Montréal, 24 March 2015 - The Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) has noticed that several hydrants across the urban agglomeration of Montréal were surrounded by obstacles of all kinds.

In order to ensure public safety on the Island of Montréal and facilitate operations by firefighters, SIM teams must have unobstructed access to hydrants.

Under the By-law concerning the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (RCG 12-003), firefighters must have unobstructed access to hydrants at all times for their equipment, over a minimum distance of 1.5 metres. Hedges, shrubs, trees, fences, carports and so forth, represent obstacles to the work of firefighters and are not authorized within a radius of 1.5 metres from a hydrant. The SIM also wishes to remind owners and contractors that this by-law applies to snow removal operations as well: snow must not be allowed to accumulate in this area.

When an SIM prevention officer notices that access to a hydrant is obstructed, a notice of non-compliance may be forwarded to the property owner requesting that the necessary corrective measures be taken.

For further information, citizens in the urban agglomeration of Montréal may contact SIM prevention staff at 514 872-3800 or consult the SIM website.