Safety First! Donation to Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services Aimed at Keeping Students Safe

Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) are the proud recipients of 702 Kidde Canada 10-year, worry-free combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms valued at approximately $42,112. The donation comes as part of Safe Community Project Zero – a public education campaign delivered through the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council, funded by Enbridge Gas Inc. The program provides select fire departments with combination alarms to improve fire safety in homes and help lower fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths. This year’s alarm donation will help keep students safe who are attending and living off campus at the University of Toronto – Mississauga and Sheridan College – Hazel McCallion Campus.

“I want to thank Enbridge for their generosity and for selecting Mississauga as one of the beneficiaries,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “Our fire department is there for us when we need them most – but fire safety requires all of us to do our part. This includes making sure working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are in our homes and knowing the three keys to safety: prevention, detection and an escape plan when it comes to saving lives and your property from fire. The goal of fire safety education through programs like Safe Community Project Zero is to provide our community with the tools and skills required to reduce the risk of fires and know what to do and how to respond if a fire does occur.”

“Sixty per cent of the fires MFES has responded to in the last five years either did not have a working smoke alarm or the presence of one could not be determined. When properly installed and maintained, combination alarms help provide early warning to safely escape from a house fire or carbon monoxide exposure,” said Deryn Rizzi, Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management. “Carbon monoxide is known as a silent killer. It’s a toxic, odourless gas that can lead to illness and death when levels become too high. We know post-secondary students are often pre-occupied with new surroundings, school demands and an active social life, so fire safety may not be top of mind. With these combination alarms, we’re helping to ensure that students are kept safe and protected.”

According to MFES public education, one working smoke alarm must be installed on each floor of a home, with at least one alarm outside of each sleeping area. Additionally, it is also recommended that a smoke alarm be installed inside every bedroom. A combination alarm is one device that provides protection from both fire and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

For more information about fire safety and prevention in Mississauga, visit mississauga.ca/fire.

Quotes:

“Every year, students make the exciting decision to come to U of T Mississauga, either living in residence, commuting from home or moving into local rental housing. Our students are vital members of the Mississauga and Peel communities, and they need safe, affordable housing. Safe Community Project Zero is a campaign designed with protection in mind – ensuring that our student renters have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in their spaces. We are grateful to our partners at Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council and Enbridge Gas for helping to keep our students safe.” – Alexandra Gillespie, Vice-President, University of Toronto & Principal, University of Toronto Mississauga

“Sheridan is very happy to be partnering with MFES to help ensure the safety and continued development of our students. Safe Community Project Zero helps to keep students safe and educate them on fire safety, how to be a good neighbour and be a responsible tenant. We’re very grateful to be part of this initiative at our Hazel McCallion Campus in Mississauga and extend our gratitude to MFES and Enbridge Gas for their commitment to the well-being of our community, and our students.”
– Christine Szustaczek, Vice-President – External Relations, Sheridan College

“Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ for a reason and we have proof 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 alarms are a critical second line of defence to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.” – Ryan Werenich, Operations Manager, Enbridge Gas

“The objective of Safe Community Project Zero is to deliver combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to Ontario communities who need them the most. 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.” – Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair of the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council

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• Emergency and Preparedness
• Fire and Emergency Services
• Public Safety