TRAVELING FIRE-SAFE - Will Powell

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Travelers need to pay close attention to fire safety as well as location and amenities when planning a trip. When traveling, it is important to become familiar with your surroundings. This column is the first of two offering fire safety guidelines when traveling. You can begin your fire safety preparations before you leave home. • Pack a flashlight with fresh batteries. The flashlight can guide you through a dark and smoky hall or may be used to signal rescuers. • If you want to be extra safe, pack a portable smoke detector. • When making reservations, request rooms closer to the ground level and ask if the hotel/motel has smoke alarms and sprinklers. • If any of the occupants has a disability (blindness, deafness or mobility impairment), make sure they can be accommodated. Take a few moments after your arrival to do each of the following. • Review the evacuation plan located on the back of your hotel room door. Note the location of all fire exits on your floor. • Locate nearby fire alarms and fire extinguishers. • Practice unlocking and opening the windows in your room. Look outside to see if you could escape without injury. • Learn your room layout and know how to unlock your door in the dark. Be prepared for an evacuation at night or during a power outage. • Place your room keys on a nightstand where you can find them quickly. Take your key when you evacuate. • Locate the two nearest stairs and count the number of doors between your room and the stairwell. In a fire, the hall may be dark and it may be difficult to see the exit stairway. Counting the number of doors may help you find the stairs. • Check to make sure the exits are not locked or blocked. Notify the hotel manager if exits are not accessible. Be ready to react quickly to emergencies: • If the fire alarm sounds, leave the building immediately. Take your room key with you. If the exits are blocked by fire or smoke, you may need to return to your room. • Test doors with the back of your hand before you open them. If there is fire on the other side, the door will feel warm, especially around the cracks. If the door is warm, use your second way out or stay in your room. If the door is cool, open it cautiously and check to make sure your escape path is clear of fire and smoke. • Always use the stairs and never an elevator during a fire. • If you must escape through smoke, crawl low under the smoke on your hands and knees to your exit. Next week we’ll get into more details about what to do in case of fire. Will Powell is a life member of the BBVFC, which he joined in 1980. He has previously served as Fire Chief and was co-chair of the committee that oversaw construction of the company’s new headquarters. Will co-owns and operates the Bethany Arms Motel and lives in Ocean View with his wife, Candi. He can be reached at [email protected].