Don't be alarmed: Sirens will be going off across Montreal this Friday but it's just a test

If you hear loud sirens in your Montreal neighbourhood this Friday morning, don't worry — it's only a drill.

The Ville de Montréal is conducting its annual emergency siren test on Friday, May 9, at nine industrial sites across the island that store or handle dangerous substances. The tests will take place between 8:30 a.m. and noon, depending on the location.

These sirens are part of the city's alert system for industrial accidents, such as toxic leaks, fires, or chemical spills. In the event of a real emergency, the sirens would signal residents nearby to shelter in place immediately and await further instructions.

The Ville de Montréal shared the following video on Facebook on Wednesday to give people an idea of how the sirens should sound:

This year's test involves facilities in areas including Lachine, LaSalle, Saint-Laurent, Saint-Léonard, Dorval, Anjou, Rivière-des-Prairies, and Montréal-Est. Each location has a different test time depending on the plant. For example, the Suncor Energy site in Montréal-Est will start at 8:30 a.m., while Les Entreposages Frigorifiques Total in Anjou will test around 11:40 a.m.

The city says the annual drill helps ensure the system is working and that responders and residents are prepared in case of a real emergency. People who live near these zones should have received a notice in advance.

Here's Friday's full siren schedule:

• Between 8:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m.: Produits Suncor Énergie - Usine de soufre
• Between 8:50 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.: Dural – Multibond
• Between 9:10 a.m. and 9:40 a.m.: Saputo Produits laitiers Canada, Saint-Laurent
• Between 9:40 a.m. and 10 a.m.: Agropur Coopérative
• Between 10:20 a.m. and 10:40 a.m.: Lactalis Canada
• Between 10:40 a.m. and 11 a.m.: La Brasserie Labatt
• Between 11 a.m. and 11:20 a.m.: Saputo Produits laitiers Canada, Saint-Léonard
• Between 11:20 a.m. and 11:40 a.m.: Bœuf Mérite-Metro Richelieu
• Between 11:40 a.m. and 12 p.m.: Les entreposages frigorifiques Tota

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