Safety

Emergencies

Fire Safety

For your fire safety Zoe has smoke detectors in every room. In addition there is an emergency call box, fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems all designed to catch early fires and promote safety.

Evacuation Procedures

It is important that you familiarize yourself with procedures for evacuating the building BEFORE you need to evacuate in an emergency. Evacuation procedures are posted on house bulletin boards. You should familiarize yourself with the nearest exit from your room as well as alternate exits, if the exit nearest to your room is unusable.

Fire Alarms

When the fire alarm sounds you should always evacuate as if there is a fire. Building evacuation is required when the fire alarm sounds in the building. Evacuation is required for your safety and also for the safety of the firefighters, University Police officers, and all who respond during fire alarms. During evacuation, keep the following in mind:

  • Before opening your door, check to see if the door or doorknob is hot. If it is hot, or if there is smoke coming under your room door, proceed with the emergency procedures under Fire Emergencies below.
  • Close your room door.
  • Walk, don’t run
  • Use the designated exit for your room on the evacuation guide that is posted in your house.
  • If smoke or fumes are coming up the stairwell, use an alternate exit.
  • Once you’re out of the building, move as far away as possible from the exit to protect your own safety and to allow firefighters access to the building.

If you do not leave during fire alarm house officers will notify University Police for possible legal action. Your decision places not only yourself, but other individuals in danger.

Fire Emergencies

In case of a fire:

  • If the fire is small and can be contained, and you feel safe doing so, use the nearest fire extinguisher.
  • Pull the nearest fire alarm.
  • Evacuate the building as outlined above.

If you notice smoke coming from a room:

  • Pull the fire alarm.
  • Notify an officer of the situation.

If there is heavy smoke and you cannot find your way to an exit or if your room door or doorknob is hot:

  • Remain in your room with the door closed.
  • Place a towel or other heavy object along the bottom of the door.
  • Open a window and hang a sheet or white towel out to attract attention.
  • Call 9-1-1 and give the dispatcher your location. Stay on the phone with the dispatcher until he/she directs you to hang up.
  • Stay in your room until emergency personnel tell you it is okay to leave.

Fire Precautions

To greatly reduce the chance of a fire you should:

  • Avoid running electrical cords under carpeting.
  • Use surge protectors with their own built-in fuse.
  • Empty wastebaskets regularly.
  • Follow all rules and policies in this handbook.
  • Do not operate appliances when you are not present and not operate appliances in closets or close to flammable materials.
  • Keep doors to trash rooms and stairwells closed.
  • Keep hallways clear of your belongings.

Residents will be held financially responsible for acts of negligence or intent that result in damage to Zoe and/or the personal property of others.

Smoke Detectors in Rooms

A smoke detector is provided in each student room. The smoke detector in your room is plugged into the hall electrical system and will go off when smoke particles enter the smoke detector unit. The room smoke detector should be plugged in at all times and you should never unplug your room smoke detector for convenience.

If the alarm of your room smoke detector goes off you should:

  • Determine the source of the smoke and, if it is a small fire in your room and you feel safe doing so, use the fire extinguisher in the hall to put out the fire.
  • Pull the building alarm if you cannot immediately determine the source of the smoke or extinguish a fire.
  • Follow the building evacuation procedures posted on your house bulletin board.

To report smoke detector malfunction, please contact the House Maintenance Officer.

Tampering

Tampering with fire equipment such as fire alarms, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, exit signs, and common area smoke detectors is prohibited. Violations include, but are not limited to:

  • Removing a fire extinguisher from its prescribed location.
  • Discharging a fire extinguisher for any purpose other than putting out a fire.
  • Setting false alarms.
  • Tampering with the covers on fire alarm pull stations.
  • Tampering with common area and room sprinkler systems.

Any action by a resident, which places other residents at risk, will usually result in dismissal from Zoe. Such actions include not only setting a fire but also tampering with safety equipment. Such actions by guests will have legal consequences as well as possible consequences for their host.

Tornado Watches

A tornado watch, indicating that conditions could lead to a tornado, is less serious than a tornado warning.

Tornado Warnings

A tornado warning issued by the National Weather Service means a tornado has actually been sighted (by radar or visibly) in the area. When a tornado warning has been issued, the Dane County emergency sirens will sound a steady tone for three or more minutes. The sirens are tested on the first Wednesday of every month at noon.

During a tornado warning you should:

  • Seek shelter at the lowest possible level away from glass windows, partitions, doors, and outside walls.
  • Take a portable radio or TV with you if you have one.
  • Remain in the shelter location until the “all clear” signal has been given over the radio or TV.
  • Remain calm – do not obstruct emergency personnel.
  • The storm shelter for Zoe would be the kitchen area and officers will direct to rooms should this occur.

Security

Residents play a critical role in creating a safe community for everyone. Please remember that your actions impact everyone else in the community as well as your own safety. Please do not hesitate to contact Officers, the Madison Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) Team, or Police if you observe an unsafe situation.

Assistance in Evacuation

If you have a condition that means you need assistance to evacuate the building, you should tell a member of the board so they can assist in this procedure.

Campus Bus Service

The Madison Metro bus system provides a UW Campus Bus that is free to all riders. Routes 80 and 84 provide daytime service. Routes 80, 81, and 82 provide nighttime service. To view a service calendar and schedules for these routes, visit the City of Madison Metro website.

Campus Crime Stoppers

If you have information about a crime (such as an act of vandalism, etc.) that occurred on campus, you should call 262-TIPS. This call is an opportunity for you, as a community member, to anonymously report a crime.

If the person implicated in the crime is apprehended and convicted, you may be eligible for a cash reward determined by the Crime Stoppers Board.

Before going to the Campus Crime Stoppers please inform the officers so that they can document the crime if it is a house crime.

Lost Keys and Lockouts

If you lose your room key, contact someone in the house to let you inside. Once inside, find any officer and they will find a spare room key and let you in. If you discover that your key is lost you will be charged a replacement fee of $50 and given another copy of the same key.

Obscene/Threatening/Prank E-Mail

If you receive an obscene, threatening, or prank e-mail and you feel that your physical safety is threatened, call UW Police immediately and let an officer know.

If your physical safety is not in jeopardy, you should save a copy of the e-mail and contact an officer or the Information Security Officer for the University at the DoIT website.

Obscene/Threatening/Prank Phone Calls

If you receive an obscene phone call or prank phone call, hang up immediately and make a note of the time, day, date, and content of the phone call. It is important to keep track of these types of phone calls in the event that a pattern develops. If a pattern develops, you should contact University Police at 262-2957. Police intervention is not warranted for isolated prank phone calls, unless a threat is involved.

If you receive threatening or harassing phone calls, call University Police immediately. Be prepared to provide the day, date, time of the phone call, as well as the content of the conversation.

Protecting Your Personal Property

Zoe Bayliss is not liable for property belonging to you that may be lost, stolen, or damaged in any way, anywhere on the premises, including in storage facilities, unless caused by negligence.

Take all the appropriate safety precautions to safeguard your bicycle. Thefts of bicycles occur frequently in Madison, so be careful.

Locking Your Room

You should lock your room door whenever you and your roommate are not in the room, even when you are close by, AND whenever you are sleeping. You should not leave your room door unlocked for convenience – virtually all thefts from residence hall rooms occur when residents leave their rooms unlocked.

You should talk to your roommate about this issue as soon as possible to set up a shared commitment for the safety of all of your room contents. Plan to take your room key with you whenever you are not in your room to avoid having your roommate lock you out.

You can also investigate the option of locking expensive items, such as computers and printers, to each other or to another object in your room (such as a loft or bunk). Be sure you do not drill holes in or adhere anything to Housing-provided furnishings.

Surge Protectors

We recommend that you plug expensive electronic devices into a surge protector in order to protect these devices as much as possible.

Room Entry Policy

Officers will not enter your room without your permission except when:

  • Responding to what they consider a serious life and/or health threatening emergency.
  • Done by police officers under their authority and responsibility for the purpose of investigation.
  • Performing requested, preventive, prescheduled and/or emergency maintenance.
  • Retrieving items that have been identified as Zoe Bayliss Property.
  • In the absence of residents, there is a disruptive noise such as the alarm of a clock or a stereo playing at a disturbing level.
  • Conducting non-emergency inspection/repairs (end of semester and over winter break).

No room will be searched except where staffs have reasonable evidence to believe that an immediate search is necessary to resolve a serious life or health threatening situation. Appropriate legal authorities under their authority and responsibility may search resident rooms.

Strangers in the Building

Unescorted guests or unknown persons should not be allowed in or around the house. If someone is a guest heading to someone’s room please escort him or her to see that they are observed and properly arrive at their destination.

Theft

We recommend that you keep a record of serial numbers, make, and model numbers of your personal property in case of theft and for insurance purposes. If a theft occurs, promptly report it.

SAFEwalk Escorts

SAFEwalk is designed to provide walking escorts to all of the campus except the far west side (UW Hospital and University Apartments). Two-person escort teams are trained by University Police to assist students in a variety of situations. SAFEwalk is available every night 7:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. from October through March; and 8:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. from April through September. Call 262-5000 to request an escort or make a reservation anytime during the day.

Sexual Assault

Crisis intervention, support, counseling, and legal advocacy for any victim of recent or past sexual assault are available through the Rape Crisis Center at 608-251-7273, 24 hours per day. The Rape Crisis Center provides medical advocacy and accompaniment to health services. The Campus Advocate/Counselor can be reached at 265-6389.

The Nurse Examiner Program at Meriter Hospital is a nursing service for survivors of sexual assault who choose health assessment, forensic evidence collection, and/or crisis support. The 24-hour on-call number is 267-6206.

The Dean of Students Office provides assistance to students who have been sexually assaulted. Assistance includes help with referrals to campus and community resources, explaining options including university discipline and police reporting, negotiating with faculty and staff if necessary, and providing advocacy and support during the disciplinary process. No Dean of Students action is taken without victim consent. The Dean of Student’s Office can be reached at 263-5700.

Personal Health

Illness and Injury

We encourage you to seek medical help for yourself and other community members who may be ill, injured, or incapacitated. In a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. If you are unsure if something is an emergency or if you are worried about someone, you should contact an Officer.

Medications and First Aid Supplies

You should bring essential medical care items with you to campus, including a one-month supply of any medications you take. The pharmacy at University Health Services can refill prescriptions from your hometown doctor, but you must have the prescription transferred to the UHS pharmacy first.

Many students find it helpful to have some basic first aid supplies in their room, such as adhesive bandages and a digital (electronic) thermometer. The house has a small first aid kit in the dining room mostly consisting of bandages and anti-septic.

Psychological Crises

The UHS Crisis Response Service is an after-hours and weekend service for students experiencing psychological crises.

The number is 608-265-5600