Be aware, be safe

It is time to not ignore safety protocols in place at hotels.

The horrendous terrorist attacks in Mumbai have reinforced the idea that there is really no substitute for being prepared for any eventuality at any point in time.

The stellar role played by the hotel staff — at both the Taj and the Oberoi — in keeping their guests informed and in shepherding them to relatively safe enclosures within the buildings, has saved countless lives. It’s not clear whether they had practiced this drill before, but their actions will surely be incorporated into such drills in the future.

But the best-prepared hotel staff are no good if guests are not aware of the safety protocols in place. A simple question: how many of us take a few minutes to read the fire safety information in a hotel bedroom? Most often it is stuck in plain view behind the door.

 

India’s thoroughly unregulated building-safety practices mean that you are not going to find protocols in place unless an enterprise has taken a specific interest in implementing them. One can only hope that the concerned government authorities now start doing their job.

It is fair to say that in the current scenario, it first pays to do your research before you book the room. Most hotels that have websites detail their safety practices online.

Spend some time at the desk when you are checking in. The clerks will be more than happy to explain the safety procedures employed by them.

There is a minimum checklist that you should be aware of. First find out the number of elevators and stairwells that exist, and which parts of the building they can be accessed from.

Then ask for the layout of the designated fire exits. Most establishments have a separate staircase, robustly built to be isolated from fire.

Sometimes, due to lack of space, regular stairwells double as fire exits. Get familiar with the symbols used to mark out the exits. Most symbols come with emergency lighting or are iridescent, so as to make them identifiable even in the dark.

Get acquainted with the safety manuals present in your room and check out for the presence of sprinkler systems. Rooms might even have fire extinguishers. Do read up on how to use them.

Some hotels conduct safety drills. Make sure that you never miss them, and give them all your attention.

But, since being under attack in your room is a genuine threat now, find spaces in the room where you can stay safe and out of sight. Again, do ensure that your mobile phone always has plenty of battery juice, so that you can keep in touch with rescuers for as long as possible.

Information, as we have seen with the Taj and Oberoi keeping their guests continually informed and calm, is critical to survival in a crisis.