Any owner or manager of a commercial building has a certain level of responsibility — but that responsibility increases dramatically when you’re in charge of a hotel or motel. In that case, you aren’t just operating a business; you’re also supposed to keep people safe. There’s a lot of liability involved in running a motel or hotel, as in essence you are providing a safe place for customers to rest. Safety violations don’t just result in fines; they can result in injury or even the loss of life. This is especially true when it comes to fires. Fires are, unfortunately, fairly common in motels and hotels. The issue with fires in hotels and motels versus in residential buildings is that often, hotels and motels are multilevel — hotels can even be high-rise buildings. Naturally, these buildings contain more people than residential homes, and in case of emergency they can often become packed in, panicking and unsure of how to reach safety. For that matter, it can be difficult for firefighters to reach fires and evacuate people from hotels and motels. Therefore, it’s crucial that your fire alarm services are not only up to date but effective in both alerting people to the danger and snuffing it out. Below, we’ll look into a few facts you might not know about the risks of fires in the hotel industry, and how the right commercial fire alarm systems can save lives.

1. Fires Are A Serious Risk For The Hotel Industry

In this day and age, it almost seems as if we don’t need to worry about fires. It’s true that firefighters are extremely effective in quenching fires — but you shouldn’t have to rely upon them. While it’s less common perhaps for fires to hurt or kill people in residential buildings, they still pose a very real risk for the hotel industry. It’s estimated that there are 15 deaths and 150 injuries each year due to hotel and motel fires, and for that matter $76 million in property losses. The issue here is that hotels and motels tend to have more complex electrical wiring than other buildings, and thus have more of a risk of electrical fires. For that matter, these buildings often have at least one main kitchen, and sometimes little kitchenettes in the rooms. Therefore, there are plenty of dangers presented by ovens and stoves. The point is that when it comes to hotels and motels, the hazards are numerous and need to be taken seriously.

2. There Are Two Types Of Suppressant Systems

Right now, there are two main types of fire suppressant systems. A suppressant system isn’t so much about alerting people or preventing the problem, but dealing with it once it starts. One suppressant system uses chemicals to suppress the problem, and while this is certainly a possible solution, it isn’t right for every circumstance. Chemical suppressants can be difficult for some to use, and for that matter traditional extinguishers require people to act. It can be difficult for someone untrained to use an extinguisher, and certainly an extinguisher isn’t going to work when the flames are raging beyond control. A sprinkler system may be a better solution for hotels and motels, simply because they’re wide-reaching and activate on their own. They don’t require manual operations. It’s been reported that in commercial areas with large ovens, non-chemical suppressant systems work effectively 96% of the time — so why use chemicals if you don’t have to?

3. Sprinklers Work As Both Alarms And Suppressants

This is another great thing about sprinkler systems — in releasing large amounts of water at the slightest hint of a fire, they’re also alerting people in a very obvious way to the fire’s presence. This way, people can know without a doubt — even if they’re visually or hearing impaired — that something is wrong, and that they need to move. At the same time, the sprinkler is working to keep them safe and suppress the danger. It’s the best of both worlds.