Lessons From Irene
Taking hoteliers and guests by surprise, alarm, and fear, Hurricane Irene serves as a learning experience for hoteliers nationwide, and exemplifies what the hospitality spirit is all about. Learn how this unprecedented natural disaster affected the hotels along the eastern seaboard and how you might prepare for a natural disaster of such magnitude.
Between hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, tornados, and flooding, one thing we've learned is that every city in every state is susceptible to something.
- Labor challenges (employees being unable to get to work)
- Power loss
- Wind damage
- Flooding
- Food spoilage
- Leaks
- Get a generator
- Better train employees
- Put a procedure for dealing with prepaid rooms needing to be cancelled
- Revise action plans
- Foster better employee communication
| In advance |
Approaching |
- Establish an Emergency Team to act as leaders during a disaster
- Review your hotel’s emergency plan with necessary employees
- Review insurance coverages and reporting requirements with your agent
- Get mutual aid agreements in advance
- Have failsafe keys or back up in place
- Secure storage of vital employee and financial records
- Assess threat for landscaping, nearby buildings, signs, etc.
- Designate a signal phone number for employees to call for the latest information on schedules, closing, rooms, etc.
- Hold a practice drill
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- Check all window and door locks
- Secure sandbags if flooding is anticipated
- Block rooms for employees and corporate team members
- Conduct inventory and order additional non-perishable food and paper products
- Procure additional cash for purchases post storm
- Store as much water as possible in tubs, sinks, and other containers, as well as ice
- Turn all coolers/freezers to lowest setting
- Provide glowsticks to guests and place in halls and stairs
- Keep guests informed with the latest information
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| During |
After |
- Do not allow anyone to leave building, unless there is an extreme emergency
- Shut down elevator when sustained winds reach 40 mph
- Prohibit alcohol consumption by employees and guest
|
- Survey damage and make temporary repairs
- Evaluate all food items (if there was a power outage)
- Get in touch with all staff and provide update
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Action items courtesy of Bill Murray, meteorologist, and president, Integral Hospitality
Preparation is the key. Plan for the worst and I believe you will always surprise yourself and your team.
- Sheri Swain, Holiday Inn Capitol
Always keep a stack of board games and cards in the closet for days when everyone is inside and distracted, these small tools make strangers friends.
- Gary Budge, Algonquin Hotel
Your best friends are the power crews. Try to make sure they stay at your hotel. Then you know you will have priority in getting power restored.
- Bill Murray, Intergral Hospitality
A little PR never hurts either - here's an excerpt from an email sent to the Maryland Tourism Council from Harrison Group Hotels:
"...we are pleased to inform you that Ocean City has suffered minimal damages and all of the Harrison Properties are open and ready for your business!...People made their way onto our beaches on Sunday and discovered them to be bigger and better than ever as a result of Irene...."
FEMA news releases
Flooding maps and resources
National Hurricane Center
HD Supply provides thousands of hospitality products to fill your needs before, during, and after a disaster
MARCOR provides disaster, remediation, and clean up services
AH&LA members: Hyphen Constuction First Response Program, offers turnkey solutions for disaster response and members get the $10,000 enrollment fee waived
The following are real stories from hoteliers, whose employees went above and beyond to continue to provide exceptional service - and safety - to their guests.
There were several acts of kindness exhibited by staff and guests and these included sharing steaks on the propane grill on our patio, extending complimentary facilities to all our guests and staff covering different departments, and providing some measure of "entertainment" for our in-house guests.
- Chris Dabi, Hilton Garden Inn Baltimore Arundel Mills
We had a bridal party in house that was scheduled to have an outdoor wedding that weekend. Our DOS was onsite during the hurricane and was able to pull together a very successful reception in our meeting room. The client/bride was thrilled that her big day could still take place.
- Jennifer Hensler, Hampton Inn Lexington Park
Staff worked all through Saturday evening to ensure guests had their questions answered and all felt welcome and comfortable. Our kitchen staff made sure our employees had plenty of fresh food for all meal periods to keep up their energy. Overall, senior management is extremely pleased and wowed by the tremendous efforts of all employees.
- Marisa Galdi, Grand Hyatt New York
The road the hotel is on was flooded and closed at both ends. The night auditor convinced the police to let him pass in his SUV and got a police escort to the door!
- Gary Sullivan, White Mountain Hotel
We took in 15 guests the night of the storm, four of whom had helped save a father and his infant son and toddler from his car that was caught in a flooded road. At that very same spot not an hour later, a young 21-year old student lost her life when she was carried away by the river.
- John Pilcher, The Wilmington Inn & Tavern
We had 70 wedding guests stranded at the resort, including the bride and groom. No staff could make it in for work, so our guests pitched in for cleaning, cooking, and mopping floors.
- Rich Rosado, Glen Falls House
My front desk staff pitched right in by setting up our board room as a command center with bottled water, snacks, and flash lights. They all stayed at the hotel and worked around the clock to ensure guest safety without even being asked to do so.
- Jessica Kumper, ADA Properties-Wingate by Wyndham
We had an extreme amount of call outs, with housekeeping and F&B being the most impacted. Our butler team went above and beyond by working around the clock in every department. At one point our butler anticipated the simple needs of many employees by bringing toothbrushes to each room without being asked. Our kitchen staff was bare bones and still managed an in room dinner party of a 5-course meal for 8 people, all with a smile.
- Brianna Riley, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, The Plaza
We were sold out with a 350-person wedding all day Saturday into late evening. Without any rooms to spare, some employees stayed in cots in our ballroom in order to pitch in overnight and into the following day, anticipating that Sunday's staff would have a difficult time making it to work. We've been able to loosen our cancellation policy and accommodate many families without power over the past few days.
- William Maloney, Hilton Pearl River
To try to combat all the negative press VT is getting, we are offering free rooms to anyone who has a reservation at a property that is not able to operate. There are a couple of disclaimers but basically we want to get the message out that Vermont is open for business.
- Pennie Beach, Basin Harbor Club
60 associates and their families stayed in the hotel for two days and nights to take care of full house occupancy.
- Joe Kelly, Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa
If you have stories, advice, or resources you'd like to share, please contact Netanya Stutz at nstutz@ahla.com.