PalQ

I strongly recommend that all travelers carry a small flashlight and a smoke mask because of the following incident that happened to me in a hotel in France.
It was during the middle of the night when someone tapped, rapped at my chamber door and said to get out, that the hotel was on fire! As smoke hung in the air, i immeidately vacated - waiting outside. Soon (France) the pompiers (firemen) arrived with a sign on their truck saying "Pompiers en greve" (Fire workers on strike) but nevertheless they showed up. A search of the hotel produced no fire and we were allowed to wait in the lobby while the fire detectives sought the cause of the blaze. their theory was that there had been a short circuit somewhere. In the kitchen, however, was a telltale sign on black smoke on a wall - apparently the night staff had been cooking some eggs and they burned, sending smoke through the hotel. they had put the fire out well before the pompiers arrived but were afraid to tell about their causing the fire. Finally someone pointed the pompiers to the kitchen and the source of the fire was unveiled - we were allowed back in our rooms.
Point - i didn't have a flashlight or smoke mask in my baggage and i now always take such stuff along - a light to show me how to get out of a darkened hotel and a smoke mask to help me get out. And i always orient myself to emergency exits.
Anyone else have any experiences with hotel fires?

FainaAgain

I read somewhere that a wet towel can be used if a smoke mask is not available.

dziendobry

What hotel was this at??

PalQ

Hotel du Climat at St Jean de Luz. When we asked the desk clerk the next morning for compensation - after all it was the staff's fault for overcooking the eggs, the French young lady said:
Je suis desolee mais (I'm sorry about what happened) but there is nothing i can do). We called Climat later at their headquarters and they gave us a free night voucher.

LoveItaly

Hi PalQ, what a scary experience. I was in a hotel in SF once when the fire alarm went off but we were in the coctail lounge not our room. The SFFD showed up with sirens blaring etc. It turned out to be a kitchen fire also.
The loudspeaker advised everyone that they were not to leave the lounge area and since we were on something like the 12th floor it was a bit unsettling I must admit.

I have always carried a small travel flashlight with me, in my carryon bag. Your thread is a good reminder to everyone because most people I know do not think to pack one. BTW, I always put it on my nightstand at night so it is handy if I need it. Another thought, if one wears glasses it is good to put them on the nightstand also, can't imagine anything worse then not being able to see properly if there is an emergency of any kind. Safe travels to everyone!

irishdame

When my brothers and I were kids we traveled all over the US with our parents staying in many, many hotels. At each stop, before we were allowed to jump in the hotel pool, my Dad had us close our eyes and count the steps it took to get to the emergency exit in case of fire. He would guide us...left out of the room, 6 steps, turn right, 2 steps to exit etc. We had to be able to get to the exit, without looking, in less than 3 seconds or so before we could go off and have fun. It's 20 years later and I still do the same drill every time I stay in a new place.

kswl

What a fabulously prepared Dad you had, Irishdame. That's something we could all do with very little effort, but what a huge potential payback! Thanks for posting that tip!

Robespierre

Forget about preparing for emergencies. If you're gonna die, you're gonna die (so saith the Fodor's Travel Forum).

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34528349

irishdame

Thanks kswl, my Dad is always concerned with fire for some reason. At home he made each of us a "ladder" made of chains and 2 large hooks at the top that we kept under our beds. In case of fire you hook it around the window sill and climb down. He tested us on that too, we had to be able to get it out, hook it up and be on the grass outside in 15 seconds or less!

My folks are great, at 80 years old they are making plans for their 15th and final trip to France in Sept. I should say that this is about the 5th "final" trip they've taken to Europe!

kswl

Our bedrooms were all on the second floor and we also had those chain ladders, although being made by someone who had a serious emotional investment in their performance, yours were probably much better than ours! Your parents sound great---my father passed away three years ago, but my mom is still the same, traveling with friends or alone and nothing can stop her!