The Champlain Township Fire Department is getting help from the Project Zero program to make the community more safe.
Officials from the fire department and Enbridge Gas announced during the November 27 session of township council that the municipality is one of many communities that will get help from the Safe Community Project Zero program.
The department will get 144 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through the program. The alarms will be available for distribution throughout the community for residents who may not be able to afford them.
“As a firefighter, our number one goal is to prevent tragedies before they happen,” stated Ghislain Pigeon, Champlain Township director of fire services. “These 144 new smoke-and-carbon-monoxide alarms will make a real difference in protecting the people we serve. Thanks to the support of Enbridge and the Safe Community Project Zero initiative, we can reach more homes, raise awareness, and help ensure every family has the tools they need to stay safe from fire and the silent threat of carbon monoxide.”
The Project Zero program is a public education campaign partnership with the Fire Marshall’s Public Fire Safety Council with the goal of providing more than 14,000 alarms to residents in 75 Ontario communities. This year Enbridge Gas is contributing $450,000 to the program and, over the past 17 years the program distributed more than 115,000 alarms through community fire departments.
The alarms, when installed and maintained, provide early-warning alerts when detecting smoke from a fire or carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless gas resulting from smouldering items and also from problems with some home heating systems and portable heaters. The gas can prove toxic when inhaled.
“Carbon monoxide alarms play a vital role in a second line of defence against this invisible threat, often called the ‘silent killer’,” stated Anik Benoit, Enbridge Gas advisor on municipal and stakeholder affairs. “Proper maintenance of fuel-burning appliances is the most effective way to prevent carbon monoxide exposure.”
Contact Champlain Fire and Emergency Services at 613-678-3003 for more details on Project Zero.
