Indigenous Communities in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to Receive Smoke Detectors

Indigenous communities in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are set to receive hundreds of free smoke detectors, a crucial step in enhancing fire safety. The initiative, announced in Fredericton, involves a donation of approximately $500,000 worth of devices from U.S. firm Kidde. This effort is an expansion of a successful pilot program that has distributed smoke detectors across Canada over the past two years.

“

Fire departments don’t save lives, they save property. It’s the smoke alarms that save lives, and we’re fortunate to have the donation today.

The program is a collaboration between the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council and Firefighters Without Borders. Arnold Lazare, interim CEO of the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council, highlighted the critical need for these devices, stating, "Fire departments don’t save lives, they save property. It’s the smoke alarms that save lives, and we’re fortunate to have the donation today." Deadly fires disproportionately affect First Nations communities, with a 2025 study indicating Indigenous people account for 20 percent of fire-related deaths despite being only five percent of the population.

“

The smoke detector’s alarm woke him up and he escaped before their house burned to the ground.

Tammy Nash, director of the Maqiyahtimok Centre on Sitansisk First Nation, shared a personal account of how a smoke detector likely saved her son's life during a house fire in 2010. "The smoke detector’s alarm woke him up and he escaped before their house burned to the ground," Nash recalled. The donated detectors will be distributed to Sitansisk First Nation, Bilijik First Nation (Kingsclear), and Millbrook First Nation in Nova Scotia. Firefighters Without Borders will ensure the detectors are installed and residents receive fire safety education, a method proven effective in previous distributions.

“

We ensure these life-saving smoke alarms … are paired with fire safety education for families right in their homes. And we know this approach works because we’ve seen the proof.