The entire eastern seaboard is faced major damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Following the tragedy, food trucks and clean-up crews were assembled to help those who were affected by the hurricane. Numerous hotels lost power and had to find temporary lodgings for the customers. While not all disasters are as intense as Hurricane Sandy, the hospitality industry should be prepared for such situations.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association has a list of recommendations to prepare for emergencies such as creating an evacuation plan for hotel managers, employees and guests, creating an emergency supply kit of food and water, and having a set of failsafe keys with backups.
"Review the procedures you have for crisis management" says Joe Mclnerney, President/CEO of AH&LA. Hold relevant safety drills a couple of times a year, if your hotel is at risk to disasters, so that when an emergency does occur your staff isn't reading the manual.
Creating an emergency team is important. It should include a point person such as the head of security or chief engineer and the housekeeper, restaurant manager, and the telephone operator. The safety of your staff and guests should always be the top priority, says McInerney.
McInerney adds that you should take advantage of all your local, regional, and state agencies such as the fire department, insurance company, the Red Cross and Homeland Security to request help developing crisis management and disaster relief plans.
More things that hoteliers can do in advance are:
- establish a method of communication for employees
- stock up on glow sticks, flashlights, sandbags and plywood
- connect with aid organizations and establish agreements with them in advance
- risk assessment of nearby buildings, signs and landscape
“Flood insurance, like earthquake insurance is not generally covered in standard property policies," wrote William A. Cilente II, Vice President of Marsh & McLennan, on their website. Hotel managers can purchase insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program which can be used for damage and repair costs caused by floods.
Losing power is common so have a back-up generator to provide emergency lighting to your employees and guests, says Cheryl Potenza, General Manager at Hampton Inn in Martinsburg, WV.
Lastly, look out for your employees. "If we know there's going to be bad weather we make sure [the employees] have a place to stay first because somebody obviously has to run [the hotel],"Potenza says.
We all hope that there is never a disaster but the best thing you can do for you and your employees in be prepared.
Hospitality Designs
www.hospitalitydesigns.com
I like this simple wonderful breakdown.
ReplyDelete