Media

A British company has today released a free online guide that tells tourists how to survive a hotel fire. FlareBrands Limited, which manufactures a travel smoke detector called FlareSafe, released the guide on its website www.flarebrands.com after the recent hotel fire in Chile in which as many as 13 tourists are reported to have died.

The information on how to survive a hotel fire can be found at www.flarebrands.com/media.aspx.

The latest fatal hotel fire happened at the Blue House hotel in the southern Chilean town of Punta Arenas in the early hours of February 3, 2007. Initial reports state that the hotel rooms were not fitted with smoke detectors, which meant the tourists were not alerted to the fire in time.

This tragedy follows a series of hotel fires in the last ten years in which dozens of tourists have died. Among the worst was the Royal Jomtien Resort fire in Pattaya, Thailand in 1997 in which 90 people died. Three years later the Childers hostel in Australia burned down killing 15 young backpackers – staff had disabled the building’s fire detection system, which meant there was no warning. There have been a number of other fatal fires since.

Robert Carmichael, a director of FlareBrands, says this latest fire reinforces the fact that tourists must think carefully about where they are staying, and what preparations they would make if they were caught up in a similar event.

“The fact is that many countries that are popular with tourists lack fire safety laws that are taken for granted in our home county, and among those that have laws, enforcement is often a problem,” he says. “The solution is to be prepared – which is why we have drafted this list. The fact is that many hotel fires are survivable, provided people know what to do and take the right precautions.”

“Numerous studies show that the better prepared you are for a disaster, the more chance you have of surviving it,” he says. “This applies to all walks of life, from knowing where the emergency exits are on an aeroplane, to learning advanced driving skills. It is no different when staying in a hotel or hostel – you must be prepared. Your life may depend on it.”

Carmichael says that some travellers may feel more comfortable taking a portable smoke detector – such as FlareSafe – with them as well. That way if the hotel system is not working or does not exist – as in the Chilean fire – the person will still be alerted to danger in good time.

“The key aspect of surviving any disaster situation is not to panic – that is easier said than done, but our basic checklist will help you to prepare, and preparation is more than half the battle,” he says. “Other basic steps include working out where the exits are before you need them, and remembering that in a fire it is generally smoke that kills you rather than flames – so a vital effort must be made to ensure that you are not overwhelmed by smoke.”

PREPARATION FOR A FIRE – SEVEN KEY STEPS

1. When checking into the hotel/hostel, ask the reception desk about fire safety measures. Smoke alarms combined with sprinkler systems are best.
2. Boycott hotels that don’t bother with your safety.
3. As soon as you get to your room, take the room key, leave the room and walk the corridor to the exits counting the doors. Work out two escape routes – one might be inaccessible in a fire.
4. In the event of a fire, do not expect to see the exit signs. These are almost always placed near ceiling level, and because smoke rises, they will not be visible. Therefore make a mental note NOW of their location.
5. Your other option to escape a fire is through the bedroom window – but that will be impossible if the windows have burglar bars on them. Therefore beware of burglar bars.
6. Beware also those rooms on or above the fourth floor. If you have to jump, you stand very little chance of surviving a fall onto concrete or tar from above the third floor.
7. Carry a portable smoke detector such as FlareSafe that – when armed – will warn you of a fire.

IF THERE IS A FIRE – TEN KEY STEPS

1. In the event of a fire, the most important thing to remember is this: DO NOT PANIC. Those who panic are far more likely to die. Your chances of survival are much higher if you can keep a clear head.
2. Remember that in a fire it is generally smoke that kills. People are rarely burned to death unless first overcome by smoke. Smoke is your main enemy and you must take all measures to avoid it.
3. Assess the situation calmly. Before leaving your room, place your hand against the door and check for heat. If there is excessive heat, this is probably because there is a fire behind the door. In this situation, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR.
4. If you decide it is safe to leave your room, do not take your possessions. However you must take your room key because you may well need to get back into your room to escape smoke or fire in the corridor. NEVER USE THE ELEVATOR.
5. When you leave your room, remember that smoke and heat rise and will force oxygen to the floor. Therefore when you are in the corridor you should stay low. You should also stay close to the wall to avoid panicking guests. Count the doors to the exit, and leave that way.
6. If the corridor outside your room is filled with smoke, or if the exit corridor is filled with smoke, do not attempt to go through it. Remember that smoke is your enemy – in this case you are better off returning to your room.
7. If you have to return to your room or if it was not safe to leave your room in the first place, then fill the bath/basin with water and use dampened bedsheets, towels or clothes wedged in door cracks to stop smoke entering.
8. Check the walls and doors for heat. Throw water on them if you can feel heat.
9. Do NOT break the window – you may need to close it to stop smoke coming in.
10. Signal rescuers from the window using a torch or a white sheet.

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