London Fire Department

The London Fire Department (LFD) provides fire prevention, life preservation, and technical rescue services to the city of London, Ontario, Canada.

London Fire Department
Logo
Address400 Horton Street East
London, Ontario
N6B 1L7
Coordinates42°58′57″N 81°14′15″W / 42.98245380686118°N 81.23758535773848°W / 42.98245380686118; -81.23758535773848
Agency overview
Established1873
Employees416
Annual budgetCA$66.69 million (2021)
Fire chiefLori Hamer
MottoBe Caring, Be Safe, Prevent Harm
Facilities and equipment
Stations14
FormerlyLondon Volunteer Fire Department
Website
https://london.ca/living-london/community-services/fire-emergency-services/london-fire-department
Built in 1909, Fire Hall no. 4 is a London cultural heritage site.[1]

History

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A volunteer fire department was formed in 1842, two years following the incorporation of the village of London. The first fire station was erected on Carling Street in 1847.[2]

The volunteer department was replaced by the permanent London Fire Department on April 1, 1873, following the Great Fire of London in 1845 which destroyed over 300 buildings. The department has since run 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Firefighters with the London Fire Department are all members of the London Professional Fire Firefighters Association, Local 142 of the IAFF.[3]

Operations

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Apparatus

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The London Fire Department has a diverse apparatus fleet laid out across the city's 14 fire stations. Various vehicles perform specialized tasks to fight fires, prevent injury, and preserve life.

Stations and Apparatus*
Station # Serving Engine Company Rescue Company Tanker Company Truck Company Haz-Mat Unit Service Unit Car Unit Marine & Zodiac Units Tech Support Unit Service Unit Fire Investigation Unit Command Unit
1
Downtown and Citywide

(Headquarters)

Engine 1 Haz-Mat 1 Car 1 Service 1 Fire Investigation

Unit 1

Command 1
2
East London

(Old East Village)

Engine 2

Engine 21

Engine 22

Engine 24

Engine 25

Rescue 2 Tanker 25 Truck 20 Marine & Zodiac 2 Command 2
3
Southwest London

(Westmount)

Engine 3 Marine & Zodiac 3
4
Central London

(Bishop Hellmuth District)

Engine 4
5
Southeast London

(Pond Mills)

Engine 5 Tanker 5 Tech Support 1
6
West London Engine 6 Truck 6 Command 6
7
Northeast London

(Huron Heights)

Engine 7 Truck 7
8
North London

(University/Masonville)

Engine 8 Service 8
9
South London

(White Oaks/Westminster)

Engine 9 Truck 9 Command 9
10
East London

(Argyle)

Engine 10
11
Lambeth Engine 11 Tanker 11
12
Southwest London

(Byron)

Engine 12
13
Northeast London

(Northdale/Fanshawe)

Engine 13
14
Northwest London

(Fox Hollow/White Hills)

Engine 14

*Spare vehicles are italicized.

Teams

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Engine no. 3, a 2016 Spartan Metro Star MFD/Carl Thibault.

In addition to standard firefighting and rescue services, some employees of LFD further divided into four specialized teams: ice/water rescue, hazardous materials, technical/rope rescue, and fire communications.[4]

Budget

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As per the 2020-2023 Multi-Year Budget, the London Fire Department's services and assets are paid for by the taxpayers of London at an approximate rate of 80 cents a day per citizen.[5] In 2021, the department's yearly net budget was CA$66.7 million.

Included in the budget is funding for London's new Fire Station 15, built to serve the southeast part of the city (specifically the growing Summerside area). Station 15, which will cost approximately $3.85 million to build, is planned to open in 2023, and will include a hybrid, dual-purpose engine and ladder truck known as a quint.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "London Fire Station No. 4 - Doors Open Ontario". www.doorsopenontario.on.ca. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  2. ^ "No. 4 Fire Station | London Public Library". www.londonpubliclibrary.ca. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  3. ^ "No. 4 Fire Station | London Public Library". www.londonpubliclibrary.ca. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  4. ^ "Fire Services employment | City of London". london.ca. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  5. ^ City of London Multi-Year Budget, 2020-2023. Fire & Rescue Services. https://london.ca/sites/default/files/2021-01/Fire%20and%20Rescue%20Services.pdf
  6. ^ "City of London 2020-2023 Multi-Year Budget Business Plan - Fire & Rescue Services" (PDF).