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Emergency Readiness in Hospitality: A Guide to Staying Connected During Disasters

From advanced communication tools to enhanced staff training, discover actionable steps hotels can take to safeguard guests and maintain operations during natural disasters.
12/4/2024

As of November 2024, the United States has experienced a series of billion-dollar weather disaster events. These events have impacted personal lives, families, infrastructure, and business operations. What’s one business sector that’s especially grappling with the bottom-line impacts of natural disasters? The hospitality industry. Sixty-six percent of hotels reported that weather events have negatively impacted their business in the last year. 

As natural disasters are occurring more frequently, it’s important for communities to prepare themselves as best they can ahead of weather emergencies. This includes hospitality owners and managers as they prioritize protecting their guests, employees, and overall business. 

While weather emergencies are unavoidable, hospitality leaders can take proactive steps to prepare for the unexpected. It is possible for owners and managers to better prepare for these disasters by updating their processes and systems. A top priority should be enhancing their communication systems to ensure overall safety and seamless coordination during crises. 

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Understanding Your Emergency Processes and Systems

While some businesses rely on a variety of methods to communicate during emergencies, common challenges among staff often persist. These can include unclear communication, lack of staff training, slow response times, and difficulty staying in touch during power outages. These can impact on a business’ ability to be prepared and respond in a timely manner, putting both staff and guests at risk. 

Business owners must ensure that their emergency plans and back-up communication systems are not only up to date, but well understood by all employees. Having a variety of communication tools is crucial during weather emergencies or other disruptions, as relying on a single system could leave you vulnerable if it fails. By equipping your staff with tools and training, you can foster trust and confidence among employees and guests, minimize operational disruptions, and strengthen team effectiveness. 

How to Update Your Emergency Processes and Systems

There are a variety of ways to update your hotel’s emergency processes and systems. Having backup options like reliable business radios, walkie talkies, emergency alert systems, or in-person communication plans can ensure you stay informed and access critical information. These alternatives also help you coordinate help and strategies when traditional methods, like cell phones or data-dependent communication methods, become unreliable. 

During uncertain times, it’s essential for hotels to be well-prepared for the benefit of their business, staff, and guests. Investing time and effort into updating your emergency processes and systems isn’t just about keeping up, it’s about staying prepared, efficient, and connected in an increasingly complex landscape, where both business demands, and the frequency of extreme weather events, continue to rise. 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caileigh Peterson serves as the PR, Content, and Radio Safety Specialist at Midland, a leader in two-way and emergency radio technology. In her role, Caileigh drives public relations and content efforts, highlighting Midland’s products for outdoor adventure, emergency preparedness, and business solutions. With a talent for writing, she creates case studies and blogs that help business owners in sectors like restaurants, hospitality, retail, and education integrate two-way radio technology into their operations. Her background spans publications, content creation, and broadcast journalism, and she holds a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Missouri – Columbia.

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