Richmond Hill hands out alarms to beat 'silent killer'

Enbridge and Richmond Hill firefighters distribute smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 21, 2023
Kim Zarzour

Almost 500 homes in Richmond Hill will receive free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through the Safe Community Project Zero program.

The devices, which can provide early warning to safely escape from a house fire or carbon monoxide exposure, will be distributed through the Richmond Hill Food Bank, YMCA of Greater Toronto -- EarlyON Child and Family Centre, McConaghy Seniors Centre and Project Abraham.

Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services announced Feb. 15 it is working with Enbridge Gas and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odourless gas that is a byproduct of incomplete combustion of many types of common fuels.

Richmond Hill Fire and Emergency Services received 486 alarms, part of a public education campaign that providing more than 8,000 alarms to residents in 50 municipalities across Ontario.

The objective of Safe Community Project Zero is to deliver alarms to residents who need them most, said 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,” Pegg said.  

“Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ for a reason, and evidence shows that prevention saves lives,” added Mike Ovsonka, with Enbridge Gas.

“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.”

In the 34 years he’s been fighting fires, Bryan Burbidge, Richmond Hill’s fire chief, says he knows too well how damaging, and sometimes deadly, fires and carbon monoxide can be.

Working alarms provide more time to escape, “but they can’t do their job if you haven’t done yours.”

Burbidge urged all Richmond Hill residents to ensure they have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed, to test them monthly and remember to check the replacement date.