Central York Fire Services (CYFS) is seeking feedback from Aurora and Newmarket residents to help guide and improve their services. Residents can complete an online survey open May 10 to 24, 2022. The community's feedback will help inform the creation of the CYFS' 10-year Fire Master Plan (FMP) which will guide the department in providing effective and efficient fire protection and emergency services to the two communities it serves as they grow.
"For the past 20 years, Central York Fire Services has been providing fire protection, prevention and emergency services in Newmarket and Aurora," says Central York Fire Services Fire Chief, Ian Laing. "Our communities are growing and so too must our services to protect and educate our residents. The Fire Master Plan will provide the strategic direction to grow with our towns."
Central York Fire Services (CYFS) currently provides service to an estimated 151,000 residents in the Town of Aurora and Town of Newmarket. CYFS is preparing for growth and responding to the modern needs and realities of the municipalities it serves. As the Town's population and density continue to increase, there is a requirement to maintain the balance of the communities' needs with fiscal responsibility.
Fire service leadership and Joint Council Committee, made up of three members of Council from each town, requires strategic direction to help establish service priorities and inform decision-making. The Fire Master Plan provides a 10-year outlook with a five-year action plan which allows the department to be flexible to changing needs.
The Goal of the Fire Master Plan is to reduce and mitigate fire risk by enhancing the use of the Ontario Fire Marshal's Three Lines of Defence model. The three lines of defence are:
- Public education and prevention
- Fire safety standards and code enforcement
- Emergency response
In conjunction with the Fire Master Plan a Community Risk Assessment is underway which identifies the needs and circumstances within both towns, based on an analysis of nine mandatory profiles related to existing fire risk and feedback from the community. The assessment considers the community's geography, demographics, critical infrastructure, hazards, response to public safety and more.
Get Involved
From May 10 to 24 Newmarket and Aurora residents can share their feedback at their Town's engagement hub: engageaurora.ca and heynewmarket.ca.
What's next?
The Fire Master Plan will be shaped by the Community Risk Assessment, current legislation, industry best practices, feedback from CYFS personnel and the community's input. The plan will be presented to the Joint Council Committee (JCC), then brought forward for approval by the Newmarket and Aurora Councils in early 2023.
Project Background:
Ontario Regulation 378/18: Community Risk Assessments came into effect on July 1, 2019. This new legislation requires CYFS to conduct a Community Risk Assessment for both towns it serves – Newmarket and Aurora by July 1, 2024.
The Community Risk Assessment and Fire Master Plan will be conducted and developed by an external specialized team at Dillion Consulting Limited, the organization which completed the current fire master plan (2014-2023). The Fire Master Plan will provide direction from 2023 to 2032.
