UBCNews - Business - Can Your Hotel Guests Dial 911 Directly? What Kari's Law Means For Hospitality

Episode Date: January 28, 2026

Running a hotel comes with countless regulations, but two federal laws in particular have transformed how properties handle emergency calls. If you're still using an older phone system that requires guests to dial "9" before making outside calls, you're likely not in compliance with current federal requirements. Kari's Law and Ray Baum's Act aren't just bureaucratic red tape. These laws exist because of real tragedies that could have been prevented. Hotel phone systems now need to allow direct 911 dialing and automatically share the caller's exact location with emergency responders. What Kari's Law Actually Requires. Back in 2013, a woman named Kari Hunt was killed in a hotel room in Texas. Her nine-year-old daughter tried calling 911 four times but couldn't get through because the hotel's phone system required dialing "9" first. The girl didn't know this, and by the time help arrived, it was too late. Congress responded by passing Kari's Law in 2018. The law requires all multi-line telephone systems in hotels, office buildings, and similar facilities to enable direct 911 dialing. No prefixes, no extra codes, no confusion. Just dial 911 and the call goes through immediately. Ray Baum's Act Takes It Further. Ray Baum's Act, which fully took effect in 2022, builds on Kari's Law by requiring that emergency calls automatically transmit dispatchable location information. This means the street address, floor number, and room number need to be sent to 911 dispatchers automatically when someone calls. For older analog or PBX phone systems, meeting these requirements is either extremely difficult or completely impossible. These legacy systems weren't designed with this level of location specificity in mind. Florida-based telecommunications company Voistay notes that many hotels have discovered their existing infrastructure simply can't be modified to meet the standards. Why Modern Systems Make Compliance Easier. Modern VoIP and cloud-based phone systems are built from the ground up with these regulations in mind. Each phone line can be digitally tagged with its exact location, and emergency calls automatically bypass any internal routing to connect directly with 911 dispatchers. Beyond just meeting legal requirements, newer systems often cost less to maintain than aging PBX equipment. You're not dealing with expensive hardware repairs or paying technicians to service outdated equipment. Monthly costs become more predictable, and reliability typically improves. How To Upgrade Your System. If your hotel is still using an older phone system, the upgrade process is usually more straightforward than you might expect. Most modern providers can migrate your system with minimal downtime, often completing installations during off-peak hours to avoid disrupting guests. The first step is getting a professional assessment of your current setup. This helps identify exactly what needs to change and provides a realistic timeline and budget. Some hotels discover they can reuse portions of their existing infrastructure, which reduces overall costs. The Bottom Line. Non-compliance with these federal regulations isn't just risky from a safety standpoint. Hotels can face fines of up to $10,000, with additional penalties of $500 per day for ongoing violations. More importantly, failing to comply puts your guests at genuine risk during emergencies. The hospitality industry has always been about providing safe, comfortable experiences for guests. Making sure they can reach emergency services quickly and easily is now a fundamental part of that responsibility. Upgrading your phone system to meet current standards protects both your guests and your business. Check out the description to learn more! Voistay City: Wilmington Address: 4173 Website: https://voistay.com/

Running a hotel comes with countless regulations, but two federal laws in particular have transformed how properties handle emergency calls. If you're still using an older phone system that requires guests to dial nine before making outside calls, you're likely not in compliance with current federal requirements. Cary's Law and Ray Bombs Act aren't just bureaucratic red tape. These laws exist because of real tragedies that could have been prevented. Hotel phone systems now need to allow direct 911 dialing and automatically share the caller's exact location with emergency responders. What Carrie's law actually requires. Back in 2013, a woman named Carrie Hunt was killed in a hotel room in Texas. Her nine-year-old daughter tried calling 911 four times, but couldn't get through

because the hotel's phone system required dialing nine first. The girl didn't know this, and by the time help arrived, it was too late. Congress responded by passing Kerry's law in 2018. The law requires all multi-line telephone systems in hotels, office buildings, and similar facilities to enable direct 911 dialing. No prefixes, no extra codes, no confusion. Just dial 911 and the call goes through immediately. Ray Bombs Act takes it further. Ray Bombs Act, which fully took effect in 2022, builds on car, law by requiring that emergency calls automatically transmit dispatchable location information. This means the street address, floor number, and room number need to be sent to 911 dispatchers

automatically when someone calls. For older analog or PBX phone systems, meeting these requirements is either extremely difficult or completely impossible. These legacy systems weren't designed with this level of location specificity in mind. Florida-based telecommunications Voice Day notes that many hotels have discovered their existing infrastructure simply can't be modified to meet the standards. Why modern systems make compliance easier? Modern VoIP and cloud-based phone systems are built from the ground up with these regulations in mind. Each phone line can be digitally tagged with its exact location, and emergency calls automatically bypass any internal routing to connect directly with 911 dispatchers. Beyond just meeting,

legal requirements, newer systems often cost less to maintain than aging PBX equipment. You're not dealing with expensive hardware repairs or paying technicians to service outdated equipment. Monthly costs become more predictable, and reliability typically improves. How to upgrade your system. If your hotel is still using an older phone system, the upgrade process is usually more straightforward than you might expect. Most modern providers, can migrate your system with minimal downtime, often completing installations during off-peak hours to avoid disrupting guests. The first step is getting a professional assessment of your current setup. This helps identify exactly what needs to change and provides a realistic timeline and budget.

Some hotels discover they can reuse portions of their existing infrastructure, which reduces overall costs. The bottom line, non-compliance with these federal regulations, isn't just risky from a safety standpoint. Hotels can face fines of up to $100,000, with additional penalties of $500 per day for ongoing violations. More importantly, failing to comply puts your guests at genuine risk during emergencies. The hospitality industry has always been about providing safe,

comfortable experiences for guests. Making sure they can reach emergency services quickly and easily is now a fundamental part of that. responsibility upgrading your phone system to meet current standards protects both your guests and your business check out the description to learn more