About Cambridge Fire

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Mission Statement

Save Lives, Prevent Injury, Protect Property
The City of Cambridge Fire Department's mission is to "Save Lives, Prevent Injury, Protect Property." The Fire department achieves their goals by:

  • Demonstrating leadership in community fire safety, attitudes and awareness
  • Having personnel that are fully trained in the responsibilities of their respective roles
  • Providing and maintaining the proper equipment and facilities to meet the department's obligations
  • Ensuring a high level of health and safety for all personnel
  • Maintaining fiscal responsibility to the community in the provision of its service
  • Continuously improving customer service using defined performance objectives

Our Values

The Cambridge Fire Department stands by the following values:

  • We will treat all persons with respect, compassion, dignity and tolerance.
  • We will conduct business in a manner consistent with the ethical and legal obligations of our profession and the City of Cambridge policies and procedures.
  • We value progressive leadership behaviour that demonstrates an ongoing commitment to personal and professional development of all staff; encourages participation in decision making, setting goals and objectives; and leads and motivates others by example.
  • We will continue to build trust and credibility through professional actions and a caring attitude.
  • We value the establishment and completion of personal and departmental goals and will recognize and celebrate these achievements.
  • We will strive to ensure every member is proud of their role in our department, its history and accepts ownership of the responsibilities for the services, equipment and facilities.
  • We value open, honest communication leading to meaningful interaction that ensures results.

Cambridge Fire Stations

The City of Cambridge Fire Department runs six fire stations in the area. The fire department headquarters is located at Station 1.

1625 Bishop Street North
Cambridge, ON N1R 7J4
Phone: (519) 621-6001
Fax: (519) 621-4521

Built in 1975 by W. G. Ross Building Corporation for a cost of $444,000, Fire Station 1 is a Headquarters Station, housing the Administration, Communications, Fire Prevention, Training, Suppression and Mechanical Divisions. The station includes fueling facilities for the Fire department's fleet and a Training Ground complete with a four-storey training tower. In 1991, an addition to the Administration side of the building more than doubled the size of the building and allowed for the enlargement of the areas assigned to the Mechanical, Fire Prevention and Public Education Divisions. The addition also permitted the relocation and upgrading of the Communications Division, which became a fully computerized center. The new space also provided new offices for the Chief and Deputy Chief, more space for administrative staff, a board room/meeting room, and better facilities for the Training Division including proper classroom facilities. In 2004, Cambridge Fire Department constructed a third building addition, including a single drive-through mechanic's bay, complete with a hoist capable of lifting any apparatus unit within the Cambridge Fire department's fleet. The gymnasium, bunker room and SCBA air room were also relocated within this addition, allowing more space for Public Education and Fire Prevention staff.

11 Tannery Street East
Cambridge, ON N3C 2C1

The Station 2 building was built for the former Town of Hespeler in 1914 for a cost of $35,750. It housed all the municipal offices, local police, the Council Chambers and the volunteer fire department, including two truck bays. Major renovations in 1976 provided the fire department with better office space, a concrete apparatus floor, as well as a dormitory, kitchen and lounge facilities on the second floor.

525 King Street
Cambridge, ON N3H 3N4Station Number Three

Station 3 was formerly the Preston Fire Hall, built in 1966 by the Town of Preston as part of the Town Hall Complex, which housed the municipal offices, the Police Station, and the Council Chambers. At this time, the Preston Fire department was a composite department with both full time and volunteer firefighters. Station 3 was initially used as the City of Cambridge Fire Department Headquarters Station until the Station 1 was built in 1975. Station 3 is also the home of our 1950 Bickle-Seagrave Pumper.

91 Saint Andrews Street
Cambridge, ON N1S 1M7

Station 4 was built in 1975 to address the fire protection needs of the west side of the Grand River in the former Galt area. This fire hall was constructed for the City of Cambridge, by Daly Construction, at a cost of $174,929. The site upon which it was built was the former Crosses Flower Green House.

490 Main Street East
Cambridge, ON N1R 1Y6

Station 5 was built in 1979 by Schiedel Construction Limited at a cost of $250,000. It was built to replace and relocate the former Fire Station 5, which was located at 56 Dickson Street.

485 Boxwood Drive
Cambridge, ON N3E 0A7
Station 6 picture courtesy of Scott Norsworthy

Fire Station 6 opened September 4, 2018.  Located at 485 Boxwood Drive at the southeast corner of Maple Grove Road and Boxwood Drive in the heart of the Boxwood Industrial Park, Fire Station #6 provides primary response coverage for a growing industrial area and residential neighbourhoods. Importantly, the station also provides faster secondary support for house fires in Hespeler and Preston areas as well as response to Highway 401 incidents, as identified in the Fire Master Plan. The station building will be LEED Silver certified.

Project Architect: Thomas Brown Architects Ltd.
Designer: OMAS:Works
Constructor: Garritano Brothers Ltd.

Training and Development

The City of Cambridge Fire Department's Training and Development division provides training programs to:

  • Firefighters
  • Officers
  • Records management staff
  • Facility management staff
  • New recruits

Our training programs are continuously improving to meet the current and future needs of the department and the community. We operate using a five-year plan that maintains an open-systems training model.

There are six training facilities used by the Cambridge Fire Department.

  1. Four-storey concrete burn building
  2. Pre-flashover conditions simulator
  3. Underground drafting/confined space pit
  4. Above ground metal tank and Class B pans
  5. Classroom
  6. Storage garage

The Ontario Fire Services Standards set the minimum standards for certification. The Cambridge Fire Department uses the Ontario Fire Marshal's Curriculum and Endorsed Specialty Module for firefighter training. Recruits participate in a ten-week intensive training course and have a one-week Fire Prevention/Public Education placement during their final week. Cambridge firefighters regularly participate in training exercises as part of ongoing skills development.

Learn about Cambridge Fire Department job opportunities.

 

Careers and Volunteer Opportunities

The Cambridge Fire Department’s leadership team is supported by approximately 149 professional staff members. Within the City of Cambridge, six fire stations deliver comprehensive fire suppression and medical emergency services to the community. In addition to serving Cambridge residents, the department also provides fire protection services to designated areas within the Townships of North Dumfries and Puslinch.

Cambridge Fire Department Divisions

Administration

The Administrative Team allows the fire department to operate efficiently, safely, and within regulatory and financial requirements. While frontline crews handle emergency response, the administrative team ensures that people, resources, finances, information, and compliance systems are functioning smoothly behind the scenes. They support operational readiness by managing workload, information flow, logistics, policy alignment, and essential services that keep the department running.

Fire Suppression

The Fire Suppression Division responds to nearly 10,000 calls for service each year, operating on rotating 24‑hour shifts to provide emergency response to fires, medical incidents, motor vehicle collisions, industrial accidents, high‑angle rescues, water rescues, and other specialized situations. The division consists of approximately 130 highly trained personnel, including firefighters, captains, platoon training officers, and Platoon Chiefs, all dedicated to protecting the community through both emergency operations and proactive public education. In addition to responding to emergencies, Fire Suppression staff deliver a wide range of prevention‑focused programs such as the High‑Rise Incident Prevention Program, the JK/SK School Program, and the Residential Fire and Life Safety Education Program, while also supporting the Fire Hall Museum and participating in numerous public relations and community education events throughout the year.

Fire Prevention 

Fire prevention focuses on reducing the risk of fires before they occur through education, inspection, and proactive community engagement. Fire prevention officers conduct building inspections, review fire safety plans, install or test alarms and suppression systems, and teach residents and businesses how to minimize hazards. By identifying risks early and promoting safe practices, fire departments aim to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure while reducing the need for emergency response.

Public Education

The Public Education division provides educational classroom and community programs for people of all ages to learn more about fire safety and safety in their community.

Training

Our training programs are continuously improving to meet the current and future needs of the department and the community. We operate using a five-year plan that maintains an open-systems training model.

The Ontario Fire Services Standards set the minimum standards for certification. The Cambridge Fire Department uses the Ontario Fire Marshal's Curriculum and Endorsed Specialty Module for firefighter training. Recruits participate in a ten-week intensive training course and have a one-week Fire Prevention/Public Education placement during their final week. Cambridge firefighters regularly participate in training exercises as part of ongoing skills development.

The Training and Development division provide training programs to:

  • Firefighters
  • Officers
  • Records management staff
  • Facility management staff
  •  New recruits

Mechanical

The Mechanical Division is responsible for designing, procuring, repairing, and maintaining all fire emergency vehicles and firefighting equipment. This team services major apparatus such as pumpers and aerial trucks, as well as smaller support vehicles. Their work ensures the reliability and readiness of all equipment.

Emergency Management

Emergency management is an organized, strategic process of preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies—everything from large major structure fires to large‑scale disasters. It blends leadership, incident coordination, community preparedness, and interagency collaboration.

Communications

The Communications Division ensures operational readiness and information integrity across the department by:

  • Administering mission‑critical software (RMS, rostering/scheduling).
  • Managing end‑user communications equipment (portable radios, mobile radios, MDTs/tablets, accessories).
  • Providing data quality assurance (QA), analytics, and performance reporting.
  • Coordinating regulatory submissions (e.g., to the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM)).

Delivering cross‑functional “special projects” that improve safety, interoperability, and efficiency.

Importance of Technology to the Cambridge Fire Department (CFD)

The use of technology and the data it produces has become increasingly essential to most organizations and individuals to get things done. Within a municipal environment, this is especially true for a Fire Department (“Fire”) that relies on information and systems in true mission critical situations where livelihoods, properties and lives are at stake.

While Fire relies on people to complete the physical demands of service delivery, there is value in utilizing data and technology to support the delivery of service and allow staff to focus on the job at hand.

Throughout the firefighting industry, many technologies are being adopted to support prevention, enforcement, and suppression.

Developing a Fire-focused Technology Strategic Plan will assist the Cambridge Fire Department in making the most effective use of available technology, data analytics, and resources.

 

The very first fire company in the Cambridge area was the Galt Fire Company #1, formed in June 1842. The Preston Fire Department started around 1844. The Hespeler Fire Department started in 1856 when the city's name was still New Hope.

When the cities of Galt, Preston, and Hespeler amalgamated in 1973 to form the City of Cambridge, their three fire departments also merged to form the Cambridge Fire Department.