Storm Preparedness Advisory for the Hospitality Industry

Suggestions for hotels and food service establishments operating in the storm’s path

CHARLESTON, SC –  August 27, 2012 – Tropical Storm Isaac is expected toreach hurricane status in the next 24 hours, and the governors ofAlabama, Louisiana and Mississippi have declared states of emergency as ahurricane warning went into effect for a roughly 300-mile stretch ofthe Gulf Coast.

In anticipation of the storm’s landfall, Christian Stegmaier,hospitality lawyer with Collins & Lacy, P.C. and adjunct professorof hotel and restaurant law at the University of South Carolina’sCollege of Hospitality, Retail, & Sport Management, makes thefollowing suggestions to hotels and food service establishmentsoperating in the storm’s path:

• Take steps before the storm to secure your physical property tominimize the effects of wind and rain.  Additionally, there needs to be aconclusive determination regarding whether your establishment cancontinue operations in the event of storm.  If there is any questionthat you can’t, this decision needs to be immediately communicated toall personnel and guests (and prospective guests who have madereservations).  Your guests and prospective guests need as much leadtime as possible to make alternative arrangements in the event youdetermine you will not be able to operate during the storm.
• Stay in contact with corporate risk managers and safety directors and heed their directions concerning emergency response.
• Pull out and review your establishment’s emergency response plan withall of your personnel.  This plan should spell out what is to be donein response to natural disaster, when is to be done, and who is to doit.  Management needs to take the responsibility for ensuring allemployees know the plan and execute upon it.
• As a part of your emergency response plan, have a clear protocol inplace concerning communication.  Employees need to know what is expectedof them during emergency situations.  Make sure there is a way they canget the information they need (e.g., whether they need to come intowork) in a reliable manner such as email, text, phone tree, or recordedtelephone message.
• In the event medical treatment is needed for either guests oremployees, arrange for it.  Do not hesitate to provide this kind ofassistance if needed.
• Communicate with your guests.  Tell them exactly what is being doneto respond to the crisis.  Let them know what they need to do in theevent the storm creates the situation where they need to take shelter.  As well, make sure your employees know how imperative it is to stay calmwhen communicating information or directions to guests.
• Observe all published prices and rates for your hotel or food-serviceestablishment.  Do not attempt to capitalize on a crisis by raisingprices or rates on your guests.  Most states have strict anti-gougingstatutes that prohibit such activity.  Violation of these statutes canbe met with severe civil and criminal sanctions.

Natural disasters such as hurricanes create stressful and potentiallyhazardous for everyone in its path, including hospitality providers.  Byhaving an emergency response plan in place, executing upon it, stayingin active communication with stakeholders, and being ever mindful ofsafety, your establishment can make the best of a difficultcircumstance.

 

Christian Stegmaier is chairman of the Retail/Hospitality/EntertainmentPractice Group at Collins & Lacy, PC, a South Carolina-based lawfirm that represents some of the largest national and regional leadersin the hotel, restaurant and bar, department store and specialty retail,private club, and live music presentation sectors operating in thePalmetto State.  He is also adjunct professor of hotel and restaurantlaw at the University of South Carolina’s nationally-acclaimed Collegeof Hospitality, Retail & Sport Management. He is named in the 2012Hurricane Season: Tropical Storm Isaac Edition; University of SouthCarolina Faculty List. Stegmaier can be reached by phone at (803)255-0454 or by email at [email protected].