Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Expect the Unexpected: or at Least Plan for It

We did not stay at a Renaissance Savery Hotel. We were not even in Des Moines. I only include the above pic to show you how useful the information on the back of a hotel door is in an emergency.



When you stay at a hotel, do you read the information taped on the back of the door that tells you what to do in case of a fire? I used to, but haven't in a long time. Early Sunday morning, I was able to recall most, but not all of what I read. The gist of what is on the back of the door is:

1) Advice telling you to feel the door with the back of your hand if the fire alarm is going off. I remembered to feel the door, but forgot what to do it if was warm. Praise the Lord, the door was not warm, so it was a moot point. Had it been warm though, the directions are to NOT open the door, as that means the fire is out in the hall, and to soak towels in water and barricade these wet towels at the door, and to have one handy to cover your face if smoke gets in. There is more on this on the door, but you can read it if you are staying in a hotel for vacation. Seriously, don't assume you remember because you read it once on your honeymoon in Hawaii fourteen years ago, and maybe again at a Charismatic Conference seven years ago. Reread it each time you stay in a hotel. I am glad I didn't need the information that I didn't remember.
2) Your best escape route during a fire is suggested. If not, go out in the hall and plan it yourself. Hopefully it is a waste of five seconds of your life, but it just may be an important five seconds!
3) Do not use the elevator during a fire.

Things that are not on the door, but useful to think about are to have your shoes and eye glasses handy, and a small bag with your "can't live without" electronic devices and the room keys inside of it. If you REALLY do plan ahead, it couldn't hurt to have a flashlight in the bag.


I am contributing this public service announcement to the "What I Learned This Week" blog carnival. The "What I Learned This Week" blog carnival has been moved to



Remember, no conclusion to yesterday's post until Wendy has four contributors to her Life is Funny blog carnival! I am holding the story hostage! Don't you want to find out whether I made it out alive?

4 comments:

♥ Kathy said...

I haven't stayed in a hotel in ummmm well, it's been longer than a decade anyway...

Anonymous said...

Awesome. I'm thinking of Aggie jokes, but if you don't live in Texas, it may not be funny.

And I'm just going to state the obvious: I'm not waiting in suspense over whether you're alive. I'm fairly certain you are. Unless, of course, you anticipated before your death, and before your experiences, exactly what you would experience and exactly how many people would be participating in your friend's blog carnival, and then you scheduled your posts accordingly. That, of course, would be amazing.

Wendy said...

So, does this mean the fire alarm went off at your hotel during your stay away? I mean, you told me the general outcome of your story, but now this has me wondering all over again. Helen, did you make it?!

jenn said...

that is such good advice - i read the emergency card on every single flight i take for the same reasons. you would think that if i did that, i'd do it other places. but no, i've never read that information while staying in a hotel. i will now. hope all was okay and that you didn't learn this the hard way!