Carbon monoxide awareness group visits Maritimes [Video]

An education foundation is sharing information about the dangers of carbon monoxide in the Maritimes this week.

The Hawkins-Gignac Foundation visited the Moncton Fire Department Tuesday as part of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week. The group is touring multiple departments and donating hundreds of detectors.

“Fifteen years ago, I lost my niece, her husband and both their children to carbon monoxide in their home in Woodstock, Ont.,” said founder John Gignac. “When I retired from the fire service, I started the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation because there was absolutely no information out there about carbon monoxide and I wanted to honour the family.”

Moncton Fire Chief Keith Guptill said the department responds to 75-to-80 carbon monoxide calls each year.

“You can’t see it, you can’t smell it and it’s silent,” Guptill said. “We’ve been on calls where a wife has called in and said, ‘My husband’s in the garage, I see him laying on the floor.’ …