PRESS RELEASE – Frigid and snowy weekend ahead – Urgences-santé asks for the help of Montréal and Laval residents

Montréal, January 18th, 2019 – With extreme cold temperatures and a winter storm forecast for the weekend, all Urgences-santé personnel are ready and on alert. Urgences-santé would also like to remind Montréal and Lavalresidents of things they can do to help and to prevent overburdening emergency services.

Important reminders

About snow

• Make sure your home is accessible by clearing the snow from your path and outdoor stairs and spreading abrasive;
• Make sure your address is clearly visible from the street and lit if possible;
• Leave the outdoor light on;
• Walk and drive carefully!

About cold

• The expected temperatures can cause frostbite in 30 minutes or less in strong wind;
• Dress warmly and cover all body parts that are exposed to cold and wind;
• Don’t go out alone in any isolated area;
• If you’re outdoors, find shelter and keep moving;
• If you lose feeling in part of your body, if you have a tingling sensation, or if your skin turns red or white, you have frostbite. Get out of the cold and call 8-1-1 immediately, or go to a clinic.

About carbon monoxide

• Make sure your heating system, carbon monoxide detector and smoke detector are in good working order;
• Be alert to symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness;
• If you believe you have been poisoned, go outside immediately and call 9-1-1. Do not re-enter the premises without authorization.

9-1-1 vs 8-1-1
To avoid straining emergency services, members of the public should call Urgences-santé only in an emergency. For any non-emergency situation, call the Info-Santé health line (8-1-1). It is free and available 24/7.

Urgences-santé thanks the paramedics, dispatchers and support staff who are doing outstanding work to provide the public with first-rate service.

About Corporation d’urgences-santé
Corporation d’urgences-santé is the largest emergency paramedical services organization in Québec. It is under the responsibility of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. Urgences-santé has more than 1,500 employees, including more than 1,000 paramedics and more than 110 dispatchers, serving the 2.5 million residents of Montréal and Laval.

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For further informations
Communications department (Media line)
514 723-5480