The following checklist was adapted from The Convention Industry
Council Manual, 7th Edition; (703) 610-0278; www.conventionindustry.org
General Preparation
Discuss internal action plans for handling fire emergencies
during meetings.Coordinate emergency plans with the facility’s own plans. Designate staff to implement the plans, and delegate specific
responsibilities. Compile a master copy of emergency contact information for all
attendees.Questions for the facility
Is a written emergency fire-evacuation plan for the entire
facility in place? Does it include meeting and exhibit areas? Are all hotel employees and facility staff familiar with the
emergency plan? What specific actions are taken when an alarm sounds? Are all guests instructed to evacuate in the event of a fire
alarm? If not, what is the procedure? Is there a primary assembly point for evacuees? What is the evacuation plan for guests with disabilities or
limited mobility? What does the fire alarm sound like (bell, horn, etc.)?Do alarms directly alert the local fire department?What is the proximity of the fire department and its estimated
response time? Is there a paging or telephone system that reaches all
occupants simultaneously? How does it work? When was the last time
it was tested?Are all exits clearly marked in hallways, guest rooms and
function rooms? Are all exits clearly visible and well-illuminated?Do all exit doors open in the direction of travel? Do exit doors lead directly out of the building? Are all stairwells well-lighted?Do stairwells open to ground and roof levels? Are all stairwells enclosed and obstruction-free? Are any flammable materials stored or used in stairwells? Do all the stairwells have continuous hand rails for those with
limited mobility or in the event of obscured visibility?Are there alarm switches on each floor? Do meeting rooms have at least two exits relatively far apart
from one another? Are all areas of the property equipped with sprinklers and
smoke detectors? Is an emergency lighting system in place and run on a separate
power system? In the event of a fire, are elevators automatically
locked? Are ventilation systems turned off automatically in the event
of a fire?Are electrical circuits in sleeping rooms, meeting rooms and
exhibit areas grounded? Are meeting room and exhibit-area circuits separate? Are the electrical outlets in the bathrooms GFI (ground fault
interruption) protected? Can guest room windows be opened? Do any guest rooms have
outside ledges or balconies?Do all sleeping and meeting rooms have an emergency evacuation
map prominently displayed?Are there fire extinguishers and hoses on each floor? When were
they last inspected? How often does the hotel conduct fire drills? When was the last
one? When was the facility last inspected for fire safety? Were any
violations found? If yes, have they been corrected? Where are the nearest fire hydrants? Are they accessible and in
good working order?What are the emergency numbers for the fire department and
facility’s security office? Distribute these numbers to all event
staff.