Enbridge Gas is helping the Fort Erie Fire Department purchase firefighting training materials, through Safe Community Project Assist–a program with the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council that supplements existing training for Ontario volunteer and composite fire departments in the communities where Enbridge operates.
“At Enbridge Gas, safety is our priority. We’re proud to support Ontario firefighters who share our commitment to keeping our communities safe,” says Bike Balkanci, Director GTA West/Niagara Operations, Enbridge Gas.
This year’s $250,000 donation from Enbridge Gas will be shared by 50 Ontario fire departments, including the Fort Erie Fire Department. Funds will be used to purchase educational materials for firefighters to enhance life-saving techniques.
Since the launch of Safe Community Project Assist in 2012, 244 grants have been provided to Ontario fire departments for additional firefighter training.
“Safe Community Project Assist improves access to training materials for fire departments,” says Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair of the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council. “Firefighting can be dangerous and unpredictable, and these training materials positively contribute to the health and safety of firefighters and the broader community.”
“The continuous improvement of a fire department requires passionate people, the will to excel, and the resources to train the remarkable men and women of our department,” says Fire Chief Ed Melanson. “The Safe Community Project Assist grant is a welcome contribution to all of the fire service training programs we provide.”
About the Fort Erie Fire Department
The Fort Erie Fire Department’s structure mimics that of the Ontario Fire Marshal’s three lines of defense, specifically; Public Education, Fire Prevention, and Suppression. This skilled and compassionate department consists of a public education division with fifteen volunteer public educators, a three-person career fire prevention division and, a response division containing 110 volunteer firefighters spread amongst four volunteer fire stations. The three divisions are all supported by an administrative staff consisting of a fire chief, deputy fire chief, senior administrative assistant, administrative clerk, and a mechanical officer located at Central Station Headquarters, 444 Central Avenue.
About the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council
The Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (Council) is a registered charity established in 1993 with a mission to help create “a world where no one is hurt by fire.” The Council, chaired by the Ontario Fire Marshal, promotes fire prevention and public education through sponsorships and partnerships with various groups and individuals with an interest in public safety. Follow the Council 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 percent 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.comor follow us on Twitter @EnbridgeGas.
