Enbridge Gas Teams Up with Essa Fire Department to Reduce Fire and Carbon Monoxide Deaths through Safe Community Project Zero

November 15, 2023 – Today, Enbridge Gas Inc. (Enbridge Gas) and the Essa Fire Department announced they are working together to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.

Essa Fire Department received 234 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 10,000 alarms to residents in 50 municipalities across Ontario.

This year, Enbridge Gas invested $315,000 in Safe Community Project Zero, and over the past 15 years, the program has provided more than 86,000 alarms to Ontario fire departments.

When properly installed and maintained, combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms help provide 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.

“Properly maintaining fuel burning equipment is the best way to reduce potential exposure to carbon monoxide, and an alarm is a critical second line of defense for protection. When we implement these strategies together, we protect our loved ones from carbon monoxide poisoning, also known as the silent killer,” says Andrew Craig, Operations Supervisor, GTA West Region, Enbridge Gas.

“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 fire departments can adopt to help educate their communities about the requirement for all Ontario homes to have a carbon monoxide alarm if they have a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage.”

“I would like to thank Enbridge Gas for their donation and ongoing commitment to work with area fire departments to enhance community life safety,” says Fire Chief Doug Burgin. “The donation of these alarms will help our department ensure that those in our community who need alarms have greater access to them.”

About the Fire Department

The Essa Fire Department consists of a group of dedicated volunteer firefighters who provide fire and emergency services to the residents of Essa Township 365 days a year. The department operates from two fire stations, located in Angus and Thornton.

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 Enbridge Gas Inc.

Enbridge Gas is Canada’s largest natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario, with 2023 marking its 175th anniversary of serving customers. The distribution business provides safe, affordable, reliable energy to about 3.9 million customers and is leading the transition to a clean energy future through net-zero emissions targets and investments in innovative low-carbon energy solutions. 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 is owned by Enbridge (ENB), a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution. Visit enbridgegas.com to learn more.

For more information, please contact:

Fire Chief Doug Burgin, Essa Fire Department
Tel: 705-424-5828
Email: fire@essatownship.on.ca

Kathy Ash, Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council
Tel: 1-866-379-6668 ext. 105
Email: kathy.ash@firesafetycouncil.com

Enbridge Gas Media
Email: enbridgegasmedia@enbridge.com