A joint effort by Enbridge Gas, the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council and North Bay Fire and Emergency Services is hoping to improve home safety and bring fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.
NBFES has received 144 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Safe Community Project Zero–a public education campaign that will provide over 16,600 alarms to residents in 70 municipalities across Ontario.
Deputy Fire Chief Greg Saunders says that these alarms will be distributed through the North Bay Food Bank, North Bay Humane Society, and the Hawkins Gignac Foundation.
The Foundation for CO Education was established to educate Canadians on the dangers of carbon monoxide and has two primary purposes:
See: Funeral for OPP Constable Laurie Hawkins today
And: New Carbon Monoxide Detector Law still hits close to home
To educate people on the dangers of carbon monoxide gas:
- its sources
- its symptoms
- its statistics
- its prevention and detection
To raise funds to purchase carbon monoxide alarms:
- alarms will be bought at special rates from Canada’s CO alarm manufacturers
- fire departments can apply to the Foundation to receive donated alarms
In 2008,John Gignac’s niece, OPP community relations officer Laurie Hawkins, her husband Richard and children, Cassandra, 14, and Jordan, 12, died as a result of a build-up of carbon monoxide due to a blocked chimney vent.
At 41, Laurie Hawkins was a community services officer for the Oxford County OPP and was one of the most familiar faces across the region.
"She was a petite powerhouse, known for her school visits during which she delivered straight talk to young students about everything from drugs to bullying," says a news release. "Her visits to seniors residences were much anticipated, as were her stints at Camp Hope for 'at-risk' youth each summer. After policing for 19 years, she had just been appointed chief media spokesperson."
She and her husband Richard, 40, grew up in North Bay.
"He was known as a diehard hockey dad. Daughter Cassandra, who was 14, was an outgoing teen with plenty of friends but with a strong attachment to home. Son Jordan, 12, delivered newspapers with the same spirit he endured his autism. He and Laurie shared a special, deep bond. With a few soft words and locking of eyes, it was Laurie who could calm and soothe her son like no one else could."
Ben and Donna Gignac (deceased 2017) of North Bay struggle with the horrible tragedy as any parents would. But they find some comfort in knowing Laurie, Richard, Cassie and Jordan’s passing will perhaps serve as a warning beacon for other families. In her own special way, their daughter Laurie is teaching and protecting others still.
This year, Enbridge Gas invested $500,000 in Safe Community Project Zero, and over the past 13 years, the program has provided more than 68,000 alarms to Ontario fire departments.
