Firefighter training funds will ‘assist immensely’

Enbridge Gas Ontario is helping Whitchurch-Stouffville Fire & Emergency Services (WSFES) purchase firefighting training materials through Safe Community Project Assist.

“We’re proud to support Ontario firefighters with emergency response training that helps them strengthen their skills, stay prepared and continue protecting the vibrant communities they serve,” says Desirée Swance, advisor of Municipal & Stakeholder Engagement, Enbridge Gas.

Safe Community Project Assist, a joint program with the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC), supplements existing training for Ontario volunteer and composite fire departments in the communities in which Enbridge Gas operates.

Twenty-five Ontario fire departments – including WSFES – will share this year’s $125,000 investment from Enbridge Gas. Funds are used to purchase educational materials to assist in training firefighters in life-saving techniques.

WSFES is run by full-time and volunteer staff operating out of two stations that provide fire prevention, educational services and emergency response to urban and rural communities located in the Town of Stouffville. “We are very pleased to have been selected as a recipient of the Safe Community Project Assist campaign,” says WSFES Fire Chief Bill Snowball. “This donation will assist WSFES immensely in our training and certification requirements.”

Since the launch of Safe Community Project Assist in 2012, 394 grants have been provided to Ontario fire departments. “Fire departments across Ontario train every single day and that is why it is important for them to have access to the right materials to keep their members and the public safe,” says Ontario Fire Marshal and FMPFSC Chair Jon Pegg. “Safe Community Project Assist helps departments afford these essential training tools and supports the ongoing learning that keeps the fire service safe.”

Enbridge Gas Ontario is Canada’s largest natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario. The FMPFSC was established in 1993 with a mission to help create “a world where no one is hurt by fire.” Chaired by the Ontario Fire Marshal, it promotes fire prevention and public education through sponsorships and partnerships with various groups and individuals with an interest in public safety.

Photo courtesy of the Town of Stouffville.