SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE HOTEL -----

SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE HOTEL -----

Lost and found – This is a term used in hotel parlance to refer to any item which is left by the guest or temporarily misplaced by the guest but traced later by the hotel staff. Such articles to be handed over to the housekeeping department which maintained a special locker for this purpose .if the item belongs to the guest who has already checked out  ,then a letter has to be sent to the forwarding address left by the guest while checkout or which is there in the registration card ..If no reply is received by the hotel within certain time limit, that may be auctioned to the hotel employees as per the hotel rules.

If the lost belongings are found in the public areas  and the guest is still residing in the hotel then housekeeping department keeps those items with them till any complain is made at the front office or in the  lobby..in this case a customer is required to give a description of the article which is lost ,before that item is shown to him .

Fire in the hotel –

As soon the fire is detected and intimated to the front desk ,the first thing to do is to inform the telephone department .inmost hotels the telephone department the telephone department plays a pivotal role of alarming the hotel .in smaller hotel which have telephone department is merged with the front office ,there the first job is to call the fire department of that city for the help .the front office should alert all guest and inform them to use the staircase and not the elevator .the telephone exchange should always be manned during fire to communicate from one point to another .if the front office staff have to get actively involved in the procedure then they should search each room thoroughly ,specially under bed or in closets or bathrooms to ensure that no guest is left behind .they must guide the guest through the fire exit map .and help in extinguishing the fire by the use of appropriate fire extinguishers

(Foam for electrical fires and oil fires, water for the general fires and so on.)

Death-

The front office should inform the General Manager, the security officer and call for the hotel doctor,. no alarm is raised and none of the guest to be informed .the General Manager may decide to call the police .the room to be sealed till police formalities are over. People known to that person is  to be contacted through the addresses entered in the registration card .

Accidents –

The house doctor should be called immediately on phone and informed the nature of the accident and condition of the guest .the doctors instructions must be followed immediately .bleeding must be stopped by swabbing wounds with cotton wool and applying antiseptic or any lotion .if a fracture is suspected the guest is not moved till the doctor arrives .burns are to be treated with creams meant for the purpose .Water is never poured over the burns as this will surely leads to the blisters .hotel should train staff for this purpose .

Vandalism –

The front office staff must call the hotel security and order the main door to be locked .if thing get out of the hand police must be called.

Damaged to property by the resident guest –

The front office cashier is instructed to raise a charge for the value of the of damages to property, a responsible guest will never argue but if it is the subject to be referred to the general manager .

Drunken guest –

It is prudent to never argue with drunken guest .he must be politely led away from the public areas either into an office or in his room...if he is behaving unruly the security may be called.

Theft –

Hotel often adopts certain precautions to avoid thefts -
these are:-

·         Self locking room doors.

·         Safety deposit boxes for guest valuables

·         Watching guests with light baggage who could become potential skippers.

·         Watching a walk-in who can be a thief.

·         Avoiding giving room numbers to visitors or guest names to telephone callers.

·         Strictly controlling the master key.

·         Posting security personals on floor.

·         Keeping all entrances, corridors and staircases well illuminated.

·         Reporting immediately any suspicious characters.

Bomb threats –

With the increase in terrorism in the country and world ,the bomb threats are not so uncommon these days .this may be a genuine threat with explosive planted some where  in the hotel or it may be a hoax.which ever the case may be such threats are always taken seriously and the proper action taken .

Mostly bomb threats are made on phone are attended by either the telephone operator or the receptionist of the hotel.in this following steps to be followed—

·         Signal the colleague to also listen in the call and try to find out the location through exchange.

·         Listen the caller carefully and make it prolong and get all the information carefully- place where planted,time of explosion and streghth of explosives.

·         If possible this call may be taped and note the back noise and try to catch information from accent and police to be informed.

·         Immidiatly after disconnection the G M and security officer has to be informed .

·         If the location is identified the department head should be also informed

·         People from that suspected area has to be evacuated from that particular location .

·         After “all clear” signal from the police the normal process of hotel can be continued.

SAFE DEPOSIT –

Though hotel is not responsible for the guest valuables, the rule to this effect is written in the guest registration card and also notified in the in guest room .but a hotel offers a free safe deposit facility for his valuables.

Hotels have bank type of lockers installed at the front office cash. A locker is allotted to guest that can be opened by using two keys .the master key is with the front office cashier and other key is issued to the guest. A contract is also signed in between the guest and the hotel. Whenever a guest wants to open that locker it has to be entered into the locker operating register. Signatures are always verified with the specimen .head cashier inserts his key then a guest inserts his own key, and then only a lock can be opened. Guest is left alone to operate his locker..Guest can lock the locker with his own key. At the time of departure the guest is asked to vacate the locker.

If the key is lost by the guest .then the locker will be drilled open in presence of the guest and can be charged for the replacement of the locker.

If the forgets to vacate the locker .he or she has to be informed by the hotel to come and vacate it either personally or by sending an authorised person with authority letter.

These days some hotels have installed an electronic safe deposit box in each guest room .this safety box can be operated by using an electronic number. Guest can use any number to open the lock. The number selected by the guest becomes the locker’s code number .the guest’s are advised to keep there valuables in the electronic safety box. Though hotel is not responsible for any lost item .But hotels take this issue as prestige issue. So an inquiry is done on the hotel security level.