Ajax Fire and Emergency Services is made up of five distinct divisions:

  • Administration
  • Emergency Planning
  • Fire Prevention
  • Fire Suppression
  • Training

On-duty Fire Suppression crews work rotating shifts in order to provide 24 hour on-duty coverage. 

The remaining divisions work Monday through Friday during normal business hours, in addition to after-hours on-call responsibilities.

At present, the ever-increasing responsibility for Emergency Planning is performed by the Fire Chief with assistance from various staff.

Fire Chief Aaron Burridge

Fire Chief Burridge is responsible for Ajax Fire and Emergency Services, working closely with the Deputy Chiefs.

Fire Chief Burridge started as a volunteer firefighter with Ajax in May 2000 and was hired as a full-time firefighter in January 2001. He progressed through the ranks to a qualified Captain, Training Officer, Chief Training Officer, Deputy Fire Chief in October 2016, Interim Fire Chief in December 2022 and was named the Fire Chief in June 2023.  Fire Chief Burridge serves as a member of the OAFC Health and Safety Committee and is an OAFC representative on the Ministry of Labour Section 21 Committee. 

Fire Chief Burridge is a graduate of the Ontario Fire College and Toronto Metropolitan University and has throughout the course of his career acquired significant education from a variety of post-secondary school institutions in the following fields of study: Fire Emergency Service and Rescue, Fire Protection Systems, Fire Protection Technology, Collective Bargaining, Public Administration, Occupational Health and Safety and Labour Relations.

Deputy Fire Chief Shain Kimbell

Deputy Chief Shain Kimbell is responsible for leading the Fire Suppression and Training Divisions of the Ajax Fire and Emergency Services. Working alongside the Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention and Communications, he also works closely with the Fire Chief in an administrative role and may assume the duties of the Fire Chief in his absence.

During his time with Ajax Fire and Emergency Services, Deputy Chief Kimbell has held positions including Fire Fighter, Acting Captain, Captain, Acting Platoon Chief before accepting the position of Deputy Fire Chief in 2022.

Deputy Fire Chief Mark Pankhurst

Deputy Chief Mark Pankhurst has 35 years of fire service experience and started his fire service career with the Ajax Fire Department on January 2, 1989 and became a Qualified Captain in April of 1997. Deputy Chief Pankhurst left Ajax in 2001, to become the Fire Chief in Rama, a position that he held for 8 years. He then moved to Kawartha Lakes Fire as the Deputy Chief for 2 years, then assuming the role of Fire Chief for over 10 years until his retirement in 2021.  

Deputy Chief Pankhurst has never truly fully retired from the fire services, he is currently the Fire Services Liaison with the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and is responsible for several programs and supports. Deputy Chief Pankhurst also remains active as a Volunteer Firefighter and Acting District Chief with the Township of Algonquin Highlands Fire Services which is located within Haliburton County.