Union Gas is helping the Saugeen Shores Fire Department keep people safe by providing new combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The utility is providing 30 premium detectors, which feature built-in rechargeable batteries that never have to be replaced for the duration of the 10-year life span of the detectors.
Fire Chief Phil Eagleson says crews will leave behind a new detector in situations where they find a family has an out-of-date or malfunctioning smoke or CO detector, particularly in cases like overnight calls where it's impossible for the homeowner to immediately replace their old detectors.
He says the fire department now has the new premium detectors, as well as more standard detectors to distribute, so they will be able to provide the new detectors to higher-risk areas, like the municipal tourist camps.
"The seasonal residents in the parks and the camps, where it's common to forget about smoke alarms once in awhile, we'll use the 10-year alarms there and give them the best protection we can," says Eagleson.
The new combination smoke-CO detectors were provided by Union Gas as part of Project Zero, which will see 500 of the detectors distributed to fire departments across the province.