LGreene
Registered User
Someone sent me the hotel review below from TripAdvisor. The hotel is in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, which is in Door County. The local fire department is a volunteer department, and I haven't been able to find a county fire marshal or someone who might be responsible for this town. The hotel employee stated that the facility passes the fire marshal's inspection every year. A hotel with one exit and a "jump platform? For those of you involved in fire prevention, what say you?
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g59850-d499903-r116224817-Alpine_Resort_Golf-Egg_Harbor_Wisconsin.html
From the TripAdvisor site:
When I stay in any lodging, I always check where the emergency fire exits are. I have been in two fires. I saw 2 exit signs in the hall of our second floor room. One door was locked and upon opening the second door, I found just a small balcony with a waist high railing. I could find no stairs to climb down. There probably was a pull down ladder for escape my friend suggested. Upon leaving the next morning, I went around the whole rather small builing and found only platforms/balconies from the second floor with no fire stairs. The only exit from our room would have been to go down the narrow steep stairway in the center of the building where a fire could have broken out on the main floor. In our room there was a card on the door with the diagram of the 5 rooms and their measurements, but no indication of any exits on that floor and no mention what to do in case of a fire.
After turning in our keys and without being asked how our stay was, I offered my disgust with the mold in our shower and its health hazard. I "expected" to hear the typical, "I'm so sorry." Nothing. Then I informed her that I found no emergency fire exits from our 2nd floor room. She remarked there are two exits. I said, "Yes, but there are no stairs leading to the ground just these small balconies". I was told these were emergency "jump platforms" in case of a fire. I couldn't phathom that she said I was to JUMP from there to the ground. I asked how that emergency means of a fire escape could meet the state's codes for fire safety in a "for pay" lodging. She indignantly told me they passed the fire marshall's inspection every year. For a "family run, charming resort" I was offered no compensation in the form of an apology, no ownership of the lack of an escape from a fire (other than jumping), nor an offer of a refund for our stay. In fact, she was very nonchalant about my complaints. Perhaps she had now gotten used to them and had developed a thick skin with a hard shell. Or too if she acknowledged my complaint as true/real, it could make them liable to fix the safety issue and the health complaint.
During this our last day in Door County, I looked for a fire station while sight-seeing to learn what their fire codes were and to report Alpine's conditions. I could not believe that it was acceptible to have to jump from a platform from a second story building. I only found an antique historic station in Ephraim. When I returned home a few days later, I began searching the web for Wisconsin's fire safety regulations. After two hours of muddling through Wisconsin's agencies, laws, etc., I gave up with no success. Then I found this "review" of hotels site and decided this was all the time I was willing to spend on this "issue."
If anyone in the "know" about fire codes for Wisconsin or anyone connected with fire safety of the department reads this, please take heed and help to prevent a possible fire tragedy at The Alpine Resort, Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g59850-d499903-r116224817-Alpine_Resort_Golf-Egg_Harbor_Wisconsin.html
From the TripAdvisor site:
When I stay in any lodging, I always check where the emergency fire exits are. I have been in two fires. I saw 2 exit signs in the hall of our second floor room. One door was locked and upon opening the second door, I found just a small balcony with a waist high railing. I could find no stairs to climb down. There probably was a pull down ladder for escape my friend suggested. Upon leaving the next morning, I went around the whole rather small builing and found only platforms/balconies from the second floor with no fire stairs. The only exit from our room would have been to go down the narrow steep stairway in the center of the building where a fire could have broken out on the main floor. In our room there was a card on the door with the diagram of the 5 rooms and their measurements, but no indication of any exits on that floor and no mention what to do in case of a fire.
After turning in our keys and without being asked how our stay was, I offered my disgust with the mold in our shower and its health hazard. I "expected" to hear the typical, "I'm so sorry." Nothing. Then I informed her that I found no emergency fire exits from our 2nd floor room. She remarked there are two exits. I said, "Yes, but there are no stairs leading to the ground just these small balconies". I was told these were emergency "jump platforms" in case of a fire. I couldn't phathom that she said I was to JUMP from there to the ground. I asked how that emergency means of a fire escape could meet the state's codes for fire safety in a "for pay" lodging. She indignantly told me they passed the fire marshall's inspection every year. For a "family run, charming resort" I was offered no compensation in the form of an apology, no ownership of the lack of an escape from a fire (other than jumping), nor an offer of a refund for our stay. In fact, she was very nonchalant about my complaints. Perhaps she had now gotten used to them and had developed a thick skin with a hard shell. Or too if she acknowledged my complaint as true/real, it could make them liable to fix the safety issue and the health complaint.
During this our last day in Door County, I looked for a fire station while sight-seeing to learn what their fire codes were and to report Alpine's conditions. I could not believe that it was acceptible to have to jump from a platform from a second story building. I only found an antique historic station in Ephraim. When I returned home a few days later, I began searching the web for Wisconsin's fire safety regulations. After two hours of muddling through Wisconsin's agencies, laws, etc., I gave up with no success. Then I found this "review" of hotels site and decided this was all the time I was willing to spend on this "issue."
If anyone in the "know" about fire codes for Wisconsin or anyone connected with fire safety of the department reads this, please take heed and help to prevent a possible fire tragedy at The Alpine Resort, Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.
