The document discusses disaster risk management for public buildings like hotels. It provides examples of hotel fires around the world over the last 20 years, noting the location, deaths, injuries, and damage. It also examines the MGM Grand Hotel fire in 1980 as a case study, describing the fire's cause and spread. The text emphasizes the importance of emergency preparedness, training, and systems like sprinklers to minimize loss of life from fires, especially in high-rise buildings.

1. Sam Sallam
“PUBLIC BUILDINGS
AND DISASTER RISK
MANAGEMENT”
2015-11-11

2. Overview
• Facts on disaster losses of global hotel cases
• Expect the unexpected be ready and train all involved. How
to train and have a fire brigade within your establishment
train and have ready to act 24/7 holidays and weekends
regardless of time of the day or night.
• Owners or operators of hotels, especially high rises,
residential high rises , shopping malls and any locations that
has crowds and where the risk of fire and other disasters
exist
• Public liability – moral and material responsibility towards
your guests, tenants, general public, employees
• Minimize loss of life or eliminate loss of life, where
evacuations could be seen as a problem for high rises/
cease fire

3. Important to note…
• Natural disasters are unpreventable
occurrences that take place, ranging from
mild to absolutely destructive.
• Natural disaster losses are enhanced by man
made mistakes
• Construction of poorly designed buildings,
inadequate protection, preparation against
potential risks are the main cause of human
loss
• Fire is the most common hazard after an
earthquake.

4. Hotel fires around the world / last 20 years /
Year Hotel Country Life
Loss
Injured Damage Sprinkled
2012 Hotel Prince Japan 7
2012 Falmouth Beach Hotel England
2011 New Year fire destroys China hotel China
2009 Beijing Hotel Fire China
2008 Fire Burns Las Vegas Hotel AGAIN USA
2006 Hotel Fire in Downtown Reno Kills 12 USA 12 31
2006 Five victims in NE China China 5
2006 Hotel Fire in Atlanta Kills One USA 1 12
2005 2,000 evacuated in Disneyland hotel USA
2005 Hilton New York hotel USA 33
2005 Paris Hotel Fire France 20 50 Not
2005 Grandview Inn USA
2005 Williamsburg hotel USA
2005 Fredericktown hotel USA
2005 Schloss Elmau –Bavaria Germany Not
2005 Richmond hotel Canada 1 14

5. Year Hotel Country Life Loss Injured Damage Sprinkled
2005 Lakeview Hotel CBC 5
2005 Riverside Tower Hotel USA 6
2005 Park Hotel, Broxton USA
2004 Sheraton Hotel Fire USA
2004 Jinja Hotel Fire Uganda $15
2004 Westin Hotel Fire USA
2004 San Diego Hotel fire USA 1 17 $1 M Not
2004 Houston Hotel Fire USA
2004 Maui Hotel Fire. Hawaii USA $1 M
2004 Osceola County Hotel .Florida USA
2004 Parco dei Principi Hotel ,Rome Italy 3 Not
2004 Provincial Hotel Fire .Gananoque Canada 1 $ 0.5 M
2004 Luoyang hotel fire China 7 17 Not
2004 Greenville Hotel USA 6 Not
2003 Canadian Hotel Fire Canada
2003 Rand Inn International Hotel South Africa 6 67 Not
Hotel fires around the world

6. Year Hotel Country Life Loss Injured Damage Sprinkled
2003 Tiantan Hotel China 33 16 Not
2002 Çiragan Palace Hotel Kempinski,Ist Turkey
2002 Marriott's Grand Hotel,Alabama USA $40 million.
2002 Oklahoma City Hotel USA $1 million
2002 Redding Hotel,San Francisco USA $3.5 million Not
2002 Sunset Hotel ,San Bernardino USA,Ca 4 18 $150,000
2002 Pretoria South Africa 2 20
2002 Days Inn Hotel ,Wisconsin USA $1 million
2001 Holiday Inn,Kansas City International USA 4 $35,000
2001 Palomar Hotel USA,La 2 6
2001 Louvre,Paris France 4 18
2001 Kazakhstan Hotel in Alma Ata Kazakhistan 4 14
2001 Greater Manchester,Bolton GB 2 6
2001 Gold Strike Hotel-Casino,Las Vegas USA $30 million
2001 Manor Hotel Philippine 70 50 Not
2001 South Valley Hotel USA $ 300,000
Hotel fires around the world

7. Year Hotel Country Life Loss Injured Damage Sprinkled
2001 Kashmir India 14
2000 Childers Australia 15
2000 Marriott Vail Mountain Resort USA $20 million
1999 West Side Transient Hotel USA 15
1999 Crown Plaza Hotel,Madison USA $20,000 Yes
1999 Mars Hotel ,Seattle USA $3 million
1999 Beijing Hotel China 9 14
1998 Days Inn,Oregon USA $500,000
1998 Hotel Vintage Plaza,Oregon USA $400,000
1997 Delta Hotel.San Fransisco USA 6 Not
1997 Yanshan Hotel i,Changsha China 30 24
1997 Shenzen Hotel China 29 13
1997 Pattaya Royal Resort Thailand 91 51 $40 million. Not
1996 Tozbey Hotel,Istanbul Turkey 18 41
1995 St. George Hotel Fire USA
1994 Antwerp Switel hotel Belgium 15 160
1994 Hotel Wakagi Japan 5
1993 Paxton Hotel,Chicago USA 19
Hotel fires around the world

8. Case study: MGM GRAND HOTEL
Fire Casualties

9. The employee repeatedly attempted to contain
the fire but - by that time - the heat, smoke and
pressure buildup was so intense that he was
knocked down each time he tried to enter the
Deli. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he
decided to leave the area.
At the same time, other employees noticed the
spreading fire and tried unsuccessfully to
extinguish the growing flames.
Within six minutes of the time of discovery, the
total casino area was involved in fire, at a burning
rate of approximately 15 to 19 feet per second!
The Clark County Fire Department received the call
reporting the fire at 7:17 a.m. Captain Rex Smith,
Engineer Chad Marshal, and Firefighters Bert
Sweeney, Toby Lamuraglia, and Ted Singer arrived
in Engine 11 at 7:19 a.m. They positioned the 1,500
GPM fire engine at the North entrance of the casino
and implemented the High Rise Preplan.
Upon entering the casino, the crew observed black
smoke emitting from the Deli. They were only forty
feet into the hotel when a huge fireball burst out of
the Deli and rolled into the casino, hustling the crew
out of the building. The company made it back to
the engine as the flames sprang out the front of the
entrance.
Case study: MGM GRAND HOTEL

10. The official investigation report contains a
detailed account of this fire and its cause. As
a result of the many inquiries into this
tragedy, the Clark County Fire Department
has made the findings of their investigation
available to the general public.
Please note that this report is considered
public information and may be distributed or
copied for non-commercial educational
purposes. Altering any part of the report is
strictly prohibited.
Case study: MGM GRAND HOTEL

11. Case study: MGM GRAND HOTEL

12. Case study: MGM GRAND HOTEL

13. Case study: MGM GRAND HOTEL

14. Case study: MGM GRAND HOTEL

15. It happened in our own city,
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The
Shangri-la fire, October,
2014

16. Emergency Fire Drill Training -
Ramada Hotel example

17. UB city – high rises everywhere

18. ASEM 2016 – Are we ready?
• The upcoming ASEM in the fall of 2016 when
Mongolia will host 50+ more world leaders,
delegates, VIPs, ministers and others.
• The worlds media will be watching and reporting,
make it all good and POSITIVE
• Inspections by embassies and foreign government
to approve hotels and residences where their
citizens will stay, or warning where not to stay
including countries with sub standards and other
threats by the state department.
• Think of it as if you are hosting the Olympics.

19. What is the difference between
flying and staying in a hotel?

20. What is the difference between flying
and staying in a hotel?
A. When flying:
 When you are travelling by air, there is very strict
regulation and legislation concerning passenger
safety.
 Demonstrations before take off takes place by the
cabin crew showing the exits also all life safety
requirements as well as videos.
 Detailed information and instruction is also found in
the seats in front of every passenger.
 Exits are marked clearly and in case of an
emergency and darkness there is floor and ceiling
guided lights to exits.

21. B. When you are staying in a hotel:
• No demonstration is given when you check in.
• It depends on your luck if you are staying with
a known chain or not.
• It depends on the city and country.
• It depends how the policies for safety are
enforced.
• It depends on the ownership and management
understanding of the seriousness of fire and
emergencies.
What is the difference between flying
and staying in a hotel?

22. Hard facts
• Airlines are prepared and ready for emergencies
due to strict regulations and legislations worldwide.
• Hotels are not.
• Airlines have clear compensation in case of death or
injury. Ruled by IATA and Warsaw Convention.
• Hotels are depending on the chains the countries
and the local readiness of cities.
• Airlines have all the emergencies posted and clear.
• The hotels do not do the same.

23. Problem: People and Property at
Risk From Fire & Other Catastrophe
 Population of high-rise buildings continues to
increase
 Protection of these buildings and people who live
and work in them is very difficult
 Hook & ladder rescue vehicles not adequate
 Rooftop rescue options limited
 Blocked stairwells and exits put firefighters &
people at risk
 Excessive time required to climb & carry the
equipment up flights of stairs impairs firemen’s
ability to impact the fire

24. • What are the
global standard in
minimizing fire
losses to people
Living and
Working
in High-Rise
Buildings ?
An example of a
solution:
CeaseFire
Systems, Inc.
High-Rise Rescue

25. Components of Cease-Fire Systems
High-Rise Rescue
1) Roof-Mount System
2) Gondola
3) Transport Vehicle with
Gondola and
Communication System

26. How It Works
 Call is received
 Transport Vehicle dispatched
 Roof-Mount Unit remotely activated
 Transport Vehicle arrives and Roof-
Mount Unit lowers cabling

27. How It Works (cont’d)
 Transport Vehicle Lift
System attaches cabling
block which is locked to
Roof-Mount Arm
 Unmanned Gondola lifted
up exterior wall checking
for temperature, toxic
gases and vapors
 Gondola returns at express
speeds and lifts firemen
and equipment to safe
location on upper floors

28. Transport Vehicle
Houses three components:
Body
Control Room
Draw Works
Out-rigger stabilization / self-leveling
Mounted turntable to rotate body of vehicle
CCTV & Communication System linked to Gondola
and Roof Mount
Peterbilt Truck Model 357 tandem axle chassis
325 HP Cummins Diesel
Vehicle owned by fire departments
Operated by certified firefighters - special course required

29. Gondola
 Carries firefighters plus equipment to desired floors or roof top
 Capacity – Eight firemen with equipment
 Travels express elevator speed
 Equipped with cameras to monitor occupants & activity
 Equipped with high-pressured hose that connects to the building’s
water supply
 Furnished with firefighting equipment – window breakers, fire
extinguishers, first-aid supplies, etc.
 Housed within Rescue Vehicle
 Operated from within the Gondola or from vehicle’s control room
 Contains “Block Unit” equipped with a locking mechanism that
attaches to Roof-Mount Cantilever Arm

30. Roof-Mount System (Cover & Structure)
 Solid steel structure with lifting mechanism
 Moves into position to drop cables on demand
 Equipped with Communications Package
 Operated remotely or at roof site
 Powered by electric hydraulic system
 Customized mounting configurations available depending on roof
design
 Designed for weight distribution on roof
 Structure blends into building motif when not in use
 Mobile unit may be positioned on roof by helicopter
 Can be room-mounted if roof design non-conducive

31. Communications
 Enables Rescue Vehicle Operator to maintain constant audio
and visual communication with rescue personnel
 Remote Command Center (RCC)
 Redundant to Emergency Rescue Vehicle
 Building Top Control System - Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)
 Control Interface to Lift Equipment
 Motorola MOSCAD RTU
 Control Communications
 Wireless Broadband and Analog two way radio
 Two way link established en route to the site
 Wireless Broadband 802.1x
 Access Point cluster affixed to roof mount system

32. Communications (cont’d)
 Voice Communication
 Onsite Repeater housed on rooftop
 Frequency coordinated with responding emergency agencies
 Camera System
 Wireless cameras located on roof top, Gondola, and Rescue Vehicle
 TCIP/IP based connected via WLAN
 Rescue Operation Center
 Equipment Control Center
 WLAN System
 Video Control System
 Battery Backup System

33. Summary Benefits
 Saves lives of building occupants & firefighters
 Allows firefighters quicker access
 Reduces building insurance rates
 Pending Insurance Services Office NFPA Standard
 Reduces damage to property & lessens personal injury
lawsuits
 Progressive image for city – world-wide exposure
 Reassures building occupants of their security

34. Methods used for rescue
for high rise buildings as
last alternative to save
lives

35. What to do to improve this situation
• As a hotelier of 45 years, I am taking a crusade and
a mission to enforce that hotels will become as
close as possible in their regulation as to the
airlines.
• Every hotel has to do either a lobby demo or a video
running 24/7 in the lobby area to show exactly the
particular emergency exits and fire plan.
• Each guest checking in will be handed a card
showing what to do in case of fire or evacuation.
• All hotel staff has to be trained on fire and safety.

36. • One life saved is a fulfillment of the
responsibility of ownership and management.
• One life saved bring back a father, a mother or
a child to their family. The smiles you see when
people meet again is worth all the money in the
world.

37. Thank you!
Sam Sallam FIH
E-mail: samsallam@yahoo.com
Mobile: 9992-7645