Fire safety and evacuation measures: guidelines for rental properties

Proper preparation, familiar evacuation routes and clear, accessible and up-to-date instructions help ensure everyone’s safety. For this reason, CORPIQ worked in collaboration with the Montreal Fire Department (SIM) to highlight the main recommendations for landlords, managers and tenants.

1. Prepare the building for a possible evacuation

Landlords and managers must ensure that occupants can evacuate the building quickly and safely.

The SIM recommends, in particular:

• keeping the fire safety plan up to date when the building is equipped with a fire alarm system;
• informing occupants of the location of exits and emergency exits;
• keeping corridors, stairways and emergency exits free of obstacles;
• ensuring that exit doors are accessible and can be opened easily;
• ensuring that stairwell doors remain closed at all times;
• posting the evacuation plan and safety instructions in common areas;
• updating information whenever changes are made to the building or access routes.

It is also important to designate an outdoor assembly point where occupants can gather after evacuating.

2. Provide clear instructions to occupants

Property owners and managers should provide all tenants, as well as building superintendents and other persons responsible for the building, with clear, accessible and up-to-date evacuation instructions.

These instructions should include:

• the location of exits and emergency exits;
• available evacuation routes;
• the designated assembly point;
• what to do when the fire alarm sounds;
• how to behave during an evacuation.

Information should be provided directly to occupants, and general instructions should be posted in common areas so they remain easily accessible.

3. What should you do when the fire alarm sounds?

During a fire, conditions can change quickly. Smoke, stress and reduced visibility can make evacuation more difficult. It is therefore important to know what to do before an emergency occurs.

When a fire alarm sounds, it is recommended to:

• evacuate immediately by following the designated evacuation plan and never use the elevator;
• close doors behind you, if possible;
• touch a closed door or its handle with the back of your hand before opening it;
• if it is hot, do not open it; block the bottom of the door with a sheet or towel, then signal your presence from a window or accessible balcony;
• crawl below the smoke;
• proceed to the assembly point, check that occupants are accounted for and call 9-1-1;
• never go back inside, even for a person, pet or personal belongings;
• follow the instructions of emergency responders.

4. Tools to download and share

To help everyone prepare, CORPIQ and the Montreal Fire Department provide two complementary quick reference guides.

Quick reference guide for landlords

This document outlines the measures to implement in the building and includes a section for recording important information.

It should be completed and kept by the property owner or manager in an easily accessible location. Since it may contain sensitive information, it is not intended to be posted in common areas.

Download the quick reference guide for landlords

Quick reference guide for tenants

This document outlines the steps tenants should know and includes a section where each household can record information relevant to their evacuation.

Landlords are encouraged to provide it to their tenants. Once completed, it should be kept inside the dwelling in a visible and easily accessible location, such as on the refrigerator. Because it may contain personal information, the completed document should not be posted in common areas.

Download the quick reference guide for tenants

In common areas, it is recommended instead to post the building’s evacuation plan and general fire safety instructions.

Providing simple, clearly understood and easily accessible instructions is an essential preparedness measure. Landlords, managers and occupants must ensure that fire safety instructions and evacuation procedures are known and accessible at all times.

In an emergency, call 9-1-1.