Retired firefighter now fighting for carbon monoxide legislation
A firefighting veteran has taken up a new crusade in his retirement, and is in St. John's to continue his campaign for carbon monoxide laws to be established in every Canadian province and territory.
John Gignac knows first hand the toll carbon monoxide can take: in 2008, his niece, her husband and their two young children died from carbon monoxide poisoning inside their home in Woodstock, Ont.
"They weren't aware of the fact that they should have their appliances checked on a yearly basis. So when they turned their [gas] fireplace on downstairs, it had actually been so dirty that it blocked all the gases from going outside the home," Gignac said.
"It took them all."
The personal tragedy spurred Gignac to public action. As co-chair of the Hawkins-Gignac Foundation for Carbon Monoxide Education, he is trying to get legislation enacted to make it mandatory for homes to have carbon monoxide detectors.
"The longer we wait, the more people are affected. I say let's get it done today."
Having succeeded in Ontario and Yukon — "It took us six years in Ontario, it should've taken us six weeks" — Gignac is now bringing his message to Newfoundland and Labrador as the featured speaker at the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs' annual conference.
The silent killer
Carbon monoxide is often known as being a silent killer because of its menacing qualities: the gas is colourless, odourless and tasteless.
"It's one of the most dangerous poisons in the home today," Gignac told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.
"It's very deceiving, because a lot of people are affected by carbon monoxide that we don't know about. They go to the hospitals and they don't realize that its carbon monoxide in their home."
The technology to detect the gas is well-established, and Gignac said recent advances make home detectors even more user-friendly. New models don't require a change in batteries, but rather start beeping after 10 years to let homeowners know when it's time to replace the detector altogether.
Gignac said if legislation in the province isn't passed, he still won't stop his campaign.
"Education is really the key."
