FAQs

The Master Fire and Emergency Services Plan is a strategic plan that will guide Council and City staff for the next ten years in providing effective and efficient fire protection and emergency services to the City and its residents.

The Master Fire and Emergency Services Plan will aim to enhance the use of the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal’s Three Lines of Defence Model to support fire risk reduction and mitigation.

The three lines of defence are:

1. Public Education and Prevention;
2. Fire Safety Standards and Code Enforcement; and
3. Emergency Response.

Ontario Regulation 378/18: Community Risk Assessments came into effect on July 1, 2019. This new legislation requires all municipalities in Ontario, including the City of Cambridge, to develop a Community Risk Assessment by July 1, 2024 and to use the Community Risk Assessment results to inform decisions regarding the provision of fire protection services. The legislation also provides guidance to ensure ongoing review and updates of the Community Risk Assessment.

A Community Risk Assessment will help identify risks and community needs. The assessment is based on the analysis of nine mandatory profiles related to existing fire risk and feedback from the community. The nine profiles are:

1. Geographic
2. Building Stock
3. Critical Infrastructure
4. Demographic
5. Hazard
6. Public Safety Response
7. Community Services
8. Economic
9. Past Loss and Event History

The Community Risk Assessment will inform the development of the Master Fire and Emergency Services Plan Update.

The Master Fire and Emergency Services Plan is a strategic blueprint for fire protection that addresses all local needs and circumstances based on costs the community can afford.  The Community Risk Assessment provides the foundation for assessing and determining the needs and circumstances of the City.

The Master Fire and Emergency Services Plan is a framework for municipal decision-making which links Council policy-setting responsibility and the fire department’s operational expertise to accommodate short, medium or long-term planning.