Protection Services

For your safety, the protection services department employs full-time and part-time staff members who are highly trained and dedicated to the safety of all patients, visitors and staff members at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH). Protection services responds to over 400 incidents per month and over 150 service calls per day and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

To report an incident contact security directly at 416-469-6016 (or extension 6016 on internal phones), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Contact Numbers

Protection services may be contacted at the following phone numbers.

                                                        
Access to the Hospital

Daytime Access:

From 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Coxwell Lobby entrance is open for public access. Access to the main hospital from the emergency department is restricted and visitors will be redirected to the main entrance during the day.

Access to the emergency department at MGH is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all emergency patients. Please note that visitation to the emergency department is limited.

Nighttime Access:

From 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., access to MGH is limited. After-hours access can be obtained through the emergency department entrance only, and visitors entering after hours must check in with security prior to being admitted.

Visitors leaving the hospital after hours may exit by the Coxwell Lobby and/or the emergency department.

Walksafe Program

To ensure safe and secure access to MGH at any time of the day or night, protection services offers the walksafe program. This program is available to all patients, visitors and staff members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Please call protection services at 416-469-6016 to use this service. Protection services staff will meet you at a prearranged location to escort you between the hospital and your vehicle or the bus stops located in the immediate vicinity of the hospital.

I.D Badges

During your stay at MGH, all persons responsible for your care and welfare will display current hospital identification. Hospital identification includes the name, department and picture of the staff member.

At any time during your stay, should you be unsure about any person with whom you are interacting, the hospital encourages you to ask for identification. 

Patient Valuables

During your stay at MGH it is recommended that you do not bring valuables to the hospital. However, should a patient arrive with valuables that you wish to have secured while you are admitted, please contact the primary caregiver on your unit who will arrange pick up. Items secured will be logged, a receipt issued, and items will be stored in the protection services safe.

To retrieve items from the safe, contact the J1 security office at 416-469-6016 on discharge and present your receipt.

Fire Services

For the safety and security of all patients, visitors and staff members at MGH, the protection services department acts as the fire response team at the hospital.

Should an alarm be activated during your stay, please follow these basic rules of conduct:

1.  Do NOT pass through fire doors and remain where you are until an all clear is announced or further direction is given by staff.

2.  Do NOT block, or hold open fire doors at your location.

Should you discover a fire during your stay, please:

1.  Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station.

2.  Do NOT shout FIRE.

3.  Call 911 and report the fire from the nearest available telephone.

4.  Notify a staff member or caregiver in the area.

5.  Move to a safe location and wait for assistance to arrive.

Crime Prevention

Protection services patrols all areas of the hospital, including the main hospital, the medical office building, hospital parking areas and the hospital exterior.

In an effort to ensure the safety of all patrons at MGH, protection services staff are tasked to ensure that all hospital policies are observed and that criminal activity occurring on hospital property is prevented.

The safety and security of all our patrons is our number one priority.

Restricted Areas

During your stay at MGH there are a number of areas that are restricted to staff access only such as the operating rooms, mechanical rooms and laboratory services.

To ensure the safe operation of the hospital we ask that patients and visitors restrict their movements to the public areas of the hospital only.

During evening hours, some areas of the hospital are locked, and can only be accessed by buzzing in via intercom or in the company of a staff member. Should you require access to these areas after hours for any reason, please notify security on entry to the hospital.

Closed Circuit Television 

The MGH protection services department uses a digital closed circuit television (CCTV) system to improve security and enhance the safety of our patrons.  All CCTV images are strictly controlled to ensure the privacy of all persons at the hospital.

Protection services has a detailed policy regarding the use of CCTV systems and any questions regarding this subject should be directed to the manager of protection services.