02/20/2020

Hotel 911 Law Takes Effect

Associations played a vital role in its implementation

Seven years ago, a tragic incident in a hotel room mobilized the hospitality industry to change the way that its phone systems work.

In 2013, Kari Hunt Dunn, a Texas mother of three, died after she was attacked by her estranged husband during a arranged visit in a hotel room. Making the tragedy even worse was that when Dunn’s 9-year-old daughter tried to call 911 for help, she could not get an outside line, costing emergency workers precious time in responding to the incident.

It was too late for Dunn, but her death led to safer hotel stays for others. Dunn’s father, Hank Hunt, started a Change.org petition seeking a law that would require hotels to maintain phone systems allowing calls to be placed to 911 without dailing a prefix to access an an outside line. That effort quickly gained support among associations.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.