Enbridge Gas Inc. is helping to make some homes in Windsor and Leamington a little safer.
As part of Project Zero, the company donated combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to both municipalities. The Municipality of Leamington received 156 and 360 were given to the City of Windsor.
"We know through being out in the community that there's some people who can't afford basic things like a smoke alarm so this will give us an opportunity to get those out to people that need them," said Windsor Fire Chief Steve Laforet.
It is the law in Ontario to have working smoke alarms on every level of the house and outside all bedroom areas. Carbon monoxide detectors are mandatory for any home with a fuel-burning appliance or attached garage.
"Carbon monoxide is an odourless gas, you're not going to know that it's there until you start to feel symptoms and in some cases, people don't experience symptoms until it's too late," said Laforet.
Overall Enbridge donated 9,100 alarms to residents throughout Ontario.
"We're committed to educating the public about the importance of having fuel-burning appliances inspected annually by a licensed contractor and installing and testing combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as a vital second line of defence," said Brian Chauvin, operations manager of Enbridge.
This year, Enbridge Gas Inc. invested $275,000 in Project Zero, and over the past 11 years, the program has provided more than 44,356 alarms to Ontario fire departments.