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 Prevention Division and Administration Team of the Ajax Fire and Emergency Services. Working alongside the Chief Fire Prevention Officer, 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 Chris Porter

Deputy Chief Chris Porter has been a member of the Ajax Fire and Emergency Services department since 2014. During this time, he has been an active member of the department and has been involved in multiple committees specializing in technical rescue. In 2021, Deputy Chief Porter was promoted into the training division and held the rank of Training Officer along with Qualified Captain. He has been and continues to be an integral part of the departments success and was awarded in 2024 the “Fire Service Excellence Award” given to a member who shows continued exceptional efforts and commitment to the fire service.

Prior to joining the Town of Ajax, Deputy Chief Porter’s career path in firefighting began with the Burlington Fire Department in 2009.  He has been working diligently on expanding an educational portfolio which includes completion of the Ontario Fire College Officer program along with the Humber College Executive Management program. Deputy Chief Porter was promoted to Deputy Chief in January 2025 and is now responsible for leading the Fire Suppression and Training Divisions of the Ajax Fire and Emergency Services