Fire Blankets for Hotels and Guest Accommodation
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Fire Blankets for Hotels and Guest Accommodation
Hotels, hostels and guest accommodation present specific fire-safety challenges. Guests may be unfamiliar with the building, incidents may occur in private rooms or service areas, and staff must combine emergency response with evacuation and guest assistance.
A fire blanket may provide instructed staff with a controlled first response to a small, contained and fully coverable fire. It should support the hotel’s alarm, evacuation and emergency procedures — never replace them.
Common fire risks in hotels
Typical early-stage incidents may include:
- pan fires in staff, breakfast or guest kitchens;
- small cooking-oil and fat fires;
- clothing or textiles catching fire near heat sources;
- small electrical-appliance fires after power isolation;
- waste-bin, paper or linen fires; and
- compact, fully coverable objects catching fire.
A conventional fire blanket is only appropriate while the fire remains small, safely reachable and capable of being covered completely.
What Fire Classes Can a Fire Blanket Be Used On? →
Why fire blankets may suit hospitality environments
A fire blanket contains no pressurised cylinder and does not discharge water, powder or foam. This can be useful in areas containing food, furnishings, electrical equipment and guests.
Relevant advantages include:
- compact and clearly visible wall-mounted storage;
- no discharged extinguishing residue;
- a straightforward operating principle for instructed staff;
- suitability for small cooking-oil fires when properly tested;
- potential use for clothing fires when the size is suitable; and
- the ability to complement extinguishers and evacuation procedures.
A straightforward operating principle does not mean that no instruction is required. Staff should understand the blanket’s use, its limitations and the hotel’s emergency procedures before an incident occurs.
Guest evacuation remains the priority
Staff intervention must not delay:
- raising the alarm;
- calling the emergency services;
- assisting guests who may need help;
- closing fire-resisting doors where appropriate;
- protecting escape routes; or
- following the building’s evacuation strategy.
A fire blanket should only be used when the incident can be approached safely and intervention will not compromise evacuation or staff safety.
Where should hotel fire blankets be installed?
Placement should follow the building’s fire-risk assessment and emergency plan. Each blanket must be visible, unobstructed and accessible from the safer side of the identified risk.
Possible locations include:
- near the exit from a staff or breakfast kitchen;
- in guest kitchenettes or shared cooking areas;
- at a safe position near laundry or linen-processing equipment;
- outside a room containing an identified small-appliance risk;
- in maintenance or service areas; and
- at designated staff emergency points.
Do not install a blanket directly above a cooker, heater, appliance or other likely ignition source. Do not hide it inside a cupboard or behind service equipment.
A blanket positioned in a guest corridor should have a clear purpose within the fire-safety plan. It should not obstruct doors, signs, evacuation routes or accessibility equipment.
Where Should You Keep a Fire Blanket? →
How staff should use a fire blanket
Only consider deployment when the fire is small, stationary, safely reachable and fully coverable.
- Raise the alarm and alert nearby staff and guests.
- Begin the required evacuation or guest-assistance procedure.
- Keep a clear escape route behind you.
- Switch off heat or electricity only when this can be done safely.
- Pull the release tabs firmly downward.
- Hold the blanket so that it protects your hands and upper body.
- Place it carefully over the complete burning area.
- Do not move a burning pan, appliance or object.
- Leave the fire covered until the material has cooled fully.
If the fire grows, smoke increases or evacuation is underway, stop the intervention and follow the emergency plan.
How to Safely Use a Fire Blanket →
Cooking-oil fires in hotel kitchens
A small cooking-oil or fat fire is one of the principal applications of a properly tested fire blanket.
For a pan fire:
- switch off the heat only when safe;
- do not pour water onto burning oil;
- do not carry the pan outside;
- place the blanket gently over the entire pan; and
- leave it covered until the pan and oil have cooled fully.
If flames have spread into an extractor hood, cabinet, wall or ceiling, a conventional fire blanket is no longer appropriate.
Electrical appliances in guest and service areas
Electricity is not a separate formal European fire class. Energised equipment does, however, create additional shock and arc hazards.
A fire blanket may only be considered for a small appliance fire when:
- the electrical supply has been isolated safely;
- the incident remains confined to the appliance;
- the complete burning object can be covered;
- no exposed live components are within reach; and
- no developed lithium-ion battery incident is involved.
Do not touch damaged plugs, cables, sockets or the burning appliance. Do not pick up or carry a hot, swollen or venting battery-powered device.
Fire Blankets for Electrical Appliance Fires →
Clothing fires involving guests or staff
When clothing catches fire, the person should be told to stop, drop and roll where possible.
Another person may use a sufficiently large fire blanket to help smother the flames when this can be done safely.
When applying the blanket:
- keep the face and airway uncovered;
- cover from the shoulders downward;
- do not wrap tightly around the neck;
- keep the person on the ground while smothering the flames;
- contact the emergency services; and
- begin appropriate burn first aid immediately afterwards.
Cool affected skin with cool running water for at least 20 minutes where possible. Do not remove clothing that has melted or adhered to the skin.
Fire Blankets for Clothing Fires →
Choosing the correct size
1 × 1 m fire blanket
A 1 × 1 m blanket provides practical coverage for many small hotel risks, including:
- standard pans in staff or breakfast kitchens;
- small cooking-oil and fat fires;
- compact appliances after power isolation; and
- small, fully coverable objects.
1.2 × 1.8 m fire blanket
Within the DVM range, the 1.2 × 1.8 m fire blanket is the preferred size where clothing-fire preparedness or greater coverage is required.
It may also be appropriate in larger kitchens, laundries or service areas where wider equipment must be considered.
The selected blanket must remain manageable for the staff members expected to deploy it.
What Size Fire Blanket Do I Need? →
Independently TÜV SÜD Tested
DVM fire blankets are manufactured from densely woven fibreglass fabric of at least 430 g/m².
The DVM 1 × 1 m Fire Blanket Series, including this material specification as part of the complete finished construction, has been independently tested by TÜV SÜD in accordance with EN 1869:2019.
The tested series successfully passed the applicable cooking-oil and heptane fire-performance tests. This provides product-specific evidence for small, contained Class F cooking-oil and fat fires in hotel and hospitality kitchens.
The result relates specifically to the tested complete DVM 1 × 1 m series. Fabric weight alone does not prove equivalent performance in unrelated products.
Safety Bag or Premium Box?
Premium Box
A rigid Premium Box may be preferable for:
- permanent wall-mounted installation;
- staff kitchens and service areas;
- shared guest kitchens;
- strong visual recognition;
- consistent installation throughout the building; and
- locations where the packed blanket requires additional protection.
Safety Bag
A flexible Safety Bag may suit:
- smaller kitchenettes or service rooms;
- maintenance or mobile staff equipment;
- temporary or specialist risk areas; and
- locations where a compact format is preferred.
An operational blanket should not be buried in a housekeeping trolley, maintenance cabinet or storage room. It must remain clearly identified and immediately accessible.
Both packaging formats should be protected from excessive heat, grease, moisture, chemicals and physical damage.
How to Install a Fire Blanket →
Staff instruction and hotel procedures
Hotels may employ permanent, temporary and seasonal staff. Clear procedures are therefore particularly important.
The responsible organisation should consider:
- fire-blanket instruction during staff induction;
- clear responsibility for raising the alarm and calling emergency services;
- procedures for assisting guests with reduced mobility;
- instructions in languages appropriate to the workforce;
- routine checks of fire doors and escape routes;
- reporting procedures for damaged or missing equipment; and
- recording every deployment or fire incident.
Guests should not be expected to fight a fire. Their priority is to raise the alarm, leave by the nearest safe route and follow staff instructions.
When should staff not use a fire blanket?
Do not attempt blanket deployment when:
- the fire is spreading rapidly;
- smoke or heat affects visibility or escape routes;
- several rooms, objects or ignition points are involved;
- the burning area cannot be covered completely;
- an extractor hood, wall, ceiling or building structure is involved;
- gas, chemicals, fuel or battery cells create additional hazards;
- guest evacuation or assistance would be delayed;
- evacuation is already underway; or
- personal safety is uncertain.
Follow the hotel’s alarm, evacuation, compartmentation and emergency-service procedures.
Inspection and replacement
DVM recommends a documented visual inspection at least once every year. Professional hospitality environments may require more frequent checks under their maintenance procedures.
Confirm that each blanket:
- remains at its designated location;
- is visible and unobstructed;
- has secure mounting and intact packaging;
- has undamaged and accessible pull tabs;
- has readable instructions and product identification;
- shows no grease, moisture or other contamination;
- has not been deployed or removed without authorisation; and
- is included in the hotel’s inspection records.
Routine inspection should normally be performed without fully unfolding the blanket.
Replace a blanket after deployment on an actual fire. Do not wash, clean, repair or refold it for emergency reuse.
Fire Blanket Inspection & Maintenance →
Summary
Fire blankets can provide instructed hotel staff with a controlled first response when:
- the fire is small, contained and fully coverable;
- guest protection and evacuation are not delayed;
- the blanket is visible and safely accessible;
- the correct size has been selected; and
- staff understand the product’s use and limitations.
For many small kitchen and appliance risks, the DVM 1 × 1 m Fire Blanket Series provides compact, independently tested protection. Choose the 1.2 × 1.8 m version where greater coverage or clothing-fire preparedness is required.
Choose a fire blanket for hospitality environments
View the workplace fire blanket guide →