TransCanada's $825,000 Grant Strengthens Pipeline Safety Awareness for Firefighters and Emergency Responders

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Aug. 13, 2013) - TransCanada (TSX:TRP) (NYSE:TRP) (TransCanada) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) have started a four-year partnership aimed at improving pipeline safety awareness for firefighters and emergency responders across the United States and Canada.

An $825,000 donation from TransCanada to the IAFC to fund the partnership will be announced at the IAFC Fire-Rescue International Conference and Expo at the Sheraton Chicago in Chicago today at 11:45 a.m.

"Safety is priority one for both TransCanada and the IAFC and so this partnership will be a significant benefit to our employees, IAFC's members and ultimately the communities we do business in," said Vern Meier, TransCanada vice president - Pipeline Safety & Compliance. "This partnership will result in further improvements to the availability of high quality training and awareness materials for pipelines targeting emergency responders and firefighters. In the unlikely event of an incident, TransCanada employees and first responders have clearly-defined roles to help protect the public and the environment, and this partnership will enable us to have a unified approach and a consistent response before, during and after any incidents."
Some highlights of the partnership include:

• Improving the availability of high quality online training programs for energy and pipeline safety, encompassing incident prevention and response
• Development of toolkits to be used by first responders, which will include fact sheets, talking points, safety guides and information on prevention efforts
• IAFC involvement in TransCanada's regional emergency response field exercises for departments located near company assets

"Fire departments have many tools they use to keep their communities safe, but among the most vital are training and the collaboration of community stakeholders," said Chief Hank Clemmensen, IAFC president and chairman of the board. "For 140 years, the IAFC has been a champion of fire department training and education, making sure responders stay out in front of the changes in the built environment and local infrastructure. The IAFC is pleased to bring our expertise in responder fuels training to this partnership with TransCanada to develop high-quality educational programs, and build relationships that support the safety of communities."

Since 2008, TransCanada has contributed over $2,333,052 CAD to our community partners and leaders whose mission is to grow and support emergency response and preparedness. Through these partnerships we have supported over 370 fire departments and organizations in 28 U.S. states and five provinces. These communities are better prepared to help improve community resilience against disasters in the area.

With more than 60 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure, including natural gas and oil pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 68,500 kilometres (42,500 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent's largest providers of gas storage and related services with more than 400-billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns or has interests in over 11,800 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is developing one of North America's largest oil delivery systems. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. For more information visit: www.transcanada.com/ or check us out on Twitter @TransCanada or http://blog.transcanada.com

The International Association of Fire Chiefs represents the leadership of firefighters and emergency responders worldwide. IAFC members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety legislation. Since 1873, the IAFC has provided a forum for its members to exchange ideas, develop professionally and uncover the latest products and services available to first responders.