# Toronto Fire Services

Toronto Fire Services (TFS), commonly called Toronto Fire, provides fire protection, technical rescue services, hazardous materials response, and first responder emergency medical assistance in Toronto, Ontario. TFS is currently the largest municipal fire department in Canada and has been internationally recognized for providing world-class fire protection services.

## History

The first fire company in what is now Toronto was the York Fire Company created in 1826, followed by the Hook and Ladder Fire Company in 1831. These early companies consisted of able-bodied volunteers that were not well trained. A wooden pumper presented to Toronto by the British America Assurance Company c. 1837 has been preserved at Black Creek Pioneer Village.
The city's vulnerability to fire was highlighted by the Great Toronto Fire of 1849 and that of 1904. After the latter fire, which destroyed much of Bay Street from The Esplanade West to Melinda Street, Toronto's Fire Department was recognized as a critical city service.
With the amalgamation of Toronto, the fire departments of Metropolitan Toronto's six constituent municipalities were merged in 1998 to form Toronto Fire Services, the largest fire department in Canada and the fifth-largest municipal fire department in North America.
In the 2010s, Station 424 and four pumper trucks were taken out of service and Fire District 12 was disbanded, due to budgetary constraints and obsolescence. A new plan was introduced seeing to inclusion in staffing, a permanent safety task force for the needs of Toronto Community Housing, and a new station was opened in Downsview Park.
TFS holds accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and the Centre for Public Safety Excellence, recognizing the organization's delivery of "world-class fire protection services". As of 2024, Toronto was the largest city in North America to receive international fire service accreditation.

### Predecessor organizations
#### Old Toronto companies

* York Fire Company 1st Engine at Church Street and Newgate Street (Adelaide Street East), est. 1826, renumbered as Station 5 in 1861 and closed in 1874
* Independent Fire Company Engine House No. 2
* Hook and Ladder Fire Company, est. 1831
* Fireman's Hall at Bay Street, 1839–1841
* Station No. 1, est. 1841; closed 1924
* 4th Engine House at St. Patrick Market on Queen Street West, 1842–1861
* Hose Company No. 2 at Berkeley Street, 1849–1859
* 7th Engine Company at Elizabeth Street, 1857–1859
* Station No 2 at 163 Portland, est. 1871, closed 1968
* Station No 3 at 488 Yonge Street, est. 1871, closed 1926
* Station No 5 at Court Street 1874; closed 1886
* Station No 6 at 315 Queen Street West, est. 1876, closed 1936

#### Former borough departments

* North York Fire Department, est. 1923 – merged seven volunteer brigades
* Scarborough Fire Department, est. 1925 – replaced five volunteer bucket brigades dating to the 1850s
* New Toronto Fire Department, est. 1930
* Township of Etobicoke Fire Department, est. 1955, merged with New Toronto Fire Department 1967

## Organization

The fire chief (C1), as well as the four commanding deputy chiefs (C2 through C5), are all based at 4330 Dufferin Street, which is the central headquarters for both Toronto Fire and Toronto Paramedic Services. There are four division commanders (C6 through C9), each based in their respective commands: north, east, south and west.

### List of chiefs

Toronto Fire Services chiefs have been promoted from within the service's ranks – with the exception of Jim Sales, who was Edmonton's fire chief (1988–2000) and Markham fire chief (2000–2001) before serving as a bureaucrat and general manager of the City of Barrie.
* Alan F. Speed: 1997–2003
* William A. Stewart: 2003–2012
* Jim W. Sales: 2012–2016
* Matthew Pegg: 2016–2024
* Jim Jessop: 2024–present

### Rank structure

| Rank | Fire chief | Deputy fire chief | Division commander | Platoon chief | District chief | Captain | Firefighter | Firefighter | Firefighter | Firefighter |
| Rank | Fire chief | Deputy fire chief | Division commander | Platoon chief | District chief | Captain | first class | second class | third class | probationary |
| Insignia | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia | No insignia |
| Helmet colour | White | White | White | White | White | Red | Black | Black | Black | Black |
| Description | General manager | Second in command | Responsible for a geographic or specialist division | Responsible for a single shift across a geographic division | Responsible for a district within a geographic division | In charge of one fire vehicle and crew | | | |
| Notes | Back of bunker jacket marked | Back of bunker jacket marked | Back of bunker jacket marked | Back of bunker jacket marked | Back of bunker jacket marked | | | | | Front of helmet marked "Probationary" |
| Notes | "Chief" | "Deputy Chief" | "Division Commander" | "Platoon Chief" | "District Chief" | | | | | Front of helmet marked "Probationary" |

### Communications
#### Structure/building fires

| Alarm type | Alarm level | Units assigned |
| Structure fire | 1st alarm assignment | 1 squad truck/rescue truck, 3 pumpers/rescue trucks, 1 aerial truck/tower truck, 1 district chief unit, high rise unit (if the fire is in a high-rise building in south command) |
| Working fire | 1st alarm assignment, upgrade | 1 rescue truck (RIT), 1 aerial truck/tower truck, 1 squad/rescue truck, 1 platoon chief unit, 1 air & light unit |
| 2nd Alarm fire | 2nd alarm assignment, upgrade | 1 rescue truck (RIT), 3 pumper trucks/rescue trucks, 1 aerial truck/tower truck, 1 squad truck, 1 district chief unit, 1 platoon chief unit, 1 hazmat unit, 1 air & light unit, 1 command unit |
| 3rd Alarm fire | 3rd alarm assignment, upgrade | 3 pumper trucks/rescue trucks, 1 aerial truck/tower truck, 1 district chief unit, 1 tower truck, 1 tower support unit |
| 4th Alarm fire | 4th alarm assignment, upgrade | 3 pumper trucks/rescue trucks, 1 aerial truck/tower truck, 1 district chief unit, 1 air & lighting unit, 1 platoon chief unit (comms) |
| 5th Alarm fire | 5th alarm assignment, upgrade | 3 pumper trucks/rescue trucks, 1 aerial truck/tower truck, 1 district chief unit |
| 6th Alarm fire | 6th alarm assignment, upgrade | 3 pumper trucks/rescue trucks, 1 aerial truck/tower truck, 1 district chief unit |

## Operations
### Personal equipment

* Innotex – current bunker gear
* Cairns 660C Metro composite fire helmet – current fire helmet (as of June 2018)
* Drager UCF 7000 thermal imaging camera
* Globe Supreme 14 fire boot
* MSA G1 self-contained breathing apparatus

### Vehicles

Early fire companies in Toronto used horse drawn engines and ladders. The first motorized pumper, based in the College Street station, came into use in 1911. Tiller-ladder trucks were used until the 1950s, when smaller aerial trucks were adopted to operate in narrow streets. In the 1970s, the last open air vehicles were phased out and Metro's fire departments had vehicles with fully enclosed cabs. In 2024, North America's first fully-electric fire truck was built for TFS.
The TFS inherited all the vehicles of the fire departments prior to amalgamation. The current strength of TFS consists of 179 vehicles. Since amalgamation, apparatus assignments consist of an alphanumeric callsign, with letter(s) identifying the type of apparatus, followed by digits identifying the division, district, and station in which the apparatus is based.
The following is a list of the types of vehicles used by the TFS, with their identifying prefix letter(s):
* Frontline apparatus (staffed)
** Pumper trucks (P) equipped with firefighting gear as well as basic rescue tools and other equipment
** Rescue pumper trucks (R) equipped with firefighting gear and specialized rescue tools such as hydraulic cutters and spreaders, air bags, rope rescue equipment, and emergency medical equipment
** Aerials (A) operate ladders which can reach from 23 to 32 metres (75 to 105 feet) and configured as a quint (pump/tank)
** Ladder trucks (L) operate ladders from 30 to 32 metres (100 to 105 feet) with specialized tools and equipment but no pump.
** Tower (T) equipped with an articulating boom ladder which can reach 35 metres (114 feet)
** Platform (PL) equipped with an aerial ladder with attached platform which can reach 30 metres (100 feet)
** Squad heavy rescue units (S) equipped with specialized rescue equipment such as hydraulic cutters and spreaders, air bags, rope rescue equipment and emergency medical equipment.
** Hazmat unit (HZ) trucks are equipped for hazardous materials or dangerous goods incidents, with protective equipment, non-sparking tools, etc.
** High rise unit (HR) trucks contain equipment for incidents in tall buildings
** Air/light unit (LA) trucks carry lighting and other electrical equipment and resources to replenish firefighters' breathing apparatus.
* Chief units and command vehicles
** Fire chief / deputy chief (C)
** Division commander (C6–C9)
** Division chief (DVC)
** Platoon chief (PCX)
** District chief (DC)
** Command unit (CMD) outfitted as a mobile command and control centre
* Support apparatus (cross-staffed)
** Hazmat support unit (HS)
** Decontamination unit (DE)
** Water tanker (WT)
** Rapid attack vehicle located at Toronto Islands
** All-terrain vehicle (ATV) used at special events, such as the Canadian National Exhibition
** Mini pumper (MP)
** Multi-purpose vehicle (MPV)
** Fireboat (FB) stationed in Toronto Harbour
** Trench rescue support truck (TRS)
** High capacity foam pumper (FP)
** Mechanical response unit (MRU)
* Miscellaneous apparatus
** Training pumper (TRP)
** Spare vehicles (X5) used to temporarily replace frontline apparatus
** Fire investigator (FI)
TFS also operates and manages both the heavy urban search and rescue (HUSAR) team and the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) response team under contract with the Province of Ontario for deployment as required.

#### Fire boats

The Toronto Fire Department and successor Toronto Fire Services has operated fire boats since 1923. The service presently has two fireboats in service: William Lyon Mackenzie, which entered service in 1964 and is the department's main fireboat and icebreaker; and William Thornton, a former Canadian Coast Guard cutter acquired by TFS in 2015.

## Fire stations

As of 2014, TFS operates 83 fire stations organized into 15 districts and 4 geographical divisions. Several companies have been disbanded or reassigned over the years.

### North Command

The North Command's office (Command 1) is located at Fire Station 114. There are 21 stations in the 3 districts of North Command. (District 12 was disbanded in 2013, its 4 stations absorbed into the surrounding districts.)
| Station No. | District No. | Neighbourhood | Pumper company | Rescue company | Aerial or tower company | Chief units | Misc. units | Address | Build year |
| 111 | 11 | Bayview Heights | P111 | | | | LA111 | 3300 Bayview Avenue | 1979 |
| 112 | 11 | Branson | P112 | | | | R5112 | 5700 Bathurst Street | 1978 |
| 113 | 11 | Don Valley Village | P113 | | A113 | | | 700 Seneca Hill Drive | 1969 |
| 114 | 11 | Willowdale | P114 | | T114 | PC10 | HR114 | 12 Canterbury Place | 1989 |
| 115 | 11 | Parkway Forest | | R115 | | | | 115 Parkway Forest Drive | 1983 |
| 116 | 11 | Bayview Village | P116 | | | DC11 | Rehab 1 C10 | 255 Esther Shiner Boulevard | 2007 |
| 121 | 11 | Hoggs Hollow | P121 | | | | FP121 P5121 | 10 William Carson Crescent | 1988 |
| 122 | 11 | York Mills | | R122 | | | P5122 | 2545 Bayview Avenue | 1959 |
| 123 | 13 | Don Mills | P123 | | | | | 143 Bond Avenue | 1956 |
| 125 | 13 | Flemingdon Park | P125 | | A125 | | | 1109 Leslie Street | 1985 |
| 131 | 13 | Yonge and Lawrence | P131 | | | | | 3135 Yonge Street | 1931 |
| 132 | 13 | Lawrence Manor | P132 | | | DC13 | | 476 Lawrence Avenue West | 1999 |
| 133 | 13 | Amesbury | | R133 | A133 | | | 1507 Lawrence Avenue West | 1962 |
| 134 | 13 | Yonge and Eglinton | P134 | | | | | 16 Montgomery Avenue | 1916 |
| 135 | 13 | Forest Hill | P135 | | A135 | | | 325 Chaplin Crescent | 2016 |
| 141 | 14 | University Heights | P141 | | | DC14 | P5141 R5141 | 4100 Keele Street | 2011 |
| 142 | 14 | Jane and Finch | P142 | | A142 | | | 2753 Jane Street | 1982 |
| 143 | 14 | Clanton Park | P143 | | | | Squad 143 | 1009 Sheppard Avenue West | 1972 |
| 144 | 14 | Downsview Park | P144 | | | | Fire Investigations | 2945 Keele Street | 2022 |
| 145 | 14 | Ancaster | P145 | | | | HZ145 HS145 | 20 Beffort Road | 1989 |
| 146 | 14 | Downsview | P146 | | | | | 2220 Jane Street | 1956 |

### East Command

The East Command's office (Command 2) is located at Fire Station 221. There are 22 stations in the 4 districts of East Command.
| Station No. | District No. | Neighbourhood | Pumper company | Rescue company | Aerial company | Chief units | Misc. units | Address | Build year |
| 211 | 21 | Armdale | P211 | | | | WT211 | 900 Tapscott Road, Scarborough | 1982 |
| 212 | 21 | Dean Park | P212 | | | DC21 | MP212 | 8500 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough | 2003 |
| 213 | 21 | Malvern | P213 | | A213 | | | 7 Lapsley Road, Scarborough | 1974 |
| 214 | 21 | Highland Creek | | R214 | | | | 745 Meadowvale Road, Scarborough | 1982 |
| 215 | 21 | Port Union | | | A215 | | | 5318 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough | 1974 |
| 221 | 22 | Scarborough Junction | P221 | | A221 | | | 2575 Eglinton Avenue East, Scarborough | 2014 |
| 222 | 22 | Golden Mile | P222 | | | | | 755 Warden Avenue, Scarborough | 1961 |
| 223 | 22 | Cliffcrest | | R223 | | | Support Unit 7 | 116 Dorset Road, Scarborough | 1953 |
| 224 | 22 | Woodbine Heights | P224 | | | | | 1313 Woodbine Avenue, East York | 1952 |
| 225 | 22 | Birch Cliff | P225 | | | DC22 | | 3600 Danforth Avenue, Scarborough | 1998 |
| 226 | 22 | Upper Beaches | P226 | | L226 | | | 87 Main Street | 1909 |
| 227 | 22 | The Beaches | | R227 | | | P5227 | 1904 Queen Street East | 1905 |
| 231 | 23 | Woburn | P231 | | A231 | PC20 DC23 | LA231 | 740 Markham Road, Scarborough | 1960 |
| 232 | 23 | Dorset Park | P232 | | | | S232 | 1550 Midland Avenue, Scarborough | 1963 |
| 233 | 23 | Parkwoods | P233 | | A233 | | Antique (×2) | 59 Curlew Drive, North York | 1995 |
| 234 | 23 | West Hill | P234 | | | | DE234 | 40 Coronation Drive, Scarborough | 1968 |
| 235 | 23 | Bermondsey | | R235 | | | TRS235 | 200 Bermondsey Road, North York | 1960 |
| 241 | 24 | L'Amoreaux | | R241 | | | P5241 | 3325 Warden Avenue, Scarborough | 1980 |
| 242 | 24 | Brimley Forest | P242 | | A242 | | | 2733 Brimley Road, Scarborough | 1975 |
| 243 | 24 | Agincourt | | R243 | | | | 4560 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough | 1972, 1985 |
| 244 | 24 | Leacock | P244 | | | DC24 | | 2340 Birchmount Road, Scarborough | 1971 |
| 245 | 24 | Wexford | P245 | | | | P5245 | 1600 Birchmount Road, Scarborough | 1956 |

### South Command

The South Command's office (Command 3) is located at Fire Station 332. There are 22 stations in 4 districts of South Command.
| Station No. | District No. | Neighbourhood | Pumper company | Rescue company | Aerial or tower company | Chief units | Misc. units | Address | Build year |
| 311 | 31 | Yonge and St Clair | P311 | | | | | 20 Balmoral Avenue | 1911 |
| 312 | 31 | Yorkville | P312 | | L312 | DC31 | | 34 Yorkville Street | 1876, 1973 |
| 313 | 31 | St. James Town | P313 | | | | S313 | 411 Bloor Street East | 1967 |
| 314 | 31 | Church and Wellesley | P314 | | | | | 12 Grosvenor Street | 1926 |
| 315 | 31 | Kensington Market | P315 | | L315 | | Parade unit | 132 Bellevue Avenue | 1878, 1973 |
| 321 | 32 | Leaside | | R321 | | | | 231 McRae Drive | 1946 |
| 322 | 32 | Pape Village | P322 | | A322 | | | 256 Cosburn Avenue, East York | 1994 |
| 323 | 32 | Greektown | P323 | | | | HZ323 | 153 Chatham Avenue, East York | 1963 |
| 324 | 32 | Riverdale | P324 | | | DC32 | | 840 Gerrard Street East | 1932 |
| 325 | 32 | Regent Park | | R325 | L325 | | LA325 | 475 Dundas Street East | 1954 |
| 326 | 32 | Leslieville | P326 | | | | HS326 | 30 Knox Avenue | 1980 |
| 331 | 33 | Trinity Bellwoods | P331 | | L331 | | S331 | 33 Claremont Street | 1968 |
| 332 | 33 | Entertainment District | P332 | | | PC30 DC33 | C30 HR332 Personnel Transport 1 | 260 Adelaide Street West | 1971 |
| 333 | 33 | St Lawrence | P333 | | T333 | | Tower 1 | 207 Front Street East | 1970 |
| 334 | 33 | Harbourfront | P334 | | | | Fire boat (×3) | 339 Queens Quay West | 2000 |
| 335 | 33 | Ward's Island | P335 P335B | | | | Rapid Attack Vehicle 335 | 235 Cibola Avenue | 1992 |
| 341 | 34 | Oakwood Village | | R341 | A341 | | MPV341 Car 5341 | 555 Oakwood Avenue, York | 1968 |
| 342 | 34 | Corso Italia | P342 | | | | | 106 Ascot Avenue | 1912 |
| 343 | 34 | Hillcrest Village | P343 | | | | | 65 Hendrick Avenue | 1915 |
| 344 | 34 | The Annex | P344 | | | | P5344 | 240 Howland Avenue | 1911 |
| 345 | 34 | Davenport | | R345 | | DC34 | Box 12 | 1285 Dufferin Street | 1963 |
| 346 | 34 | CNE Grounds | P346 | | | | | 90 Quebec Street | 1912 |

### West Command

The West Command's office (Command 4) is located at Fire Station 442. There are 19 stations in the 4 districts of West Command. (Fire Station 424 at 462 Runnymede Road closed permanently in 2014.)
| Station No. | District No. | Neighbourhood | Pumper company | Rescue company | Aerial or platform company | Chief units | Misc. units | Address | Build year |
| 411 | 41 | Humber Summit | | R411 | A411 | | | 75 Toryork Drive, North York | 1997 |
| 412 | 41 | Clairville | | R412 | | | | 267 Humberline Drive, Etobicoke | 1975 |
| 413 | 41 | Smithfield | | R413 | | | | 1549 Albion Road, Etobicoke | 1970 |
| 415 | 41 | Rexdale | P415 | | A415 | DC41 | | 2120 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke | 1955 |
| 421 | 42 | Mount Dennis | | R421 | A421 | | LA421 | 6 Lambton Avenue, York | 1956 |
| 422 | 42 | Lambton | P422 | | | | Parade unit | 590 Jane Street, York | 1965 |
| 423 | 42 | The Junction | | R423 | A423 | DC42 | | 358 Keele Street | 1954 |
| 425 | 42 | Swansea | | R425 | | | | 83 Deforest Road | 1930 |
| 426 | 42 | Parkdale | P426 | | L426 | | | 140 Lansdowne Avenue | 1972 |
| 431 | 43 | Sunnylea | P431 | | | | | 308 Prince Edward Drive South, Etobicoke | 1959 |
| 432 | 43 | Islington – City Centre West | P432 | | PL432 | | | 155 The East Mall, Etobicoke | 1980 |
| 433 | 43 | The Queensway | P433 | | A433 | | | 615 Royal York Road, Etobicoke | 1953, 2007 |
| 434 | 43 | Alderwood | | R434 | | | | 3 Lunness Road, Etobicoke | 1957 |
| 435 | 43 | New Toronto | P435 | | | DC43 | | 130 Eighth Street, Etobicoke | 1930 |
| 441 | 44 | Airport Strip | | R441 | A441 | | | 947 Martin Grove Road, Etobicoke | 1963 |
| 442 | 44 | Weston | P442 | | | | | 2015 Lawrence Avenue West, York | 1991 |
| 443 | 44 | Princess Gardens | P443 | | | | R5443 | 1724 Islington Avenue, Etobicoke | 1958 |
| 444 | 44 | Centennial Park | | R444 | | | | 666 Renforth Drive, Etobicoke | 1959 |
| 445 | 44 | Islington Village | P445 | | | PC40 DC44 | S445 | 280 Burnhamthorpe Road, Etobicoke | 1960 |