MEDIA RELEASE
Middlesex Centre, August 27, 2026 – Middlesex Centre Fire Services (MCFS) has received $79,500 through the Province of Ontario’s Fire Protection Grant 2025-2026 to advance firefighter health and safety initiatives and help reduce occupational health risks associated with emergency response.
The funding supports the completion of two key components of MCFS's Wellness Program: enhanced decontamination procedures and the modernization of personal protective equipment. The project includes the purchase of a dedicated decontamination trailer and specialized protective equipment designed to help reduce firefighters’ exposure to harmful contaminants and known carcinogens.
Firefighters face a significantly higher risk of occupational cancer than the general population, making prevention, decontamination and protective equipment critical components of firefighter wellness.
The new made-in-Ontario decontamination trailer provides a centralized resource for on-scene and post-incident rehabilitation and decontamination. Equipped with specialized equipment and supplies, the trailer helps firefighters remove contaminants from protective gear and exposed skin before returning to service or leaving an incident scene.
Funding also supports the purchase of specialized exterior-use gear and additional PPE, helping extend the lifespan of structural firefighting equipment while ensuring firefighters have the appropriate protection for a variety of emergency responses.
The project builds on MCFS's ongoing four-phase Wellness Program, a long-term initiative focused on cancer prevention, exposure reduction, mental health and overall firefighter well-being.
Quotes:
- “Every firefighter deserves to come home safely after serving their community. This investment will help Middlesex Centre Fire Services strengthen its health and safety measures, reduce exposure to harmful contaminants, and provide firefighters with the equipment and resources they need to stay protected. Our government is proud to support the dedicated men and women who put their safety on the line to protect others.”
– Steve Pinsonneault, MPP for Lambton–Kent–Middlesex
- “The health and safety of our firefighters is a top priority. This funding is helping Middlesex Centre continue investing in equipment and programs that protect the dedicated firefighters who serve our community. By reducing occupational health risks, we’re helping ensure firefighters have the resources they need to remain safe, healthy and ready to respond when residents need them most.”
– Mayor Aina DeViet, Municipality of Middlesex Centre
- “This investment allows us to build on the work we’ve already done to support firefighter wellness. The equipment funded through this grant will benefit every member of our fire service and support our commitment to firefighter health and safety.”
– Colin Toth, Director of Emergency Services & Fire Chief for Middlesex Centre
---
Main Photo: Members of Middlesex Centre Council and Middlesex Centre Fire Services staff were joined by MPP Steve Pinsonneault to recognize $79,500 in funding from the Province of Ontario’s Fire Protection Grant 2025-2026. The funding supported the purchase of a made-in-Ontario decontamination trailer and specialized protective equipment to help reduce firefighters’ exposure to harmful contaminants and known carcinogens.
(left to right): Councillor Hugh Aerts, Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator Lindsay Dodge, Coldstream District Fire Chief Launie Fletcher, Councillor Sue Cates, MPP Steve Pinsonneault, Mayor Aina DeViet, Deputy Mayor John Brennan, Councillor Jean Coles, Director of Emergency Services & Fire Chief Colin Toth, and Deputy Fire Chief Scott Roper
---
Media Contact:
Heather Kepran
Municipality of Middlesex Centre