Evacuation drills in RPA criticized

The Montreal Fire Safety Service (SIM) has observed a high failure rate during evacuation drills carried out in private seniors’ residences (RPA) over the past two years. The Regroupement québécois des residences pour vins (RQRA), however, considers that, in certain cases, these operations can represent a danger for the elderly.

In a presentation made Tuesday before the Public Safety Commission, the SIM took stock of its inspection activities and evacuation exercises carried out in RPAs. During the year 2023, the SIM piloted 48 evacuation exercises, but according to the data provided, 24 of them ended in failures. In the first six months of 2024, 8 of the 27 exercises carried out failed.

Limited mobility

The aging of the population represents a significant challenge for the SIM and for other services across the province, underlined Chantal Bibeau, deputy director of the Directorate of Prevention and Integrated Risk Management at the SIM. She said that in 2031, it is predicted that 21% of the population will be aged 65 and over, compared to 15% in 2001. “Previously, 20 or 30 years ago, people were evacuating and they were more mobile . They were able to go down. Today, we see people who have more walkers and have difficulty getting around,” she emphasized.

The “failures” observed may be attributable to the time it takes for residents to get to safety, whether it is going outside or taking refuge in an area protected by a fire door . But in certain cases, failures can be attributable to poor knowledge or application of instructions by RPA employees, explained Chantal Bibeau to Duty. In partnership with the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Health and Social Services, the SIM then works with the operator to implement solutions to remedy the observed deficiencies. “When there’s a failure, we don’t just say we’re closing the place,” she says.

The Regroupement québécois des Résidences pour Seniors believes that these evacuation drills are not always adequate. For years, the organization has denounced the pressure put on elderly customers who are sometimes not very mobile. In some cases, these exercises have led to falls and injuries. “There were injuries. People were traumatized and some died following exercises,” explains Hans Brouillette, director of government and public affairs at RQRA. He argues that when the evacuation exercise poses a risk to certain residents, RPAs should not be imposed this “disproportionate” constraint.

“People are in their homes. RPAs cannot force someone to leave their home,” recalls Mr. Brouillette. “In apartment buildings, there are no evacuation drills. »

Chantal Bibeau emphasizes, however, that good judgment is required to adapt these exercises to the degree of mobility of the residents. These operations can be carried out without bringing people outside, she assures.

Non-conformities

In the first six months of 2024, the SIM carried out 83 inspections in seniors’ residences in the Montreal agglomeration. However, only 28 of the 178 RPAs in the territory were declared compliant. The non-conformities noted are diverse. “It could be anything from emergency lighting not working to a problem with fire separations in the building. It could also be anomalies in the enhancement of the fire alarm system. Depending on the use and construction of the building, security and fire protection elements may be missing. There is a wide range of types of anomalies, some more critical than others,” explains Chantal Bibeau.

The fact remains that according to Chantal Bibeau, the anomalies observed are less significant than those observed in the first years following the implementation of establishment certification in the 2000s.

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