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They were real fires. Very real fires. There were alarms, sirens, fire trucks, firemen, fire hoses, smoke, flames, the whole shebang.
Consequently, hotel fire safety is for me - can you see this one coming? - a hot issue. Indeed, every time I check into a hotel, one of the first things I do is to make a plan to escape a fire. Every time. No exceptions. Every time.
Here’s what I do - every time.
Before I hang up my clothes or plop down to relax, I familiarize myself with the locations of the fire exits nearest my room. These are generally shown on a map posted on the back of the room door or in a closet. I use the map to locate the two exits nearest my room.
Next I take my key and head out the door. I try to imagine how I would find my way to the nearest fire exit in the dark while crawling on my hands and knees. I count the doorways between me and the fire exit and note any obstacles that could get in my way.
When I reach the exit, I open the door. A locked door will surely be a death trap if a fire were to occur. (By the way, if the door is alarmed, I first notify the hotel security department of my intention to open the door. Then, without letting the door close behind me, possibly trapping me in the stairwell, I take a look inside to get an idea of its configuration and to confirm that the stairwell is free of obstacles that could block my escape.
On my way to or from my room, I find the nearby fire alarms and fire extinguishers or fire hoses. If there are none visible, I’ll call the front desk when I return to my room to ask their location. Then I’ll go verify their actual presence.
Because it’s possible that my path to the nearest fire escape may be blocked during an emergency, I map out a secondary escape route that would take me in the opposite direction as the route I just followed. Again, I note the locations of the fire alarms and extinguishers/hoses.
When I return to my room, I look out the window to see if it would be possible to jump without breaking my neck. In case I’d have to escape that way, I look for obstacles under my window.
I verify the operation of the smoke detector in my room. Typically, a small light on the smoke detector indicates its operation. If I’m unsure that it is working, I call the front desk for assistance.
I figure out how to turn off the fan that delivers air into my room. I find the location of both the entry- and return-air vents and make a mental note of how I could seal them if I were trapped in my room during a hotel fire. Then, because I’d need to let others know I was in my room, I make sure that I can get an outside telephone connection - typically by pressing “8” or “9” - without relying on a hotel operator.
Finally, with an escape plan in place, now I relax.
What to do to prepair and what to do after the fire alarm goes off
To me, there is only one prudent response to an alarm: Take action and take it now!
An alarm will usually be the only indication of a fire until it becomes a rip-roaring inferno, and if I were to wait for smoke or fire to appear, I'd miss the opportunity to escape.
Believe me. I'm not thrilled about being roused from sleep in the middle of the night, dragging my butt down six flights of stairs out into the snow -- only then to be told that some wisenheimer has set off the alarm as a prank.
I've done this drill dozens of times. I don't like it, but I will continue to do it. It is the only sensible response to a fire alarm. Outlined here is my all-too-familiar fire escaping routine.
First I get dressed. A shirt, pants, and shoes protect more than my modesty. I grab my room key, eyeglasses, flashlight, and cellular telephone. I quickly soak a towel with water to take with me.
I leave everything else.
I touch the handle of the door leading to the hotel corridor. If the doorknob is cool, I brace the door with my hip and open it slowly. If I were to see fire or thick smoke in the corridor outside or if I were to feel pressure pushing the door open, I'd close it and begin to prepare my room for survival.
(Fortunately, I've always acted fast enough that I was able to escape from the building.) Once in the corridor, I close the door behind me and look toward the closest exit to make sure it is passable. I move quickly toward the exit staying close to a wall to avoid being shoved by people running through the hallway.
If I were to encounter smoke -- I haven't yet in my escapes -- I'd drop to the floor where the air is less smoky. If I were to come across thick smoke in a stairwell, I'd get out and try another escape route or return to my room. I certainly wouldn't use an elevator. It might get stuck, or worse, deliver me into the heart of the fire.
As I mentioned, when an alarm sounds, I start moving. I've always been able to get out of burning hotels well in advance of any smoke or flames, and I'm usually ahead of most women and children as well. However, if I were unable to escape, I have a plan to survive in my room. I'd collect water to bail on the walls to cool them. I'd turn off the ventilation system, and seal the room.
If there were no flames or smoke outside my window, and if it could be opened, I would crack it open slightly to see if fresh air would enter. (If the window were sealed, I'd wait to break the glass only as a last resort.)
As far as jumping, unless I were only a story or two from the ground, I wouldn't risk pancaking myself on the sidewalk. (One rarely reads about people leaping to their safety.)
I'd get on the telephone to let the fire department know where I was, and if possible I'd hang a sheet from the window to draw the attention of rescuers. I'd try to remain as calm as I could and wait for rescue.
I can survive a hotel fire. If you do some escape planning, so can you.
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