Today, Enbridge Gas Inc. (Enbridge Gas), the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) and Whitby Fire and Emergency Services announced they are working together to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.

Whitby Fire and Emergency Services received 396 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Safe Community Project Zero–a public education campaign that will provide more than 8,000 alarms to residents in 50 municipalities across Ontario.

This year, Enbridge Gas invested $250,000 in Safe Community Project Zero, and over the past 14 years, the program has provided more than 76,000 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.

“Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ for a reason, and evidence shows 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 Steve McGivery, Director, GTA East Operations, Enbridge Gas.

“The objective of Safe Community Project Zero is to deliver combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to residents in Ontario communities who need them the most,” says Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair of the FMPFSC. “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.”

“Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are required to be installed and maintained under the Fire Code and Building Code in every house in Ontario,” says Fire Chief Dave Speed. “On behalf of Whitby Fire and Emergency Services, and those who live in Whitby, thank you to Enbridge for their contribution to community safety.”

About Enbridge Gas

Enbridge Gas Inc., formed on January 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.

About the FMPFSC

The FMPFSC was 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 FMPFSC promotes fire prevention and public education through sponsorships and partnerships with various groups and individuals with an interest in public safety. Follow the FMPFSC on Twitter @FMPFSC.

About Whitby Fire and Emergency Services

Whitby Fire and Emergency Services (WFES) consists of 146 employees working in four divisions, at five fire halls. They are dedicated to making the community safe and are committed to providing the highest level of service to residents of the Town of Whitby.