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SAFETY DURING VACATIONS-PART III

When you have checked in to your room, you have a right to refuse it if it does not have the following:

1. Locking system on doors and windows
2. Toilet has an open and easily accessible ventilator
3. A door viewer
4. A working phone
5. Working air conditioning system
6. Fire alarm system
7. Running water supply Be prepared to flee potential problems. If apprehensive about any location for any reason, leave. Consider carrying a whistle. Weapons are not recommended, and may be unlawful. If you are being followed adopt the following strategy.

• Check the cleanliness and hygienic condition of the room, if you are not satisfied, ask for another one.
• Put up the ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ board outside your room during your entire stay, Intruders don’t generally enter the occupied rooms.
• Before you leave your room, turn on the TV or Radio, loud enough to be heard outside your room.
• Keep all curtains drawn on windows that provide unhindered view of your room from outside.
• Use the door viewer before you open the door for anyone
• .Arrange your belongings in a fashion that will tell you if anything is missing.
• Keep all your things in the closets/drawers provided and lock them.
• Look on the phone to see how to report emergencies.
• Does your hotel have child friendly rooms (covered outlets and tub faucets, rounded furniture corners and access to baby supplies).
• Write each child's name on a slip of paper, along with the number of a close friend or relative at home; then tuck or pin the paper in the child's pocket.
• In case you have a local contact number mention that too.
• Look for hotels that have supervised play centres.
• Draw up rules and regulations for children with you.
• Forbid them from roaming unescorted in the hotel
• Familiarise them with your emergency plan in case it has to be put in action.
• Set rules for your stay and they should abide by them.
• Don’t send them out to buy odds and ends from the nearby shopping centre, restrict your purchases for once a day and preferably finish it before you check in to the hotel.

Fire safety Tips for your stay in a Hotel

All transit accommodations like hotels and guesthouses are generally prone to fire and other safety problems. So, check out the safety measures that a hotel has implemented, before you really check in. Forewarned is forearmed.

Upon your arrival find out where the emergency exits are? Don’t leave it for the next morning! Do it now. Before you enter your room, look to your left and to your right and locate two exits from your floor. Walk across to each one and count the number of doors between your room and the exit. The exits are hard to find in a fire because of the panic and smoke, unless you are sure of the exact location.

Fire always goes up, so you should always go down. And come down by stairs.

You can start by locating the position of the stairs. This is important in case there is a fire and you are on an upper floor. It is always in your interest to use the stairs in an emergency.

Lifts and elevators should be strictly avoided. A disruption in power supply can trap you in an immobile lift. Also, lifts even when working tend to behave in a strange manner in such situations.

Next you can take stock of the position of fire extinguishers, fire exits and fire alarms.

You should make yourself familiar with the floor plan of the floor you are on, so that you know how to get out in a hurry. Find out about the designated safe refuge areas on your floor.

Fire is something that can catch you unawares and more so when you are in a strange and unfamiliar place. How you respond to it in the initial few minutes will decide the course of events.

If you discover a fire in your room, leave the room in case you cannot tackle it with the available resources.

Raise an alarm and get all the occupants out of the room. Don’t waste time in collecting your belongings; life is more precious than every thing else. Remember to close the door after you so that the fire remains confined in the room.

If the fire is not in your room but you hear the alarm, don’t panic and rush out. The fire could be raging just outside your room.

Feel the door with your palms, if it is hot to touch, or you find smoke seeping in from the gap between the door and the floor be cautious. Don’t open the door.

Open a window to escape or for fresh air while awaiting rescue.

If possible, open slightly the top AND bottom portions because smoke tends to draw out of the top, while fresh air comes through the bottom.

Use the telephone in the room to let others know about yourself. Wait for the rescue team. Use wet towels, newspapers or bed-sheets to cover the gap to prevent the smoke from seeping in to the room.

If you can’t get out, fill a bathtub with water as quickly as possible, because you can lose water pressure quickly.

Don’t loose your presence of mind. Don’t hide under beds or tables rather let others know that you are in problem and need to be rescued.

In case you decide to leave the room, take your room key with you. In case the exits are blocked, you may have to return to your room.

Flames are ferocious and frightening but smoke is a silent and sinister killer even deadlier than flames.

It numbs your senses even before you realise it. The main constituent of smoke is Carbon monoxide, a colourless and odourless gas. It just puts you to a sleep from which it is impossible to awake.

Smoke, when hot, is lighter than air and rises up. Thus leaving a fairly healthy breathing space, if one crawls down on all the fours. Remember to keep to the walls; this helps you to keep off from others who may be darting across.

Better would be to cover your mouth and face with damp clothing so that you can filter out poisonous gases and smoke particles to a large extent.

Visibility is always at a premium in such situations so it is better if you have a torch with you to light up your way.

Whatever be the situation, remain calm and don’t panic. Keep your family together, stay calm and think. This would help you to remain coherent and take positive and constructive steps to help yourself and others.