Fire department set to make 100,000th house call to spark fire safety

Central York Fire Services goes door-to-door during annual Stay Fire Smart campaign to educate Newmarket and Aurora residents.

Four firefighters standing in front of a fire truck, holding up large fake sample smoke alarms

Caption: Central York Fire Services’ new summer Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists Jacob Beukeveld, Sarah Howard, Delaney Kennedy, and Maci Martin pose in front of the Fire Safety Trailer. They will be in the community to educate residents on the importance of a fire escape plan and having working smoke/carbon monoxide alarms as part of the Stay Fire Smart Campaign.

Central York Fire Services (CYFS) is expected to make its 100,000th house call this summer as the department embarks on its tenth year of the Stay Fire Smart campaign running now until August 23. Fire crews will visit neighbourhoods in Newmarket and Aurora throughout the summer to educate residents on the importance of having and practicing a home escape plan and to remind them that it is the law to have working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms outside all sleeping areas in a home.

“Knowing how to prevent a fire and what to do in an emergency can save lives,” says CYFS Fire Prevention Officer Ryan Schell. “The Stay Fire Smart campaign has helped the community, leading to 100,000 house calls over 10 years, which means 100,000 direct conversations with our residents on steps to improve fire safety.

Fire crews and four dedicated Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists will travel door-to-door to talk with residents on ways to be prepared in case of an emergency such as a fire or a flood and provide them with the option of receiving a free home inspection.

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 and offer assistance.

In addition to home visits, the Smoke Alarm Campaign Specialists will be out in the community at events in Aurora and Newmarket. The CYFS Fire Safety Trailer for home escape planning, kitchen safety and extreme weather will be at the Newmarket Moonlight Movies presented by TD. Be sure to say hello!

The Stay Fire Smart Campaign began in the summer of 2013 with the goal of visiting every home in Newmarket and Aurora over a five-year period. CYFS has made over 88,600 public education house calls across both communities to date, reaching every household at least once and touching a record number of 15,351 homes in 2023. By the end of this summer, CYFS expects to have reached 100,000 homes.

For more information on Central York Fires Services, please visit cyfs.ca.