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Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week in Oxford County

Wednesday, 2 November 2022 at 06:44

By Marcie Culbert

It's Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week and the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for CO Education is looking to shine a light on the deadly colourless and odourless gas.

OXFORD COUNTY - It's Carbon Monoxide Week in Oxford County and beyond.

John Gignac is the founder of the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for CO Education. He says carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas that can be deadly when it's found inside the home.

"Carbon monoxide is a gas that is created by incomplete combustion in all of your appliances such as gas stoves, gas fireplaces, and a lot of your furnace generators that people run outside. We call it the silent killer because you can't see it, smell it, or taste it. Once it enters your home, the only way you will know is if you put a carbon monoxide alarm in your house."

Gignac started the foundation back in 2009, after experiencing a tragic loss.

"In December of 2008, my niece (Laurie Hawkins) had a backup in their fireplace and they didn't have a carbon monoxide alarm. Unfortunately, my niece, her husband, and both of their children passed away. It was six months later that we started the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for CO Education."

Gignac worked with Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman to pass the legislation making carbon monoxide alarms mandatory across the province. They must be located outside of the sleeping areas of every home.

When the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation first started 13 years, Gignac says only about 20 percent of homes had carbon monoxide alarms. He says the compliance rate is now closer to 80 percent of all homes, and the foundation is doing everything in its power to reach the remaining 20 percent.

You can find more information regarding the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for CO Education and the dangers of carbon monoxide online here.

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