Fire Safety when Traveling

Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, be sure to consider the following safety tips to assist you in preparing for fire safe traveling:

Planning:

  When making your reservations, ask if the hotel or motel has smoke detectors and fire sprinklers. A quick and easy way to find a hotel that you can be confident will have these safety features is to log onto the United States Fire Administration (USFA) website at www.usfa.fema.gov. http://www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/hotel/search_results.cfm

Facilities meeting requirements of the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 are listed on this site. This Act was passed into law by Congress to save lives and protect property by promoting fire and life safety in hotels, motels and other places of public accommodation. The law mandates that federal employees on travel must stay in public accommodations that adhere to the life safety requirements in the legislation guidelines. It also states that federally funded meetings and conferences cannot be held in properties that do not comply with the law. Facilities that meet the requirements of this law are equipped with smoke detection and sprinklers.

  Take a flashlight with you.

  Read the fire evacuation plan of the facility you are staying in carefully. Often it is posted on the inside of your room door. If one is not posted in your room, request one from the front desk.

  Locate the two exits from your room.

  Count the number of doors between your room and the exits. This will assist you in the need of an emergency evacuation.

  Locate the fire alarms on your floor. If the alarm sounds, evacuate immediately.

  As always, never smoke in bed. Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Tips

When traveling, it is important to become familiar with your surroundings. The United States Fire Administration would like you to review the following safety tips to assist you in preparing for fire safe traveling.

Emergency Action:

 If the fire is in your room, get out quickly. Close the door, sound the alarm and notify the front desk.

 Always use a stairwell, never an elevator. The elevator could stop at the floor of the fire.

 If the fire is not in your room, leave if it is safe to do so. Be sure to take your room key with you in case fire blocks your escape and you need to re-enter your room.

 To check the hallway for fire, touch the door with the back of your hand to test the temperature. If the door is cool, get low to the floor, brace your shoulder against the door and open it slowly. Be ready to close it quickly if there are flames on the other side. Crawl low in the smoke to the nearest exit; the freshest air is near the floor.

 If your room door is hot, do not open it. Instead, seal the door with wet towels or sheets. Turn off the fans and air conditioners. Call the fire department to give your location. Signal from your window.

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