Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms donated to Stratford Fire Department

NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF STRATFORD
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Today, Enbridge Gas Inc. (Enbridge Gas) and the Stratford Fire Department announced they are working together to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.

Stratford Fire Department received 210 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Safe Community Project Zero–a public education campaign with the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) that will provide more than 14,500 alarms to residents in 75 communities across Ontario.

This year, Enbridge Gas invested $450,000 in Safe Community Project Zero, and over the past 16 years, the program has provided more than 101,000 alarms to Ontario fire departments.

When properly installed and maintained, combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms help provide the early warning to safely escape from a house fire or carbon monoxide exposure. Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odourless gas that is a by-product of incomplete combustion of many types of common fuels.

“The best way to reduce potential exposure to carbon monoxide is to properly maintain fuel-burning equipment,” says Luc Cormier, Stratford Supervisor Operations, Enbridge Gas. “These alarms are a critical second line of defence against carbon monoxide poisoning, known as ‘the silent killer.’ We’re proud to support our communities, and raise awareness and help Ontarians implement these protection strategies.”

“Across Ontario there is a renewed focus on the importance of having working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home. The objective of Safe Community Project Zero is to deliver these alarms to areas where they are needed most,” says Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair of the FMPFSC. “It’s a program that helps fire departments educate their communities about the requirements to have working smoke alarms installed in all Ontario homes and for all Ontario homes to have a carbon monoxide alarm if they have a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage.”

“This is not the first time that Enbridge Gas has supported the citizens of Stratford and their fire department with the provision of early warning, life-saving equipment. The Safe Community Project Zero initiative, supporting communities across Ontario, has provided thousands of combination smoke/carbon monoxide detectors to those who required them for their protection,” says Fire Chief Neil Anderson. “With many residences equipped with fuel-burning appliances, these detectors will provide added protection from the silent killer that is carbon monoxide. On behalf of our citizens, the Stratford Fire Department is grateful for this thoughtful donation.”

Andrew Rogerson, fire inspector for the department, said SFD will distribute the new alarms on a case-by-case basis when they are out on calls.

"Our goal is to make sure everyone has a working alarm in their home, and we will have these new alarms on our trucks when we're out at calls," he said. "These are for the people who are in need and we're going to make sure they are protected when we leave. We make it a practice to make sure homes have a working alarm somewhere in the residence no matter what the call to that residence was. If anyone has questions about their current home alarms, we encourage them to contact us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to assist you with any questions that you have."

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