Having just returned from the Portpatrick Hotel after a highly traumatic experience, I write to inform you of my disgust at the treatment I received.
At around 23:45 hrs, my wife and I were awoken by a very loud fire alarm. All very well; these things happen and are there for safety reasons. What follows is a downright violation of safety protocols.
As an elderly disabled person, I was left stranded on the 2nd floor in room 201, whilst every non-disabled person was outside the hotel, safe from any pending fire.
There was no contact from the staff at the hotel, and there is no EVAC chair on any of the floors in the hotel. I understand the legal minimum requirement is one EVAC chair per floor; this hotel has none on any floor, so it is in breach of fire regulations to start with, and as you are the agents, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure the safety of your guests. I called the emergency services 999 for help to be evacuated, and they responded with the arrival of a fire tender. All this was done while the only staff member was searching for the cause of the alarm instead of prioritising the safety of people trapped in the hotel. The whole incident caused widespread panic within the hotel, with me experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, chest pains and hyperventilation. My wife managed to calm me down after a while, along with an increase in medication and a CPAP machine that increases breathing to a regular level. This incident was potentially fatal not just for me but for others as well. The alarm's cause is unknown now, but the effects are. As a result, I complain that health and safety protocols were not followed, and endangerment to life is the responsibility of all, including you as the agent.
Here is the relevant legislation:- It is now a legal requirement for all business and public premises to offer all staff and visitors the chance of a safe escape in the event of an emergency.
The Equality Act 2010 states “no person, or persons, may be discriminated against because they suffer from a disability”. Failure to comply may result in the business owner being held to account and heavy fines can be issued.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 may be of further interest to you.
