Our reputation depends on our ability to provide superior protection for our client’s fine wines. Protection from spoilage is critical, but we must also protect the wine from damage or loss due to burglary, theft, mysterious disappearances and fire. By addressing all the issues, we can offer better protection than what most clients can provide in their own homes.


Security

We maintain a high security facility using robust, reliable, “cutting-edge” equipment and monitoring systems. One must navigate through six layers of security before reaching any wine. It is a unique system in that it operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week whether or not there are clients present in the facility. The system is fully automatic and does not require anyone to arm or re-arm the system.

At the heart of our system there is not one, but two parallel and independently monitored central alarm systems as follows:

1. From the street, entrance into the building’s common area is controlled by the Landlord using an access control system monitored by a central alarm system. Outside of regular business hours, only individuals with a coded proximity device can get past the proximity card reader and electric strike to gain entry into the building;

2. From the building’s common area, entrance into FWR’s suite (the lobby) is controlled by FWR using a 2nd access control system monitored by a 2nd central alarm system. Only individuals with their fingerprint on file, and a coded proximity device will get past the biometric fingerprint reader, proximity card reader and electric strike to gain entry into our lobby;

3. From FWR’s lobby, entrance into the actual wine cellar is controlled by a 3rd access control system monitored by a FWR’s central alarm system. Only individuals with a coded proximity device and correct entry pass code will get past the proximity card reader and electric strike to gain entry into the wine cellar area;

4. Entrance into a wine storage unit is controlled by a 4th access control system monitored by FWR’s central alarm system. Only individuals with a coded proximity device, pass code for the unit, and a key to the deadbolt lock can gain entry into the unit. All units have separate unit alarms;

5. Video surveillance cameras capture and record all activity entering and leaving the facility;

6. The Landlord maintains dedicated security patrols that divide their time between our building and two of their other buildings located less than two blocks away. They not only monitor for suspicious activity, but patrols will immediately respond to an alarm event triggered by either FWR or the Landlord’s alarm system.

Other features that greatly enhance security at our facility include the following:

• Unlike most storage facilities that locate in relatively remote industrial locations, we are located in a busy, well lit area on a main street of downtown Toronto;

• The cellar is partially underground, and surrounded by 22” thick brick & masonry walls;

• Using concrete block, FWR blocked access to 10 windows and three doors thus reducing potential entry points into the space. With fewer areas to deal with, we could afford more advanced access control devices on the remaining openings;

• Since the operation requires no employees, only “vested” individuals (company President & Directors) have access to the facility. We do not have the potential for mysterious disappearances or theft resulting from “non-vested” employees;

• The President/Manager relocated his office and residence to within one block of the facility so as to closely monitor the facility. Emergency response time is normally 3-5 minutes;

• All potential clients are screened, and required to submit positive identification, including photo ID and finger prints. Verification procedures are employed;

• Clients are urged to install their own lock on the unit (on top of existing FWR devices). FWR will not be able to enter occupied units without permission;

• The alarm system has back-up mechanisms in place to protect it from telephone line tampering or loss of power;

• Routine security and lock checks are conducted;

• Door hardware utilizes heavy duty automatic closer technology;

• All doors were removed and replaced with a heavy gauge steel security door & frame with NRP security hinges;

• The access control system maintains a record of all activity in the facility by individual. It monitors who enters the facility, where they go, and for how long they were there; and,

• Storage units are fabricated in a manner such that penetration without damage is virtually impossible thus reducing the potential for an unrecorded loss or a mysterious disappearance.

We also have a few other tricks up our sleeve, but we had better not show our full hand!

Fire Protection

• The entire building is protected with a fire alarm system certified in accordance with CAN-ULCS36M97;

• The storage area is equipped with smoke detectors, heat sensors, fire hose cabinets, portable fire extinguishers, pull stations and fire alarm bells;

• The entire building is protected with a sprinkler system that was installed and maintained to NFPA13 standards and subject to annual inspection & certification;

• FWR is located on a main street less than 2 km of a fire station. There are fire hydrants and standpipes located immediately outside of our space; and

• In that our clients exclusively store wine (i.e. glass bottles containing a non-flammable liquid), our storage facility does NOT have the “high fuel load” that is typical of the self-storage industry where any number of unknown flammable items are stored inside the units.

Return to the top page for Toronto Wine Storage.