Emergency Response

• Locate your nearest fire exit.

• Count the doorways and features between your guest room and the exit(s).

• Familiarize yourself with the floor plan on the back of your guest room closet door.

• Always place your keycard on the bedside table for easy access.

• The Tofino Volunteer Fire Department is located less than 5km from the Inn.

• *If there is an alarm, test the temperature of the doors with the back of your hand before opening them.

• Remove yourself from danger immediately.

• If possible, close the doors and windows, take your keycard and exit the room.

• Activate the nearest fire pull station. They are located on every floor beside the entrance to the emergency stairwells.

• Report the location of the fire or smoke to a Guest Service Representative.

• Once you have exited the building, proceed to the rendezvous point in the Lobby of the other building.

• If the fire is larger than a wastepaper basket, do not attempt to fight the fire. If the fire is smaller than a wastepaper basket and you wish to attempt to extinguish it, fire extinguishers are located at each of the three exit stairways.

• Do not attempt to fight the fire if you are in any danger. ONLY attempt to fight the fire once the fire alarm has been activated.

• Remove yourself from danger immediately.

• Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station. There are three on each floor located beside the entrance to the emergency stairwells.

• Report to a Guest Services Representative the location of the fire or smoke.

• Once you have exited the building, proceed to the rendezvous point in the Lobby of the other building.

• If the fire is larger than a wastepaper basket, do not attempt to fight the fire. Exit the building by the nearest exit or exit stairway.
  If the fire is smaller than a wastepaper basket and you wish to attempt to extinguish it, fire extinguishers are located at each of the three exit stairways.

• Do not attempt to fight the fire if you are in any danger. ONLY attempt to fight the fire once the fire alarm has been activated.

• Stay calm.

• Listen to the announcements on the public-address system and follow the instructions as issued. The speakers for the public-address system are located in the corridors.

The sound of the bells alone is not a cause for evacuation. Evacuation is not required by the sounding of the bells unless you are instructed to do so through announcements that can be heard in the corridors or by a Wickaninnish Inn Team Member.

• Stay calm.

• Take your guest room keycard with you.

• Test the door for heat with the back of your hand before exiting.

• If the door or handle is hot, do not open. See ‘If you cannot evacuate’ below.

• If the door handle feels normal, stand to the side and open the door cautiously.

• If the hallway is smoky, get down on your hands and knees. Place a cool damp cloth over your mouth and nose. Staying low to the floor exit the Inn by the nearest fire stairway, first checking that the stairway is clear of smoke. Always keep to the right in the stairways as fire fighters will use the left side to ascend.

• If you encounter smoke in the stairway, exit to the nearest floor and cross over to the alternate stairwell to leave the building.

• Do not attempt to use the elevator.

• Once you have exited the building, proceed to the Lobby of the other building.

• Do not re-enter the building under any circumstances until the fire department or Wickaninnish Inn Management advises you that it is safe to do so.

• Stay calm.

• If for any reason, you are unable to evacuate the building as instructed by the public-address system, stay in your room. It is the safest place.

• Contact a Guest Service Representative and inform them of your situation.

• If the phones are not working or you are unable to contact the operator, tie a bed sheet to your balcony railing. This will alert fire fighters that you are trapped in your guest room.

• Open windows ONLY after you have checked for rising smoke or flames outside the building. NEVER break a window, you may need to close it again later.

• Immediately fill the bathtub and sink with water in case you need it later.

• Soak towels with water and place at the base of the guest room door and over vents.

• Turn off the heat/fan if it is not already off.

• Someone from the Fire Department or the Wickaninnish Inn will assist you with evacuation as soon as possible.

• Earthquakes are a phenomenon of nature that have the potential to occur at any time. Please read these guidelines carefully. They will help you be better prepared in the event of an earthquake, and more importantly, will enable you to react properly in such a situation.

• Your first warning of an earthquake may be a swaying sensation or a sudden noise. Vibrations are often quickly followed by rolling up, down, sideways, rotating and shaking. It may last seconds or go on for a few minutes. Be prepared for aftershocks.

• DROP! COVER! HOLD ON!

• If you are inside your guest room or any other building, stay there. You are safer indoors. Take cover under a heavy table or desk, or any solid furniture that you can get under and hold on to. Be prepared to move with the furniture. Avoid areas near windows.

• If you cannot get under any protective furniture, crouch next to the wall, with your head down, covered by your arms and hands. Keep your body tight against the wall and maintain the fetal position throughout the quake, protecting the front and side of your torso.

• Do not go outside where you may be hit by falling debris. Sidewalks next to buildings are particularly dangerous. If you are outside, get clear of buildings and wires that could fall on you.

• Avoid elevators. If you are in an elevator when an earthquake occurs, exit the elevator as soon as you can.

• Remain in a protected place until the shaking stops. Anticipate after-shocks as they may occur soon after the first quake.

• The Wickaninnish Inn Team will communicate with you via the Public-Address System.

• A major earthquake located just off the coast of Vancouver Island has large potential to create a tsunami.

• Any earthquake that results in significant shaking (you cannot keep your balance; items fall off shelves, etc.) will likely result in a tsunami. If you experience this type of earthquake, immediately proceed to the top floor of the building you are in, as soon as it is safe to do so.

• There will be approximately fifteen minutes from when the shaking begins to the arrival of the first tsunami wave.

• Not all earthquakes produce tsunamis, but when they do, the waves may sweep ashore causing damage both locally and at places thousands of kilometers from the epicenter.

• An earthquake generated anywhere in the Pacific Ocean could affect us on the coast of Vancouver Island. The potential for a tsunami is possible even if we haven’t felt an earthquake.

• Early detection systems are in place on the west coast of North America to alert us if such an event were to occur. If we are alerted to a tsunami threat from a distant earthquake, we will likely have enough time to safely reach high ground.

• If this is the case, a full evacuation of the property into Tofino may be required. The official gathering point is at the Tofino Community Centre on Arnet Road.

• The west coast of Vancouver Island is the ideal place to witness the power of nature at its most spectacular. A storm pounding onto the coast is a breathtaking sight, but as always with nature, caution and care must be taken.

• When walking the beaches during a storm, be aware that waves can be unexpectedly and dangerously large. Do not walk on the rocky foreshore or stray too close to the tideline as rogue waves have been known to wash people off the rocks or sweep them many yards across the beach. Rolling logs can be particularly dangerous.

• High-speed winds occasionally knock out power lines and cause falling debris on forest trails. The Inn is well prepared for power outages and is equipped with an emergency generator to provide backup power. The electrical outlets and appliances in your room are not part of the emergency system. Your fireplace will provide heat and limited light. Candles and flashlights are provided in each guest room and hot and cold water will still be available. The administrative functions of the Inn and most importantly the kitchen, are fully operational during a power outage.

• We recommend that when leaving valuables in your guest room that you use the safe located in the closet of your guest room.

• Close your guest room door securely and ensure the door locks behind you when entering or exiting your guest room.

• Know who is at your door. Use the peephole and ask for the identity of the person at your door. If you are not comfortable opening the guest room door, contact a Guest Service Representative and request the attendance of Inn Management.

• Carry your room key with you at all times. Do not leave keycards on tabletops in the restaurant, function rooms or other public areas where they can be forgotten or mistakenly picked up by another guest.

• Do not give your room number to any strangers. Visitors can always contact you through the use of the house phone in the lobby.

• Be observant when entering the parking lot and do not leave valuables in your car. If you see any suspicious activity, please report your observations to Inn Management immediately. Our Team regularly patrols the buildings and the grounds to ensure your safety