By Tracey Arial
www.thesuburban.com
The major issue for LaSalle’s industrial committee in the past year has been learning about, and planning for, a new siren communication system.
“These new sirens are going to be commonplace on the island of Montreal in the coming months, said Pierre Dupuis, LaSalle city clerk and communications director.
The sirens are the latest innovation in a security preparedness process that began with a radio frequency to link Environment Canada and Montreal’s civil security, fire and police departments with various borough services and major industries where accidents that would jeopardize health and safety of residents might take place.
The first test of the system took place last Nov. 27 in the east end, near the Suncor Refinery plant. Two industrial partners in that region had sirens installed on their work sites: Cepsa at 10,200 Sherbrooke East and ChemEst, at 11,450 Cherrier.
The sirens could be heard in a radial zone that was 1.5 km and 1.6 km from each of the sites.
Anyone who heard the sirens were directed to take shelter in the closest building to their location and close all windows, doors and exterior ventilation systems.
The test took place to train people to protect themselves from explosions and possible toxic gas exposure.
Similar sirens have been set up at two other industrial sites: Saputo and Molson Coors.
In LaSalle, sirens could be set up at any of the system partners, who include: Arborite, BP construction materials (asphalt and roofing), Labatt’s, Delmar, Fleischmann’s and Weir Canada.
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