KAWARTHA LAKES-Kawartha Lakes Fire and Rescue Service recently received 282 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Safe Community Project Zero–a public education campaign that will provide more than 14,500 alarms to residents in 75 communities across Ontario.
Project Zero is a partnership between Enbridge Gas Inc. (Enbridge Gas), Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service (KLFRS) and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) announced they are working together to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.
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.
Officials say 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 Jeff Braithwaite, Supervisor Operations, GTA East, 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.”
“We are committed to ensuring that every home in our community is equipped with working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Programs like Safe Community Project Zero are invaluable in helping us reach that goal, providing essential tools and education to protect residents from the dangers of fire and carbon monoxide,” says Fire Chief Terry Jones, Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service. “Together, we can make Kawartha Lakes a safer place for all.”
