Watford area firefighters will be visiting just under 1,500 homes this month to ensure residents have working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.
If not, the service will be installing one of 114 dual smoke and CO alarms donated through Enbridge Gas' Safe Community Project Zero.
Watford Station Fire Chief Rick Sitlington discussed the importance of the project.
"We're tying to make sure that everybody has a working smoke alarm and CO detector in their homes, and this is pretty much the only way to do it, is to go door-to-door," said Sitlington. "And anybody that doesn't have one, we install one."
Sitlington said it's law to have the alarms in your home, and that failure to do so could result in a fine of $360.
Enbridge Sarnia Operation Supervisor Robin Ellwood said this year, Enbridge is donating $315,000 to Safe Community Project Zero, something they've supported for 15 years.
"It's a special program that aims to bring the number of residential fires and carbon monoxide deaths to zero," said Ellwood. "And since inception, it's distributed more than 86,000 alarms."
Ellwood added that Enbridge is committed to educating the public.
"About the importance of having fuel burning appliances inspected annually by a licensed contractor," he said. "And installing and testing combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as a vital second line of defence."
Ellwood and Enbridge Senior Advisor Spencer Pray joined Chief Sitlington and Warwick Mayor Todd Case to announce the project at the Watford Fire Station Thursday morning.
