Country Canada Staffing Career EMS level BLS | Established 1863 Fire chief François Massé | |
 | ||
Employees 2,305 uniformed
418 other & support | ||
Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) is responsible for fire and rescue operations in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. EMS first-response has been available in limited areas since 1976 and to the entire service area since 2009. The SIM is the 7th largest fire department in North America. The department offers High Angle Rescue (stations 13 & 27), Collapse Rescue (station 47), HazMat Response (station 29), Ice Rescue and Nautical Rescue.
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History
Paid fire services in the city of Montreal date back to 1863.
In 2002, as the result of provincially mandated municipal mergers, the 23 existing suburban fire services were merged with that of the City of Montreal to form the SIM, which now serves over 1.9 million people.
List of predecessor departments
Note: EMS means department responded to calls for emergency medical service.
Operations
The SIM comprises the following operating divisions: There are 67 fire stations across Montreal, staffed by 2700 employees (2300 fire fighters and 400 support staff).
Each station is under the supervision of a Captain and a Lieutenant, both wearing a red helmet. The department is divided into 9 Regions, or Battalion Districts. Each Region is under the command of an Operations Chief.
Fire Apparatus
The SIM inherited all the vehicles of the fire departments prior to the 2002 amalgamation. Most have been replaced by new apparatus in subsequent years. In 2007, the SIM started replacing most of its older Spartan pumpers and aerial ladders with newer E-One Cyclone II apparatus. As of 2012, the SIM has signed a contract for 35 new Spartan MetroStar pumpers at the rate of seven delivered each year until 2017, as well as 3 Spartan MetroStar heavy rescue trucks.
Fire Apparatus in the SIM are denoted by a certain number and their corresponding station number, for example, all Pumpers in the SIM are designated by the number 2, followed by the Pumper's station number (i.e., the Pumper from Station 52 would be Pumper 252). A 2nd pumper in a station are designated by the number 20 followed by the station number. (E.g. the 2nd pumper in station 65 is numbered 2065). Pumpers with foam capacity have the letter "M" before the 2 or 20. Ladders in the SIM are designated by the number 4, followed by the Ladder's station number. Ladders with basket attached have the number 40 before the station number. Platforms have the number 7 before the station number. Salvage and Light Rescue Trucks are designated by the number 5. Tankers are designated by the number 60. Headquarters and Support Vehicles are designated by the number 8 or 9. Heavy Rescue Units are designated by the number 6. Shelter Units are designated by the number 14. Air Supply Units are designated by the number 16. Trailers are designated by the number 19 and 21. Department Chief's Vehicles are designated by the number 1.
Marine Rescue
SIM's Sauvetage nautique provides marine rescue and ice rescue operations around the city.
SIM does not have a full dedicated fire boat. The Sauvetage Nautique team has a fleet of small vessels for near shore rescue and ice rescue operations:
SIM can also be assisted by the Canadian Coast Guard Inland Rescue Boat Station in Montreal, which can provide rescue assistance and some firefighting capabilities. In the Port of Montreal, private companies like Océan Remorquage Montréal operate tugboats that have firefighting capabilities.