Montréal, 13 May 2015 - The Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) has made greater safety and awareness among seniors one of its priorities. In recent years, tragic events that have claimed many lives have served to demonstrate the vulnerability of seniors in the event of fire.

Out a continued concern with improving public safety on the Island of Montréal, the SIM has set up new programs intended exclusively for seniors: a fire prevention handbook, an educational presentation for seniors, and the By-law concerning subsidies to improve fire safety in private seniors’ residences.

Fire prevention handbook

Intended exclusively for seniors, this handbook features an exhaustive set of fire prevention activities and tips. Seniors can learn more about the subject and the behaviours to adopt in order to prevent fires. This tool will be used and distributed during presentations given by fire safety educators and prevention, training and evacuation officers. The handbook is available in French and English at no charge.

Presentation on fire safety for seniors

This educational presentation is geared to seniors living in a residence or alone at home. Its objective is to promote awareness among seniors of safe behaviours to adopt in order to minimize the risk of fire and injury.

By-law concerning subsidies to improve fire safety in private seniors’ residences

With this by-law, the SIM is offering operators of private seniors’ residences a subsidy program in order to allow them to raise the level of safety of occupants by installing a sprinkler system or completing the installation of an existing sprinkler system. Adopted on March 26, 2015, the by-law comes into force on May 15, 2015.