If a Hotel Loses Power, How Do Disabled People Get Downstairs?

To go with the Question of the Day 1/18/2020, what happens when the hotel loses power and disabled guests can’t get out of high tower rooms? I am disabled and I am usually put on floor 20 or higher. There is no way I could walk down that many stairs. Would I just be stuck in the room for the day or more? What if I was supposed to fly home?

There was just such a situation in Las Vegas when Paris lost power in the middle of the day a couple years ago. We’d like to know how Caesars Entertainment coped with the crisis, but Caesars could not be begged or budged into cooperation.

We received a considerably more helpful response from Raving Consulting President Deana Scott, who says standard industry practice is as follows.

“Typically, when a disabled guest checks into a hotel (a good one at least), he or she is noted in the front-office pass-along book and security is notified in case of emergencies. During any emergency or even a power outage, the guest is contacted, either on the phone or directly to verify that everything's OK.

"In an evacuation, this report is used to assist guests who might have trouble exiting the building efficiently. Two security officers or designated emergency team members will use either a special chair or the practiced ‘fireman's carry’ down the stairs to safety.

In extreme situations, the hotel will call 911 and report that there are disabled guests who need evacuation and to send EMS help to assist.

"Guests with disabilities should always confirm the evacuation protocol at check-in, as each facility can be different. As a side note, my husband has a disability and we always ask for a lower floor at check-in. This ensures it is easier for us to evacuate if needed.”

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

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David Liming Apr-07-2020

Harrahs

We had elevators go out late at night at Harrah's maybe 6 or so years ago. We were caught downstairs, so couldn't get up to our room to sleep. Security, etc. couldn't do anything about it and they said the outside repair company wouldn't be there till mid day the next day.  After waiting 3 hours in the middle of the night, found an employee who snuck us (and others waiting) inside to the employees only elevator and escorted us to our floors.  Crazy that nobody working there knew to do that till like 3 or 4 am.  Shows, employees are not trained to deal with elevator outage.

Kevin Rough Apr-07-2020

CET

I would wager that Caesars Entertainment wouldn't comment because there are probably lawsuits still in progress about said incident and they don't want to open themselves up to lawyers.

mofromto Apr-07-2020

Wow!

I can't believe that they would not have at least one or two elevators operate on an emergency power generator in cases like that. I live in a 25 storey condo building with three elevators and one elevator has its own generator in the event of a power outage.

Straski Apr-07-2020

Disabled should use lower floors

Same thing happens with a fire alarm - you can't use the elevators. Most hotels put disabled guests on the lower floors. I was on the 22nd floor of a casino in the 1980's with $900 in chips in my room (a lot of money at that time). The fire alarm went off at 01:00 a.m. while I was sleeping. First thought someone was going to rob me of my chips. Wife and I had to go down 22 floors of stairs. There were huge women in moo moo's (nighttime wear) going down with us. Quite the sight. Some drunk had taken a lighter to the sprinkler in his room on the tenth floor. The hotel threw in a free night for the inconvenience.

Question of the Day - 07 April 2020

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