Update for leaders: Introducing eLearning to support fire safety and evacuations

To: All leaders

As part of an initiative to improve campus fire-safety and evacuation procedures, Environmental Health and Safety, in partnership with Community Safety and Security and the Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion, are introducing a new eLearning module to help all employees understand their roles and responsibilities during an emergency or fire drill. This community-wide education replaces the fire warden program. 

Shared fire-safety knowledge improves safety for our community by helping to reduce fire hazards and facilitating calm and orderly evacuations in the case of an emergency. 

What does the module include? 

Community members are responsible for following the procedures and accommodations to evacuate themselves to safety. After completing the training, you should: 

1. Understand the different life-safety-systems in TMU-operated buildings and how to recognize different types of signals.
   • This is especially important in a multi-building campus, including non-TMU operated buildings, where life-safety systems may differ from building to building. 
2. Understand your role and responsibilities during an emergency.
3. Know what you need to do if you require assistance during an evacuation.
4. Understand simple strategies for fire prevention and ensuring evacuation routes and emergency equipment remain unobstructed.

Who is required to take the training? 

All TMU leaders and staff are required to take the eLearning module.

While faculty, librarians, professional counsellors and contract lecturers are not required to take the training, given the important role employees in these roles play in supporting students and in classroom/library safety, we strongly encourage them to complete the training. This is especially important as we know our students often rely on faculty and contract lecturers to provide important guidance and support should a fire alarm occur during class.

We will be sending communications to all employees to advise of this training in the coming week and we ask that you work with your teams to support them in making this a priority.

eLearning available in the TMU Employee Learning Portal

The eLearning will take approximately 25 to 30 minutes to complete, and can be accessed through TMU’s new Employee Learning Portal.

Learn more about emergency management and preparedness at TMU

In addition to the eLearning module specifically on fire safety, the university’s Emergency Management website includes customized guidance for students, faculty and staff and leaders. We encourage you to review the guidance for information including:

• Downloading TMU Safe and signing up for text messages.
• Contacting 911 if you encounter an emergency on campus.
• What to do if you require support in the event of an evacuation.
• Guidance for faculty or contract lecturers to ask students to inform you if they require evacuation assistance and what to do if a student requires evacuation assistance.
• Guidance for leaders if an employee indicates they require support in the event of an emergency.

Questions or concerns?

For specific questions about the annual fire drills, please contact Environmental Health and Safety at ehs@torontomu.ca or 416-979-5000, ext. 553770.

For urgent after-hours concerns, please contact TMU Toronto Campus Security at 416-979-5040 or security@torontomu.ca; or TMU Brampton Campus Security at 416-598-5950 or somsecurity@torontomu.ca. In the case of an emergency, dial 911.