Hotel and Motel Fire Safety

When traveling, it is important to become familiar with your surroundings. The United States Fire Administration would like you to review the following safety tips to assist you in preparing for fire safe traveling.

Plan Ahead

When making your reservations, ask if the hotel or motel has smoke detectors and fire sprinklers.
When traveling, take a flashlight with you.
Read the fire evacuation plan carefully. If one is not posted in your room, request one from the front desk.
Locate the two exits from your room.
Count the number of doors between your room and the exits. This will assist you in the need of an emergency evacuation.
Locate the fire alarms on your floor.
Never smoke in bed.

Life Safety Steps

If the fire is in your room, get out quickly. Close the door, sound the alarm and notify the front desk.
Always use a stairwell, never an elevator. The elevator could stop at the floor of the fire.
If the fire is not in your room, leave if it is safe to do so. Be sure to take your room key with you in case fire blocks your escape and you need to re-enter your room.
To check the hallway for fire, touch the door with the back of your hand to test the temperature. If the door is cool, get low to the floor, brace your shoulder against the door and open it slowly. Be ready to close it quickly if there are flames on the other side. Crawl low in the smoke to the nearest exit; the freshest air is near the floor.
If your room door is hot, do not open it. Instead, seal the door with wet towels or sheets. Turn off the fans and air conditioners. Call the fire department to give your location. Signal from your window.

Hotel and Motel Fire Safety List

The Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 was passed into law by Congress to save lives and protect property by promoting fire and life safety in hotels, motels and other places of public accommodation. The law mandates that Federal employees on travel must stay in public accommodations that adhere to the life safety requirements in the legislation guidelines, those being:

hard-wired, single-station smoke detectors in each guestroom in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 72; and
an automatic sprinkler system, with a sprinkler head in each guest room in compliance with NFPA standards 13 or 13R. Properties three stories or lower in height are exempt from the sprinkler requirement.

The Hotel-Motel List isn't just for Federal employees! USFA encourages the traveling public to use the list when making reservations for lodging accommodations, be they for business or pleasure.

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