Justin Ford: Short-Term Rental Safety Expert

https://breakingac.com/news/public-safety/fire-burns-atlantic-city-airbnb/

Fire burns Atlantic City Airbnb Visitors to Atlantic City were able to evacuate as they called firefighters to their Airbnb on Sunday morning. The call […]

If you've attended one of my presentations over the past six months, you've probably noticed that I've been opening with the same challenge.

While other sectors of the travel industry are stepping forward to address safety concerns and rebuild traveler confidence, the short-term rental industry has remained silent.

Airlines hold press conferences when there are aviation incidents. Cruise lines respond publicly when health concerns arise. They understand that trust is the foundation of their business.

Yet every day in America, there are reports involving short-term rentals. From shootings at parties, pool drownings, carbon monoxide incidents, fires, falls, and other tragedies, many of these incidents were preventable.

The reality is that every serious incident impacts more than the property involved. It affects public perception of our entire industry.

In 2023, a survey found that 62% of luxury travelers expressed concerns about the safety of staying in a short-term rental. Whether we like it or not, every headline shapes consumer confidence.

So I keep asking the same question:

When are we going to step up to the microphone?

Many operators feel powerless to change the industry's image. I understand that feeling. But there is one thing every host, manager, and owner can control:

The safety of their properties.

We don't rebuild trust through marketing campaigns. We rebuild it through action.

Install and maintain smoke alarms. Test carbon monoxide alarms. Address trip hazards. Secure pools. Inspect decks. Create emergency information for guests. Make safety part of your operation, not an afterthought.

If we want to defend this industry, we need to give people something worth defending.

The path forward isn't complicated.

Make your rentals as safe as possible.

That's how we protect our guests. That's how we reduce tragedies. And that's how we earn the trust that our industry depends on.

This month is the National Safety Council's National Safety Month. At Breezeway, we are doing everything we can to support operators to be more professional and have safe properties.

During National Safety Month, it’s great to see operators focusing on the information that can truly make a difference during an emergency.

Kudos to Alexis Miller and the team at Cottage Connections for putting critical safety information directly in front of guests instead of burying it inside a welcome book that may never get opened.

In my opinion, the three most important pieces of information on a guest emergency card are:

✅ The property address (so guests can quickly provide it to emergency responders)
✅ A choking and CPR resource guests can access immediately
✅ Emergency contact numbers for local responders and property management

What I especially appreciate is that this information isn’t just another page in a binder. It’s being mounted in a highly visible, semi-permanent location where guests can easily find it when seconds matter.

Safety doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be visible.

Great work by Alexis and Cottage Connections for helping guests be better prepared and safer during their stay.

After more than 30 years of helping guests stay in Midcoast Maine, we've learned something simple:

The little details matter.

When you're away from home, the important information should be easy to find - not something you have to look for.

That's why every Cottage Connection home includes a clearly designed guest information sheet, placed right where you’ll see it as soon as you arrive.

It includes the essentials you shouldn't have to search for: the home address, emergency contacts, trash instructions, and a quick way to reach us anytime during your stay. It also includes an easy way to save the information to your phone, along with QR code access to safety resources like choking and CPR guidance.

It's designed for one thing: peace of mind, right from the start of your stay.