Central York Fire Services (CYFS) is launching the 11th round of the Stay Fire Smart campaign, running from June 23 to the end of September. Throughout the summer, fire crews will be visiting neighbourhoods in Newmarket and Aurora to raise awareness about the importance of having and practicing a home fire escape plan and to remind residents that it is legally required to have working smoke alarms on every level of the home and carbon monoxide alarms installed outside all sleeping areas.
“Education and prevention are the first lines of defense against emergencies, but not everyone is aware of the steps they can take to protect themselves and their family,” says CYFS Fire Prevention Officer Ryan Schell. “A visit through the Stay Fire Smart campaign brings easy-to-understand information right to our residents’ doorstep with experts who can help them take action to make their homes safer.”
Fire crews, along with dedicated Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists, will be going door-to-door to talk about fire safety. They will provide and/or install free batteries, smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide alarms. New this year, CYFS is introducing compliance checks. Staff will follow up with homes that were previously found to lack proper fire safety measures to ensure that required safety devices, such as legally mandated smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, have since been installed. Students will also be educating on safe battery use and disposal through the new partnership between Call2Recycle and CYFS.
In addition to home visits, the Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists will be out in the community at events in Aurora and Newmarket, including Tim Hortons Canada Day and Moonlight Movies presented by TD in Newmarket and Movies in the Park and the CYFS Annual Open House in Aurora. Be sure to say hello!
Over the years, CYFS has received generous grants from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada, an organization committed to enhancing the lifesaving capabilities of fire responders and public safety agencies in the communities it serves. This year’s grant of $24,689 will fund the distribution of 100 carbon monoxide alarms, 20 heat alarms, 350 smoke and carbon monoxide combination alarms, and 100 smoke alarms over the next two years to further enhance fire preparedness in the community.
Beyond enhancing community safety, the Stay Fire Smart campaign plays a significant role in supporting the professional development of students pursuing careers in fire prevention and firefighting. Many former Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists now have roles in fire services across the province, including 10 who now work on the frontline as firefighters for CYFS.
Background:
The Stay Fire Smart Campaign began in the summer of 2013 with the goal of visiting all homes in Newmarket and Aurora over a five-year period. In 2024 the program celebrated milestones – visiting over 100,000 homes in 10 years.
Facts:
- The Stay Fire Smart program is now in its 11th year
- In 2024, a total of 13,111 homes were visited. CYFS expects to visit another 13,000 homes in 2025
- More than half (60%) of residents visited in 2024 were aware smoke alarms expire and less than a third of homes (28%) visited had a home escape plan
- As of 2024, CYFS has visited every single residential home in Newmarket and Aurora twice, completing 101, 821 Stay Fire Smart house visits
- 10 current CYFS firefighters were former Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists
Residents can request a free fire safety home inspection by calling 905-895-9222. Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists will check batteries, replace alarms, answer questions, offer assistance and help residents create a home escape plan. For more information on Central York Fires Services, please visit cyfs.ca.
