MONTRÉAL, Dec. 15, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - In order to make this holiday season as safe as can be, the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) is pleased to offer practical advice to prevent fires and spend the holiday season in complete peace of mind.
"Public safety is a priority throughout the year and the holiday season is no exception. During this festive season, I invite all Montrealers to be aware of the safety instructions issued by the SIM. These are winning conditions to ensure the success of the festivities for the city's families and, above all, the safety of everyone," said Alain Vaillancourt, who is responsible for public safety on the Executive Committee of the City of Montréal."
Among the preventive measures that can reduce the risk of fire and consequently the damage, injuries and deaths associated with it, the SIM proposes the following tips:
Christmas tree (artificial or natural)
- Install your tree far from heat sources (electric floor boards, space heaters, fireplace, etc.)
- Turn off the Christmas lights in your tree before you go to bed, or leave your home.
- Cut around 1 cm off the base of your tree before placing it in a water-filled stand.
- Keep the stand filled with water at all times, in order to prevent your tree from drying out.
- After the Holidays, store your Christmas tree outdoors, in the shade, in order to prevent it from drying out until the scheduled collection date (click here for the schedule).
Candles and lights
- Turn off your indoor and outdoor decorative lights before you go to bed or leave your home.
- Place the candles out of the reach of children or animals, in a place where they are not at risk of being tipped over.
- Use a fireproof shield around your candles.
- Put out all candles and turn off all lights before you go to bed or leave the room.
- Use a multi-outlet surge protector extension to plug various Christmas light sets or devices.
- Opt for battery-operated candles and LED lights.
- Keep all decorations away from flames or heat sources such as light bulbs, light sets and space heaters, etc.
- Never place an open-flame candle in your Christmas tree.
Kitchen
- Use a timer to avoid forgetting meals that are cooking on the stovetop or in the oven.
- Never leave your stove unattended while cooking.
- Make sure to turn off all cooking appliances before you leave the house.
Emergency exits
- Make sure that all of your home's emergency exits, including windows and balconies remain visible and accessible, and that snow is cleared between every exit and the street.
Fuel-powered appliances (natural gas, ethanol, fire wood, etc.)
- Install a carbon monoxide detector near your sleeping area.
- Place ashes outdoors to cool in a fireproof container, covered with a lid (far from combustible materials.)
- Keep the area around your fireplace or natural gas, propane, ethanol or wood-burning stove clear.
Smoke alarm
- Make sure that you have a functioning smoke alarm on every floor, including the basement. The occupants of a dwelling unit or private residence have the obligation to maintain smoke alarms in good working order.
- All residential buildings built before 1985 that do not have an electric smoke alarm must be equipped with smoke alarms powered by a long-lasting 10-year lithium battery.
- Buildings built after 1985 must be equipped with electric smoke alarms.
The SIM invites the population to be vigilant during this period of gatherings and festivities because a fire can have important consequences on people and dwellings.
Finally, the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal family would like to take this opportunity to wish the population of Montreal a happy holiday season!
The SIM spokesperson, Mrs. Louise Desrosiers, will be available for media interviews on this subject. Media wishing to conduct an interview are asked to contact the Media Relations Division at the following address: [email protected]
For more details: Web page dedicated to holiday fire prevention tips
SOURCE Ville de Montréal
Marikym Gaudreault, Attachée de presse du comité exécutif, Cabinet de la mairesse et du comité exécutif, 438 925-0884; For more information: Division des relations de presse, Ville de Montréal, [email protected]
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