Enbridge Gas partners with Brantford Fire on Safe Community Project Zero

BRANTFORD, ON – On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, the Brantford Fire Department, Enbridge Gas Inc. (Enbridge Gas) and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC), announced they are working in collaboration to improve home safety by reducing fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths through a public education campaign that will provide 354 combination smoke and monoxide alarms to residents in Brantford through Safe Community Project Zero.

“We are thrilled to be participating in Safe Community Project Zero,” says Brantford Fire Chief, Todd Binkley. “This important initiative will allow the Brantford Fire Department the opportunity to continue to educate the public on the importance of having working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes.”

Safe Community Project Zero is a public education campaign that will provide more than 8,000 alarms to residents in 50 municipalities across Ontario. In 2023, Enbridge Gas will invest $250,000 in the project. Over the past 14 years, the program has provided more than 76,000 alarms to Ontario fire departments.

“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 Al Duesling, Supervisor Operations, Southeast Region – Brantford, Enbridge Gas.

When properly installed and maintained, combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms provide home owners an 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 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.”

Photo Caption: Picture left to right, John Gignac representing the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC), Alexandra Townsend – representing the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), Susan Bridges – representing AgePro (rear), Ruby Toor – representing the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) (front), Al Duesling – representing Enbridge Gas Inc, Brantford Fire Chief Todd Binkley, City of Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis, Deputy Fire Chief Dwayne Armstrong, Krista Law representing VON (front), and City of Brantford CAO, Brian Hutchings (rear).

- 30 -

About the Fire Department
The Brantford Fire Department protects citizens and our community from fires, emergencies, and life-threatening situations. This includes safety programs, rescue operations and by responding to emergencies. Brantford Fire also provide education, prevention and suppression services. The Department was established in 1889.

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
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.

Media Contact:
Kelly Page | Communications Specialist, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | 519-759-4150 ext. 5779 | kpage@brantford.ca

Additional Contacts:
Scott Hardwick | Chief Fire Prevention Officer
Brantford Fire Department | 519.752.0540 ext. 5097 | shardwick@brantford.ca

Kathy Ash | Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council
1.866.379.6668 ext. 105 | kathy.ash@firesafetycouncil.com

Enbridge Gas Inc. Media | enbridgegasmedia@enbridge.com