NEWS RELEASE
BARRIE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICE
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Today, Enbridge Gas, the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council and Barrie Fire announced they are working to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.
Barrie Fire received 354 combination smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms through Safe Community Project Zero – a public education campaign that will provide over 16,600 alarms to residents in 70 municipalities across Ontario.
This year, Enbridge Gas invested $500,000 in Safe Community Project Zero, and over the past 13 years, the program has provided more than 68,000 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 byproduct of incomplete combustion of many types of common fuels.
“Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ for a reason, and we have proof that prevention saves lives. We know that the best way to avoid carbon monoxide exposure is to eliminate it at the source by properly maintaining fuel-burning equipment, and that the alarms are a critical second line of defense to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning,” says Bike Balkanci, Director, GTA West/Niagara Operations, Enbridge Gas.
“The objective of Safe Community Project Zero is to deliver combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to Ontario communities who need them the most,” says Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair of the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council. “It’s a program that fire departments can adopt to help educate their communities about the requirement for all Ontario homes to have a CO alarm if they have a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage.”
“Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are the most important elements in ensuring the residents of Barrie have the best opportunity to be alerted early to an emergency in their home and use those valuable seconds to escape safely. Through strong partnerships with Enbridge and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council, this donation will allow Barrie Fire to help even more residents in our city to be safe in their homes,” says Fire Chief Cory Mainprize.
About Barrie Fire and Emergency Service
Barrie Fire and Emergency Service (BFES) is a team of dedicated professionals delivering a vast array of emergency services to the citizens, businesses, and visitors to Barrie. Originally organized in 1844, BFES has become one of the most respected fire services in Ontario, providing high-level service in: fire inspection/code enforcement, fire protection, technical rescue, training, communications, origin and cause investigations, and emergency management planning.
About the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council
The Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (Council) is a registered charity established in 1993 with a mission to help create “a world where no one is hurt by fire.” Chaired by the Ontario Fire Marshal, the Council promotes fire prevention and public education through sponsorships and partnerships with various groups and individuals with an interest in public safety. Follow the Council on Twitter @FMPFSC.
About Enbridge Gas
Enbridge Gas Inc., formed on Jan. 1, 2019 from the amalgamation of Union Gas Limited and Enbridge Gas Distribution, is Canada's largest natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with a more than 170-year history of providing safe and reliable service to customers. The distribution business serves about 3.8 million customers, heating over 75 per cent of Ontario homes.
The storage and transmission business offers a variety of storage and transportation services to customers at the Dawn Hub, the largest integrated underground storage facility in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Enbridge Gas Inc. is owned by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution. For more information, visit www.enbridgegas.com or follow us on Twitter @EnbridgeGas.
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