Written By Olena Riznyk
NORTH MIDDLESEX – On November 6 in Parkhill, Enbridge Gas Inc. announced its support for the North Middlesex Fire Department, aiding the purchase of essential training materials. This assistance is provided through the Safe Community Project Assist, a collaboration between Enbridge Gas and the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC), which aims to bolster Ontario’s fire departments with vital training resources.
Local dignitaries gathered at the event, including Fire Chief Greg Vandenheuvel, North Middlesex Mayor Brian Ropp, CAO Carolyn Tripp, Economic Development & Communications Coordinator Felicia Krista, Enbridge Gas Stratford Supervisor Operations Luc Cormier, and FMPFSC Executive Director Jamie Kovacs. Together, they emphasized the importance of ensuring firefighters have access to high-quality training resources, especially as departments continue to respond to a growing variety of emergency situations.
Luc Cormier of Enbridge Gas highlighted the company’s commitment to safety as a central corporate value: “At Enbridge, safety is at the centre of everything we do and a value we live by. We are committed to providing emergency response training support to Ontario firefighters so they can continually learn, improve, and protect the vibrant and healthy communities they call home.” Cormier noted that this year’s $125,000 investment will be shared among 25 fire departments across Ontario, helping departments like North Middlesex acquire crucial educational materials for their training programs.
The support from Enbridge is especially valuable for the North Middlesex Fire Department, which operates with a dedicated team of 50 paid-on-call firefighters stationed in Ailsa Craig and Parkhill. Fire Chief Greg Vandenheuvel explained that the grant will allow the department to expand its training across various emergency scenarios.
This contribution enables firefighters to stay prepared for the wide and unpredictable range of emergencies they encounter. Access to training resources helps firefighters keep up-to-date with evolving protocols and practices, a critical need in today’s increasingly complex landscape of public safety.
