The Sundridge-Strong Fire Department will be able to buy firefighting training material for its volunteer firefighters thanks to a $5,000 grant from Enbridge Gas.
The grant is one of 50 donations Enbridge is providing to fire departments across Ontario for a total of $250,000.
Enbridge has been providing the annual donations to fire halls since 2012 through a program called Safe Community Project Assist, a program run in conjunction with the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council and helps firefighters acquire additional training.
Since 2012, Enbridge has made 244 grants available to Ontario fire departments.
The purchase is made up of education materials firefighters will use to enhance life-saving techniques.
Sundridge-Strong Fire Chief Andrew Torrance welcomed the grant, saying the additional training resources will help volunteers deliver the best possible service to the communities they serve.
Luke Skaarup, director of Enbridge's Northern Region Operations, says safety is a priority with the gas company, adding Enbridge is “proud to support firefighters who share our commitment to keeping our communities safe.”
Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg, chair of the Fire Marshal's Public Safety Council, says firefighting can be both dangerous and unpredictable.
Pegg says by improving access to training materials for fire departments, the Safe Community Project Assist program helps to “contribute to the health and safety of firefighters and the broader community” with the training materials.
The Sundridge-Strong Fire Department is made up of about 24 volunteers. Torrance is the only full-time employee with the department.
The fire station provides service to about 3,000 residents in the Sundridge-Strong region. The volunteers cover an area more than 350 square kilometres in size.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
