Have you checked your CO detector is working? Here's why it might be expiring this year

Representatives from the St. Thomas Fire Department, Fire Marshal’s Public Safety Council, and Enbridge Gas gathered in St. Thomas on Wednesday to celebrate a donation.

“I know the public may think ‘I’ve heard it before, I’ve heard it before,’” said Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council Executive Director Jamie Kovacs, “As a volunteer firefighter myself, and going into homes, I’ll tell you it’s around 40 per cent don’t have working alarms, or don’t have any at all.”

The group was hoping to take a bite out of that statistic, meeting to commemorate the donation of over 200 smoke and CO alarms from Enbridge to the St. Thomas Fire Department.

St. Thomas Fire Department badge, October 30, 2024 (Bailey Shakyaver/CTV News London)

“This donation from Enbridge will allow us to continue to ensure everyone in St. Thomas has the most important fire safety tool for their home… smoke and CO alarms! We extend our thanks to Enbridge for this donation from their Project Zero campaign,” said Fire Chief Dave Gregory.

The donation is part of Safe Community Project Zero, which will provide more than 14,000 alarms to people across Ontario.

“Across Ontario, there is a renewed focus on the importance of having working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home. The objective of Safe Community Project Zero is to deliver these alarms to areas where they are needed most,” said Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair of the FMPFSC. “It’s a program that helps fire departments educate their communities about the requirements to have working smoke alarms in all Ontario homes and for all Ontario homes to have a carbon monoxide alarm if they have a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage.”

Made possible this year by a generous donation of $450,000 by Enbridge, Kovacs said that of particular importance to him, is making sure that your carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.

Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council Executive Director Jamie Kovacs at St. Thomas Central Fire Station, October 30, 2024 (Bailey Shakyaver/CTV News London)

“We’re on a very, very important anniversary – in January of this year it’s been ten years since the Hawkins-Gignac Carbon Monoxide Law was passed in Ontario, which means it’s now illegal to not have carbon monoxide [detectors], so a lot of these alarms are expiring.”

Make a point of checking that your alarms are working or contact your local fire department if you need a hand. As Kovacs puts it, “The only thing that’s going to wake you up, and get you out, is that alarm.”