Dear General Managers,
In light of the possible threat to citizens of the world, all our hotels must be fully prepared to protect our guests, staff and property. As GM, you have a responsibility to ensure that all necessary planning and preparatory actions are taken immediately so as to prepare and ready your team to handle any emergency situation.
Your hotel security alertness level should be immediately increased and the following critical actions to be implemented without delay:
1. Staff Training and Drills
You, Security Manager and all EXCOM members must review all your security procedures and address the following -
Review of all relevant security and emergency procedures with every associate on a daily basis. All staff must understand their role and actions to be taken in case of any emergency scenario especially fire, bomb and terrorist threats.
Daily security training for half an hour to be conducted for all staff to attend in the next fourteen days. Focus should be on being alert to suspicious persons, objects and familiarity with emergency procedures.
Drills involving staff in case of bomb threats, medical emergency and fire must be conducted in the next ten days. Full evacuation drill as explained below.
One full evacuation drill to be conducted in the next ten days and should involve the guests as well. If the fire brigade or the local police is involved, it would be desirable to indicate to the authorities that the hotel places safety above anything else. Strict compliance to this drill is required to also ensure that your entire fire life safety/evacuation alarm system is working properly.
2. Perimeter Safety and Checks
Perimeter security involves two major levels - external and building.
Additional security staff to patrol your external perimeter i.e. your boundary or peripheral line of your property.
There should only be one entry for all motorised vehicles at this external perimeter. Proper screening of all vehicles is MANDATORY and all security guards to be trained to look out for suspicious persons and incendiary/explosive devices or materials.
When possible, sniffer dogs to be deployed at this first entry point of external perimeter and secondary building entry point.
Entry into building (second level of perimeter) should be restricted to only one entrance/exit for guests during the evening. During the day, access should be restricted when possible without causing too much guest inconvenience.
All staff must enter and exit via one staff entrance and no exceptions to be made. Inspection of all bags to be conducted by security staff at this entrance point.
No suppliers/vendors should be allowed into the back of the house of the hotel and all supplies to be checked and inspected at the loading dock area.
3. CCTV Cameras
Please check all your cameras especially at both perimeter entry points and ensure that your picture quality is clear. All vehicles and persons entering the two levels of perimeters should be clearly filmed.
All entry and exit doors to be monitored by CCTV cameras and strict compliance is required. If necessary, installation of new CCTV cameras to be done soonest.
4. Emergency Generators, Supplies and Communication/IT Systems
All emergency generators to be off-load tested within the next three days. Please ensure that you have sufficient emergency supplies of fuel, water and gas to last for at least 48 hours or as stipulated in your emergency manual.
Another key item is your critical communication and IT systems must be on Uninterrupted Power Supply. In case of power outage or emergency, your critical communication systems must continue to work and you/your crisis management team are contactable or able to make an outside call.
All our hotel staff must understand that they are on full alert from now onwards and take their security responsibility seriously. The old adage of "Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance" cannot be truer in these turbulent times of ours.
I would like all of you to report back to K. Thierry on the completion status of all the four major areas as mentioned above in the next ten days.
No exceptions and strict compliance to the above is required.
Thank you for your urgent attention on SECURITY AND SAFETY.