Union Gas Supports Ontario Volunteer Firefighters

175 smoke/carbon monoxide alarms also being distributed to departments

CHATHAM, ON, Oct. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - Union Gas is teaming up with the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council with a $40,000 partnership to bring much-needed emergency training materials to seven volunteer Ontario fire departments and supply five additional Ontario fire departments with combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms to distribute to high risk areas.

Project Assist will provide the seven volunteer departments with a credit of $5,000 each to purchase firefighter training materials. The first department to benefit is North Middlesex.

"I would like to thank Union Gas and the Fire Marshal's Public Safety Council for their support," said Interim Fire Chief Scott Jones. "The timing of the Project Assist grant is perfect as it will help the North Middlesex Fire Department's training program to transition from Ontario Fire Service Standards to National Fire Protection Association Standards."

In addition to Project Assist, Union Gas will also be participating in Project Zero, which will provide five fire departments with a total of 175 complimentary combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms to distribute to high risk areas identified by the department. 

"Firefighters risk their lives every day to keep Ontarians safe. Safety is always top of mind at Union Gas, so it makes sense for us to partner with fire departments and the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council through Project Assist and Project Zero," said Union Gas President Steve Baker.

In Ontario, there are 19,233 volunteer firefighters working at a risky and demanding job. In 2012 alone, there were 11,294 outdoor, structure or vehicle fires with losses in Ontario, a number that clearly demonstrates the need for highly trained volunteer fire services.

The volunteer departments were chosen through a random draw of all applications received by Union Gas through a call out for interested departments in the company's service areas. There are 183 volunteer/composite fire departments in Ontario whose communities are serviced by Union Gas.

A commitment to vibrant communities is a core company value of Union Gas, and supporting valuable safety training programs such as Project Assist and Project Zero are ways the company demonstrates that commitment.

"Having access to up-to-date training materials is crucial to firefighter health and safety," said Ted Wieclawek, Fire Marshal of Ontario, Chief of Emergency Management and Chair of the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council. "Thanks to Union Gas, Project Assist can continue to help fire service personnel get the training materials they need to handle dangerous and unpredictable situations."

About the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council
The Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety 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 and supported by the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management, operates at arm's length from the government and promotes fire prevention and public education through sponsorships and partnerships with various groups and individuals with an interest in public safety.

About Union Gas

Union Gas Limited, a Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company, is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with 100 years of experience and service to customers, assets of over $6.4 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. The distribution business serves about 1.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across Ontario. Union Gas is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2014. For more information, visit uniongas.com or find us on Twitter: twitter.com/uniongas, Facebook: facebook.com/uniongas and YouTube: youtube.com/user/uniongas.

SOURCE: Union Gas Limited

Union Gas Limited, Andrea Stass, Manager, External Communications and Media Relations, Ph: 519 436-5490 or 1-800-571-8446 ext. 5005490, Cell: 519 365-1010, [email protected]; Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council, Kathy Ash, Campaign Coordinator, Phone: [phone] extension 105, Email: [email protected]