Spreading the word about smoke alarms in NDG

WATCH ABOVE: The Montreal fire department is launching a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of smoke alarms in preventing fire-related deaths. Billy Shields reports.

MONTREAL – Martin Boyer was lucky. Two years ago, he fell asleep while smoking and his house caught fire. His family barely survived.

Though his arms suffered burns, he said he feels fortunate:

“Not everyone is as lucky as I am.”

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He spoke as part of a campaign by the Montreal fire department to get smoke alarms into homes. Saturday they targeted Notre-Dame-de-Grace (NDG).

According to Stephane Dorion, a fire prevention chief, the public isn’t sufficiently aware of the alarms’ importance:

“We look at it like raising awareness on drinking and driving.”

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A brigade of 45 student firefighters went out and knocked on doors in NDG, handing out free alarms to houses without them.