Toronto unveils new fire truck with tallest firefighting apparatus in North America

Toronto has acquired a new fire truck that will bring fire crews to new heights.

On Wednesday, Mayor John Tory and Fire Chief Matthew Pegg unveiled the Bronto Skylift 70m articulated aerial unit, nicknamed Tower 1.

The firefighting apparatus is the tallest in North America and, at full extension, can reach an elevation of 70 metres, or 230 feet, which is approximately 22 storeys high.

“When you give the fire service this new height that they need to reach new parts of our growing city this makes it much more certain that we can provide residents in the city, across the board with the kind of protection that they need,” Tory said at a news conference.

Tower 1 extends to double the height of Toronto’s next tallest aerial apparatus that can reach 11 storeys.

The apparatus also provides enhanced aerial firefighting capabilities as the master stream nozzle at the end of the platform is capable of flowing up to 3,800 litres of water per minute.

The truck is a much needed addition to Toronto’s fire services as there are approximately 2,500 highrise buildings in the city, the second largest number of highrises in North America after New York City.

“Responding to fires and other emergencies in Toronto poses challenges that are unique to other cities. Truly a vertical city, our crews require these specialized tools to fully and efficiently respond to these incidents in the high-density environments where our residents live, work and play each day and night,” Pegg said.

The truck will be stationed downtown at 339 Queens Quay W., where there is the greatest density of high rise buildings, but it will respond to most areas throughout the city as needed.