When the lights go out...what do you do?
“Hoping for the best whilst being unprepared for the worst”
Here’s something in a different vein from me, along the lines of Health and Safety, rather than the usual Marketing, Customer Service or Automotive-related content that I tend to write about for Hospitality Sri Lanka. I was compelled to write this article due to an incident I experienced on 9th February 2025 – yes the date of the infamous monkey-induced blackout across much of Sri Lanka.
I was at Colombo’s biggest and most popular Exhibition and Convention centre in the city with my family, attending an exhibition showcasing footwear and leather products. We were in the largest hall – let’s call that Hall A. Suddenly…pitch blackness. You could hear the sound of people’s voices getting agitated, taking on a mild sense of panic. I immediately felt around for my 3-year-old son and caught what I think was his arm; thankfully my wife standing next to me had already picked him up so my most profound apologies to the person whose arm I caught hold of- before whoever it was, quickly yanked it away. I never saw them to apologize in person. Anyways I was in the dark and solely focused on finding my son and pregnant wife, holding them close, and making our way towards the nearest exit in a calm but decisive manner. After all, this kind of confusion in a crowded place is highly conducive for panic to build and result in a stampede, sometimes with fatal results.
Thankfully, we were near the perimeter of the hall where the doors to the loading docks were located. A quick-thinking stallholder flung these doors open, and we had some light – since it was just after noontime. However the light would not have been able to penetrate very far inside the hall due to the myriads of stalls and people. Furthermore, had it been nighttime, this activity would have been futile. This act also showed me where the nearest exit was, because there was no illuminated EXIT sign above these doors.
I quickly scanned the walls, ceiling, and even the floors of this sizable exhibition hall which bears the name of Sri Lanka’s first female Prime Minister. I was looking for automatic emergency lights which are an absolute necessity in any large public space. When there is a power interruption, these battery-powered lights immediately kick in and provide much-need illumination. I’ve seen them in countless public areas, stairwells, hotels, and shopping malls.
Then, I realized the horrible truth. This hall didn’t appear to have emergency lights, or if they did, they were like many things in our country, antiquated or decrepit and nonfunctional. The tourism-centric part of my mind quickly started thinking about how this kind of situation would reflect when we promote our country to foreign conference organizers as a prime spot for MICE events. Are we sending the right impression to them? Or are we simply telling them that we don’t give a toss about health and safety. In fact, there were a few foreign exhibitors at this event as well. I wonder what they thought, and whether they would return next year. Mind you, it took nearly five minutes for the generators to kick in and restore power to the hall – simply too long in the modern world when there are near-instantaneous power backup systems in other countries.
Emergencies are unpredictable, but proactive preparation can save hundreds of lives.
As someone who cares immensely about this field, I’ve noticed how often essential safety measures are sometimes overlooked for the sake of profitability. This troubling situation is one of many that urge us to take a stand. In order to avoid tragedies at all costs and maintain safety, the hospitality industry needs to commit to building a space where safety feels like a natural precaution to take, where each visitor who walks through the doors deserves to feel safe and valued. It’s our responsibility as leaders in hospitality to make this a reality through actions that leave no room for compromise.
Clear communication of safety protocols, including the locations of emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and evacuation routes, is non-negotiable. This helps guests feel prepared to respond during emergencies and builds confidence in the venue’s ability to handle such situations promptly and effectively.
It's all well and good to promote the nice things – fantastic hotels, classy restaurants and versatile conference venues. But what about when things go wrong? This is where the mettle is tested. Because let’s face it, calm seas never made good sailors.
Ashraaq Wahab - Director of Sales & Marketing and Technical Hospitality Sri Lanka, Automotive Journalist, Marketer, Photographer and Writer, who enjoys penning his thoughts, insights and ideas on a variety of topics.
|
|
|
|
