Enbridge Gas and Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services Working to Reduce Fire and Carbon Monoxide Deaths through Safe Community Project Zero 

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

Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services received 486 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 defence to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning,” says Mike Ovsonka, Manager Station Operations, 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.” 

“We are grateful for the support of Enbridge Gas and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council in helping us to keep our community safe,” says Bryan Burbidge, Fire Chief, Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services. “As a member of the fire service for 34 years, I know too well how damaging, and sometimes deadly, fires and carbon monoxide incidents can be. Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms provide early warning and more time to escape safely – but they can’t do their job if you haven’t done yours. I urge all Richmond Hill residents to ensure they have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed in their homes. Test all alarms monthly by pushing the test button, and remember to check the date – replace all alarms before they expire.” 

About Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services

Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services is a full-time, career department that proudly provides fire, medical and rescue services to the citizens and visitors of the City of Richmond Hill. We are committed to protecting the lives and property of our community through excellence in prevention, education, training and emergency response. Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services staff work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help keep our community safe. For more information, visit RichmondHill.ca/Fire or connect with us on social media @RHFES. 

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. 

For more information, please contact: 

Shanyn Godward, Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services
Tel: 905-883-5444 ext. 2907
Email: shanyn.godward@richmondhill.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