Town kicks off fire safety program for older adults: Safe Community Project Zero program also recently launched

By Zachary Roman

The Town of Caledon is hoping a new program will help Caledon residents safely age in place.

On February 24, the Town announced that Caledon Fire and Emergency Services was partnering with Age-Friendly Caledon for a new program that will help ensure older adults in Caledon are living in a fire-safe environment and are prepared in case of an emergency.

The program is called the “Older Adult Home Safety Program” and is targeted towards those aged 65 and older who are living independently.

Caledon's Deputy Fire Chief of Community Safety, Samantha Hoffman, said those who apply for the program will get a free home visit from a Caledon Fire public educator. 

“During the visit, a home safety plan will be developed, hazards in the home identified, and combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms will be installed where needed,” said Hoffman.

The program is free for all 65-plus community members to apply to, and family members or caregivers can also apply for it on behalf of someone. The same applies to community agencies and health-care providers.

According to the Town, at age 65, people are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large. By 75, the risk is three times as likely, and by 85 it is four times as likely.

Based on 2021 census data, 15 per cent of Caledon residents are aged 65 or above, and it's estimated that by 2031 the number of residents ages 65 and above will nearly double.

“As our older adult population is increasing, it is imperative to take preventative measures to reduce injuries and increase home safety, encouraging residents of Caledon to age well and age in place,” said Town staff in a release. “Advocating for an increase in preventative health-check programs, such as the Older Adult Home Safety Program, will help mitigate the risks brought upon by emergency situations – including fires.”

The Town received funding for its Older Adult Home Safety Program through the Seniors Community Grant Program, which is administered by the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility.

To find out more about the program, or to sign up yourself or a loved one, visit caledon.ca/homesafety.

The Older Adult Home Safety Program is one of two fire safety programs recently announced by the Town.

On March 1, the Town announced Caledon Fire, Enbridge Gas, and the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) had partnered to provide free combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to Caledon residents — with a goal of bringing fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero.

A total of 324 alarms were received by Caledon Fire through “Safe Community Project Zero” which is a campaign that's running Province-wide to provide more than 8,000 alarms to residents in 50 municipalities.

In 2023, Enbridge Gas invested $250,000 into the program. Ryan Werenich, GTA West Region manager of operations for Enbridge Gas, said the best way to avoid carbon monoxide exposure is to eliminate it at the source by properly maintaining fuel-burning equipment. 

“Alarms are a critical second line of defense to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning,” said Werenich.

Jon Pegg, Ontario's Fire Marshal and Chair of FMPFSC, said the goal of Safe Community Project Zero is to deliver alarms to those most in need.

“It's a program that fire departments can adopt to help educate their communities about the requirement for all Ontario homes to have a CO alarm if they have a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage,” said Pegg.

Hoffman said Caledon Fire is proud to partner with the FMPFSC and Enbridge on Project Zero and said the donation of the alarms will allow Caledon Fire to continue protecting Caledon's most vulnerable community members.