HB ON THE SCENE: Avendra Forum Emphasizes Need For Enhanced Hotel Security

ATLANTA— According to a group of speakers at an educational forum hosted by Avendra here, there are many ways in which hotels can prevent terrorist attacks or, at the very least, reduce the impact they can have on guests, employees and business operations. “Prevention, planning, and risk mitigation are most important when it comes to hotel security,” said Dennis M. Baker, the president and CEO of Avendra, who introduced the session’s speakers. As part of the educational forum, Edward V. Badolato, executive vp, homeland security at security consulting firm Shaw Group, made a presentation entitled “Homeland Security Trends in the Hospitality Industry.” He kicked off his presentation with examples of recent terrorist attacks at hotels around the world. The most recent was the Aug. 16 bombing of a hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal. And one of the most memorable was an attack on the Jakarta Marriott in Indonesia in August of 2003 that killed 12 people. Badolato proceeded to run through a host of possible terrorist scenarios and threats that hotels could come across. For example, he said hotels’ HVAC systems are susceptible to biological and chemical attacks. However, he noted that many hotels are now installing filters in their HVAC systems for security as well as rooftop magnetic locks, motion detectors and closed-circuit television cameras. Hotels can also set up emergency communication centers, where a property’s air intake devices can be halted or reversed in the event of a chemical or biological attack. “For HVAC in hotels, we can also use Computational Fluid Dynamic modeling, which can show how a chemical or biological substance can move through a hotel,” Badolato said. “You can then use the CFD to develop emergency response procedures.” Badolato went on to mention that hotels are also vulnerable to blast damage that might come from attacks on nearby buildings as well as car bombs. He said car bombs could be easily detonated in many hotels’ drive-up areas. The retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel also suggested that following a terrorist attack, hotel owners and operators must not only properly secure and clean up their properties, but return to normal business operations as soon as possible in order to maintain the already established market position. In case there is a continued power outage, he recommended that owners purchase remote power generation machines that can also run off fuel cells. He said Sheraton, for example, recently received a $960,000 grant to install generators in certain hotels. For those owners and operators who wish to establish emergency response plans and install security devices and tools, he said planning is, first and foremost, the cheapest form of security. Beyond that, simple devices such as video cameras and radios are inexpensive, costing only a few thousand dollars to install. What’s more, if these devices and contingency plans prove their worth, Badolato said hotel owners might be more likely to provide further funding for more enhanced security measures in the future. In his overall assessment of the hospitality industry’s readiness in terms of security, Badolato said most hotels are doing a satisfactory job, but there is much room for improvement. He pinpointed New York hotels as some of the most prepared and secure in the country. “There remains many security problems out there,” he said. “But there are also good things happening in the hospitality industry.” Echoing many of Badolato’s thoughts during the educational session was Ralph Reichert, the director of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s Terrorism Emergency Response and Preparedness Division. Reichert suggested owner and operators open a dialogue with local security agencies so everyone is on the same page and is familiar with each other. He also emphasized the fact that hotels must have contingency plans in place in case there is an evacuation of the property. “Where do your guests go?” he said. “Hotel owners and operators