Summary of Master Fire Plan Presentation

The Master Fire Plan presentation was delivered by Jon Hambides from Pomax Consulting during the General Government Committee meeting on November 29, 2021. Hambides reported a decline in fire incidents in Clarington, Ontario, and recommended several staffing and organizational changes to enhance fire safety. He proposed the addition of five new staff members to the Clarington Emergency and Fire Services department, including a business manager to oversee operations and a Manager of Analytics and Risk to evaluate departmental efficiency. The introduction of Platoon Chiefs was suggested to reduce the on-call burden on the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief. Hambides emphasized the importance of these changes for maintaining cost efficiency and improving fire prevention and education efforts. He also recommended establishing a vehicle maintenance program and ensuring that volunteer firefighters meet the basic NFPA 1001 qualification standard. The presentation concluded with a call for a shift towards a more proactive approach in fire service management.