down.

(21) Do not open the windows unless the room is filled with thick smoke.

(22) Do not jump off the building, do not shout loudly, and avoid burning your respiratory tract.