The Borough of East York was part of Metropolitan Toronto. On January 1, 1998 it was amalgamated with all other Metropolitan Toronto Fire Departments and became part of Toronto Fire Services.
History[]
The Township of East York was created in 1923. Previously, it had been part of the Township of York. Three separate volunteer fire brigades (Danforth Park Fire Brigade, Todmorden Fire Brigade, and Woodbine Heights Fire Brigade) protected the area prior to incorporation. In 1928, the new township hired eight full-time firefighters. They were supplemented by the volunteers until 1939. The full-time firefighters operated from a converted garage on Holborne Avenue until a new station was built on Woodbine Avenue in 1953. By this time, the department boasted 35 full-time officers and firefighters.
In 1967, East York and the Village of Leaside amalgamated to create an expanded East York. The departments had worked closely together prior to amalgamation, and Leaside Chief Ernest Bell became Chief of the new department.
On amalgamation with other Metropolitan Toronto departments, East York had 140 staff.
Fire Chiefs[]
- ca.1928-1965: Thomas Paveling (ca.1900-1965)
- 1965-1967: George Rousby
- 1967-1977: Ernest Bell
- 1977-1980: Art Cook
- 1980-1989: George Kerfoot (Sept. 2 1928-Nov. 10 1998)
- 1989-1998: John Miller (1934-2010)
Fire Stations[]
| Station | Address | In Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gowan Avenue | ?-ca. 1945 | ||
| Holborne Avenue | ca.1925-1954 | ||
| 2 | 256 Cosburn Avenue | ?-1994 | |
| 1 | 231 McRae Drive | 1967 (amalgamation)-1998 (amalgamation) | Former Leaside Fire Station, built in 1946. Became TFS Station 321. |
| 3 | 1313 Woodbine Avenue | 1953-1998 (amalgamation) | Became TFS Station 224. |
| 2 | 256 Cosburn Avenue | 1994-1998 (amalgamation) | Became TFS Station 322. |
Apparatus[]
- 1997 Freightliner FL 106 / Dependable pumper (1050/400)
- 1996 Freightliner FL 106 / Dependable pumper (1050/400/50' Snozzle) (Ex-Snozzle 1)
- 1990 White-GMC Xpeditor WX42 / Superior pumper (1050/500) (SN#SE 1045)
- 1988 Ford F-800 / Dependable walk-in rescue (Ex-R2)
- 1985 International COF1950B tandem / Thibault quint (1050/500/100' mid-mount ladder) (SN#T85-142) (Aerial remounted 1999 on former North York #10) (Ex-A3)
- 1984 International CO1950B / King pumper (1050/500) (SN#840034) (Ex-P3, P2)
- 1981 International CO1950B / Pierreville pumper (1050/300) (SN#PFT-1182) (Ex-P3, P4)
- 1981 International CO1950B / Pierreville pumper (1050/500) (SN#PFT-1123)
- 1976 GMC T / Pierreville pumper (840/500) (SN#PFT-558) (Ex-P1)
- 1972 Ford C-900 / Nordic pumper (840/500) (SN#31556) (1983 MTI rehab) (Ex-P2)
- 1968 International VCO190 / LaFrance aerial (-/-/100' mid-mount) (Ex-A2) (Almonte rehab / new body) (spotted 2020 in field north of Toronto ONT)
- 1966 Ford C / King-Seagrave pumper (840/500) (SN#66078) (Ex-P2) (Sold to Serpent River First Nation Fire Department)
- 1964 International CO8190 / King-Seagrave pumper (840/300) (SN#64068) (Ex-Leaside Fire Department)
- 1962 Ford / LaFrance pumper
- 1960 Seagrave 531-KA / King-Seagrave aerial (bp/100' mid-mount) (BS SN# L-6695) (Seagrave SN#M-9110) (Ex-A1) (Sold 1986 to Sackville Fire Department (Nova Scotia)).
- 1959 LaFrance 900 Series pumper (840/125)
- 1953 LaFrance 700 Series pumper (840/125)
- 1949 LaFrance 700 Series pumper (840/125) (Ex-P1)
- 1949 LaFrance 7-75-AJO aerial (-/-/75' mid-mount) (SN#L-3585) (Ex-A1) (Ex-Leaside) (Sold to Aurora Fire Department (Ontario))
- 1949 International KB7 Bickle-Seagrave pumper (SN#1145) (Sold to Essa Township Fire Department)
- 1947 International / Bickle Seagrave pumper
- 1941 International KB / Bickle pumper (Ex-Royal Canadian Air Force) (Sold to Ameliasburgh Township Fire Department).
Sources[]
- Friebe, Marla. A History of the Toronto Fire Services 1874-2002. Toronto: City of Toronto, 2003.