During a Crisis, Hotel Security Tech Can Save Lives

This article from RealView, LLC discusses ways hoteliers can share technology with first responders to help overcome crisis situations.

After the October 1, 2017 hotel shooting in Las Vegas, hotel and security industries have been scrambling to develop new protocols to help prevent crisis situations like mass shootings. Many hoteliers suggest additional training for hotel staff or hiring additional security personnel. Some hotels are even considering such measures as scanning guests with metal detectors and putting bags through x-ray machines.

While Americans are used to these types of security measures at airports, industry thinking shows that consumers are not keen on having this same security at their hotels. Americans want hotels to exude the feeling of privacy and relaxation, neither of which are associated with airport security-like measures. Additionally, the hotel industry is continually implementing new technologies to improve guest engagement and customer experience. Technologies such as mobile keys and mobile check-in and check-out improve the guest experience but cut down on staff/guest interaction. The less time guests spend interacting with hoteliers means fewer opportunities for staff to pick up on possible red flags.

However, hoteliers can both help prevent crisis situations and help end them more quickly when they willingly share some of their new technologies with first responders. For instance, hotels can install additional, more flexible surveillance cameras. An all-digital pre-plan program, allows facility safety leads to share all kinds of information with first responders. No longer are first responders fighting through binders of paper pre-plans, they are swiping through a touch screen database of property information en route.

Along with highly-detailed grounds and facility characteristics, this kind of technology allows hoteliers to share real-time security camera video. Police and firefighters can get current visuals, making them knowledgeable before they arrive on site. This can drastically improve the odds of saving lives and property.