Hotel fire safety

[RogerS]

Was chatting to an ex-fireman of mine about staying in hotels, fire exits etc ..here and abroad. I thought I had 'what to do' sussed but he alerted me to a couple of other 'things to know' IF you have to leave your room.

So thought I'd pass them on..

When you arrive locate your fire exit door. Determine how it opens - bar whatever and how high up. Shut your eyes, get onto the floor and reach up with your hand until you find it..just to familiarise yourself....as you won't be able to see it because of the smoke.

Count how many doorways or indentations between your room door and the fire door. That's how many you are going to have to feel for as you grope your way along the floor through the dense smoke.

Now here's the wrinkle...some hotels have their wiring behind the skirting board. Worst case scenario is that some of this may well be exposed as a result of flames and so the wires (most likely still live) will be there waiting for you to grab hold of (and lock onto with your hand). So use the BACK of your hand to feel for the doorways etc. That way, if any cables are live and you touch them, your hand will jump away, and you won't get fried (by electric or fire).

But damned if I can remember whether his advice was to go up or down the firestairs

Hopefully you will never have to use this piece of information

 

[Midnight]

to grab hold of (and lock onto with your hand). So use the BACK of your hand to feel for the doorways etc. That way, if any cables are live and you touch them, your hand will jump away,

That's only true if the circuit in question is DC, not AC... mains voltage AC will bite whichever way your hand is... but it shouldn't hold you...

 

[RogerS]

Mike

Sorry if I didn't make myself clearer.

Yes, AC makes the hand grab (and relax) but since the grabbing muscles are stronger than the relaxing muscles they win...which is why you check the walls with the BACK of your hand. That way, your muscle reaction to the AC is to close the hand (which because it is NOT facing the wire) will not grab hold of it.

Hope that makes my post clearer

Roger

 

[andrewm]

Reminds me of a sign next to the external fire exit door in my room on the sixth floor of a hotel in Thailand. It read:

"This fire door has been locked for your security.
In case of fire get key from reception"

Andrew

 

[Midnight]

Hope that makes my post clearer

well...... no... not exactly.... but then.. I work with the stuff... gettin bit was an occupational hazzard for a while... even 3 phase won't hold ya tho it'll sure ruin your day... DC bites for keeps....

 

[mr]

A friend of mine who used to be a MOD tool maker working mainly on submarine equipment always used to say that when working at the bench they had been taught to work with one hand behind their back so that any bite would run to earth rather than across the chest and therefore heart. How true that is though I have no idea.