Funding to enhance fire safety training and inspections

DURHAM: MPP David Piccini and MPP Lindsey Park announced, on May 4th, the Ontario Government is investing $81,000 to help Fire Services address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will enhance fire safety training and support safety inspection programs to ensure compliance with the Ontario Fire Code.

“This funding will enhance opportunities for training and support fire safety inspections needed to keep our communities safe,” said MPP Piccini. “This new investment will provide the technology and equipment needed to support their operations during these unprecedented times.”

“Fire Departments have continued their essential work throughout the pandemic to support our community, and we also need to support them,” said MPP Lindsey Park. “This funding will help local fire departments respond to the impacts of COVID-19 on their training and fire services.”

The funding is part of a $5 million provincial investment to help municipal fire services respond to the local impacts of COVID-19, which created risks and unprecedented challenges for fire departments to conduct training and fire safety inspections. This one-time funding will enhance in-person and online educational instruction needs by increasing access to additional training. It will also support updates to specialized critical equipment, such as high-speed internet, to enhance virtual training and enable remote options to support fire safety and compliance with Ontario’s Fire Code while minimizing exposure to the virus.

“On behalf of the Region of Durham, we are thrilled with the Provincial Government’s investment in Durham’s Fire Services,” said Chair John Henry. “This funding will help address the impacts of COVID-19 and will help ensure that our municipal Fire Departments have the proper training and safety inspection programs needed to safely carry out their work. The work they do every day keeps our residents safe, which makes them an integral part of our community’s support system. The fact that they have carried on with this essential work throughout the entire pandemic is a testament to their strength and resilience. The Region is happy to see investment in our municipal partners. This funding is a great way to support their efforts.”

“We appreciate this critical funding contribution. It’s a great example of how the Province is supporting our first responders during this critical time and helping to improve our residents’ safety,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster.

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