In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1 or call the Front Desk on the intercom to call Emergency Services. Depending on the nature of the Emergency, this will bring the Fire Department, Toronto EMS, Toronto Police Service and/or Campus Community Police. Your Don will also be notified to assist you.
Other things you should keep in mind to keep the Residence safe:
Building Access
You must always identify yourself by showing your Innis Residence Photo ID to the Front Desk Staff whenever you enter the Residence.
If you see someone in the Residence that looks suspicious or if you have any safety concerns, contact the Front Desk or your Don. If the person is a resident of the building, then they will have a key. If they are a guest, then they should be signed in and escorted into the building by a resident. In an emergency situation, you can always call down to the Front Desk who will be able to contact any Don in the building. There is always a Don On Duty who can be paged immediately.
Never lend your key to someone or allow guests to use your key.
Never allow people you don’t recognize to follow you through the front or back doors or especially through the blue security doors accessing the towers.
Personal Property
Make sure to close your bedroom door whenever you leave your room and to close the door to your suite whenever it will be unoccupied (Your money, jewelry and computers are easy targets) or when you are sleeping.
Do not leave your belongings unattended in study rooms or other common areas in the building.
Safety Hazards
Avoid walking around the Residence carrying glass containers. Use a plastic cup or mug instead!
Rollerblades, skateboards and bikes are not allowed past the lobby area. You may use the lobby benches to put on your rollerblades before exiting the building, but they are not allowed past the blue security doors upon entering.
Pets and animals are not allowed in the building due to health and safety concerns. Guests may not bring animals into the building, except for service animals.
Ball playing in the courtyard is prohibited. The back courtyard of the Residence is there for everyone’s enjoyment but there is an obvious inherent risk of injury and potential damage to the windows ($1000 to replace!) with certain sports activities. When using the courtyard, please be aware of the first floor residents and the rules concerning quiet hours.
The Dons have a House First Aid Kit in their suite for minor cuts, burns and scrapes. Because of liability issues with the University and Workplace Provincial guidelines, this kit contains standard minor first aid items. For illnesses and and other injuries, you should contact the University Health Services at (416) 978-8030. For serious injuries, call 9-1-1 or have the Front Desk call for you – the Residence is located within 10 minutes by ambulance to local area hospitals.
If you are on campus late at night and need assistance to get back to the residence, consider using the WalkSmart Program.
WalkSmart
Whether you are a student, faculty member, staff person or visitor at the University of Toronto, there may be times that you find yourself on campus late at night. If walking to a subway station, your car or residence leaves you feeling a little queasy and apprehensive, call WalkSmart — They will be glad to pick you up and give you an escort. Although the U of T campus is relatively safe, one may not feel completely safe walking alone late at night. That’s why WalkSmart offers escorts to students, faculty, staff and visitors.
Call 416-978-SAFE (7233). WalkSmart operates from 7pm to Midnight, Mondays through Fridays. Service is not offered on Statutory holidays, the winter break, or reading week. Escorts are available to anywhere on the St. George Campus, including the 89 Chestnut and Charles St Residences and surrounding subway stations.
Fire Safety
As a University of Toronto building, the Innis Residence must comply with Provincial, Municipal and University Fire Regulations. Any behaviour or action by a resident that breaks these regulations will result in criminal charges as well as Residence sanctions. Here’s what you need to keep in mind regarding Fire Prevention and Safety:
How to cook safely at Innis.
Fire Safety Devices and How They Work
There are two types of detectors in all suites, smoke alarms and heat detectors. Smoke Alarms will only sound in the specific unit where they are set off. Smoke alarms can be set off with steam from the shower, burnt toast, dirty burners or ovens, candles, etc. Smoke alarms will re-set themselves when the air is clear. There is a “Hush” button which is the green lit button, closest to the centre of the Smoke Detector that can be pushed to immediately silence the alarm.
It is important to note that if any of these smoke alarms are activated by excess smoke caused from a known, controllable source (e.g. burnt toast), YOU ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP YOUR SUITE DOOR CLOSED – this will prevent setting off the building-wide alarm. In addition, make sure the fan above the stove is on, the nearest windows are open, and all bathroom fans are on. Always use the fan above the stove whenever you cook using the stove, oven or the microwave oven.
Heat Detectors are set off when they sense a significant rise in temperature over a certain period of time. The heat detectors are connected directly to the Residence’s Fire Alarm system that is monitored 24 hours per day. If a heat sensor is activated it will trigger the building-wide alarm, and automatically register with the Fire Department and mobilize the Emergency Response Team to investigate.
NEVER tamper with any part of the Fire Safety System (e.g. disengaging any smoke alarm or heat detector in the building, etc). Doing so is a Criminal Offence and will result in criminal charges and immediate expulsion from the Residence, and possibly the University. If you cause a false fire alarm because of reckless or inappropriate behaviour, the Residence will be charged by the City of Toronto Fire Department $1000 for each Fire Engine that responds. If you believe you are responsible for setting off the alarm, please notify the Front Desk as you evacuate the building. Failure to let us know and/or deliberate tampering of smoke alarms or heat detectors will result in charges being passed on to the resident.
If You See a Fire or Are In a Fire Area
An alarm bell is located in your suite that is connected to the building-wide fire system. When it sounds, exit the building immediately. You are required by law to evacuate during a full building-wide fire alarm.
Familiarize yourself with the location of all fire exits and never use the elevators when the alarms are ringing. If there is a fire, immediately activate one of the pull stations in the hallways. This will activate the Residence Alarm System and bring the Toronto Fire Department to the building. You should leave the area immediately and inform the Front Desk Staff as you exit the building or by using the intercom system.
There is a fire extinguisher located in or near every kitchen. Always keep the extinguisher in the same central location accessible to everyone in the suite. Attempt to extinguish a fire only if you can do so safely and only with the extinguisher provided (this extinguisher is designed to put out all household fires, including grease fires). It is a powder/chemical extinguisher and will emit a very fine powder when used.
When the building-wide system is activated all open suite doors should automatically close (if they fail to close while you are leaving the building, shut any open doors you encounter). Never prop doors open.
A number of suites have strobe lights for the benefit of the hearing-impaired which supplement the alarms. If they start flashing, the Residence Alarm System is activated and you should immediately exit the Residence.
If you are trapped by a Fire
Stay calm!
Stay within your room or suite and call 9-1-1 or the Front Desk to let someone know where you are. Hang a bed sheet from your window to attract attention, but keep the window closed to prevent smoke from entering your room from other rooms.
Keep your door closed and place towels or sheets around the cracks to prevent smoke from entering. Turn off any ventilation systems and cover your air vent to prevent smoke from entering your room.
If smoke does enter your room, stay low to the ground as there is more air available near the ground as heat and smoke rises.
Fire Safety Tips
If you activate a pull station accidentally, immediately inform the Front Desk, specifying which pull station, so that they may be able to direct the Fire Department to the source to be able to re-set the alarm. As well, the Front Desk can immediately inform the Fire Department upon their arrival if it is indeed a false alarm.
Never throw or toss objects about in the hall. You may accidentally hit a sensor, causing the building-wide fire alarm to go off.
Never leave heated stove and oven elements unattended or keep an open flame or use an open heating element. Cooking should only be done in the kitchen.
Burning candles are prohibited anywhere in the suites. In the past, candles (including birthday candles!) have been known to set off the fire alarm system. As well, candle wax causes damage when dripped on furniture surfaces.
If one of your plugs or light switches stops working, check the circuit breakers within your suite first. In every suite’s storage room, you will find a grey electrical panel. Inside this panel you will find circuit breakers that control all of your electrical outlets, switches, lights and appliances within your suite.
If a circuit breaker is “tripped” means that one of the circuits in your unit is not working. You can tell that the breaker has tripped, because the switch will be in the middle position. To reset it, simply move it to the OFF position, then back to the ON positionn. If your lights or electrical outlet still doesn’t work after trying this, please fill out a Maintenance Request Form.
