Before that, the TFD and previous fire companies used horse drawn engines and ladders. Prior to the 1970s, the TFD had open air vehicles (driver cab not covered and mostly aerial trucks), but since then both the TFD and TFS use full covered vehicles. Prior to the 1950s, TFD used tiller-ladder trucks and since have reverted to smaller aerial units that can operate in narrow streets in Toronto. 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 numbers are numbered by a letter and 3 digits. The digits refer to station number and the letter refers to type of apparatus, for example T333 is the tower located Station 333. Spare apparatus are numbered with four digits, beginning with a 5 (e.g. Occasionally secondary units with the same numeric designation are given a letter as a suffix ex. Pumper 335 (P335) and Pumper 335B (P335B). A list of types of vehicles used by the TFS : (prefix letter in brackets with x's as placeholders)
Aerial (A # # #) - most common ladders found in the city; lengths range from 75 to 105 feet (22.86 to 32 metres)
Tower (T # # #) - 3 articulated boom ladders, with 2 found in South and 1 in North Command; length 114 feet (34.75 metres); AT- # # # was used for 1 vehicle (AT333)
Platform (PL # # #) - 2 ladders with attached platform, both found in West Command; length 95 feet (28.96 metres)
Pumper (P # # #)
Rescue/Pumper (R # # #) - a pumper with the addition of extrication equipment (Jaws of Life) and other tools
Fireboat (FB # # #) - 2 units, both stationed in Toronto Harbour
Hazardous Materials Unit (HZ # # #) - 1 in both North and South Commands
Hazmat Support Truck (HMS # # #) - towing trailer transporting Club Car utility cars
Decontamination Truck (DE # # #)
Squad (S # # #) - heavy/technical rescue units, with 2 located in South Command and 1 in each of West, North, and East Commands
High Rise Unit (HR # # #) - 1 only, in South Command
Water Tanker (WT # # #) - 1 only, in East Command
Rapid Attack Vehicle (RAV # # #)
All-Terrain Vehicle (ATVx) - used at special events, such as the Canadian National Exhibition
Trench Rescue Support Truck (TRS # # #) - 1 only, in East Command
Air/Light Unit (AL # # # or LA # # #, coded both ways in CAD) - 1 in each Command (A/L 114, A/L 231, A/L 333, A/L 421)
District Chief (Cxx)
Platoon Chief (Cx0) - 1 in each Command (C10, C20, C30, C40)
Division Commander (Cx)
Deputy Chief / Fire Chief (Cx)
Command Truck (CMDxx) - 3 throughout the city
Mechanical Response Unit (MRU # # #)
Training Aerial (TRAx) - used by Professional Development and Training
Training Pumper (TRPx) - used by Professional Development and Training
Spare vehicles (X5 # # #) - non-permanent additional vehicles added to station
