MECHANISM FOR FIRE SAFETY MANAGEMENT IN HOTEL FACILITY IN ABUJA.

Abstract

Fire has often been described as the greatest servant but the worst master that is difficult to curb or control when it becomes out of control destroying everything in its path. Hotel facilities along with people’s lives need protection against fire outbreak. There is barely a day without an occurrence of one incidence of fire outbreak worldwide leaving in its wake, destruction of properties worth millions of naira with devastating impacts on human lives/livelihood and infrastructural development. Fire occurring in hotels can cause devastating effects if appropriate fire safety management mechanism is not put in place. The aim of this study is to propose a mechanism for fire safety management in hotel in Abuja. The specific objectives were to: assess the potential fire related risks in hotel facilities in Abuja, examine existing fire safety measures in hotel facilities in Abuja and to assess the fire safety measures incorporated in the design of the hotel facilities in Abuja. The study was restricted to 5, 4, and 3 star hotels in Abuja. Data were sought using instrument such as structured questionnaire and interviewer guide. Stratified random sampling technique was used for the selection of two hundred and twenty one (221) hotels while simple random technique was employed for the selection of respondents for questionnaire administration of one hundred and forty two (142) copies. The outcome of the study showed that the major causes of fire outbreaks in Hotel facilities in Abuja are kitchen fire from unattended cooking grease, electrical system that are overloaded, poorly maintained or defective, combustible storage area with insufficient protection, candles and other open flames, smoking (cigarettes, pipes and lighters). From the multi criteria analysis conducted, although there were some forms of existing fire safety measures in hotel facilities in Abuja Metropolis, the findings indicate that at least 0.83 (83%) improvement is required for structural fire protection, 0.79 (79%) is required for firefighting equipment and 0.78 (78%) status for fire detection and warning is required for adequate fire safety provision. FurthermoreStaff Training and Customers education on fire safety management is imperative so as to curb the devastating impacts on human lives/livelihood and infrastructural development from fire outbreaks especially in hotel facilities.