Newmarket, York Region first responders host open house for Women's Day

Women interested in a career in emergency services will have the opportunity to connect with female first responders March 5 at the Gorham fire station

Newmarkettoday.ca
Feb. 28, 2022
Elizabeth Keith

An upcoming open house for International Women's Day aims to attract more female first responders to the field, by showcasing the talent already at Central York Fire Services (CYFS), York Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police and York Region Paramedic Services.

On March 5, women considering a career in emergency services are invited to Fire Station 4-1 at 984 Gorham St. in Newmarket from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to meet with women working in this industry.

Ahead of the event, CYFS are spotlighting some of women working in the service, including first class fire prevention inspector Alexandra Zaykin, firefighters Amber Bowman, Amanda Leigh, and Kristy Paterson, who is an acting captain with CYFS.

In a video shared to social media, Paterson said, "I thoroughly love my career and I love working as part of a team. I was super happy to complete the acting captain process and be promoted from within."

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with women in various positions and learn about what roles are available. There will also be representatives from Seneca College to provide information about programs offered in emergency services, including fire prevention and firefighting.

The event will also highlight local groups such as Rose of Sharon, Girls Inc. and NACCA.

To ensure social distancing, the open house will be held outdoors and in the fire station bay. It is a drop-in event with no registration required.