Service de protection contre les incendies de Québec (SPCIQ, ''Quebec City Fire Protection Service'') is responsible for fire prevention and suppression in

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The

fire department A fire department (North American English) or fire brigade (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), also known as a fire company, fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organi ...

responds to vehicle accidents,

hazardous materials Dangerous goods are substances that are a risk to health, safety, property or the Natural environment, environment during transport. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials (syll ...

(

HAZMAT Hazmat, HazMat or HAZMAT may refer to: * Dangerous goods, hazardous materials and items * Hazmat suit * Hazmat diving * Hazmat (comics) is a Marvel Comics character * ''HazMat'' (film), a 2013 horror film See also * Hazmat Modine Hazmat Mo ...

) calls, technical rescue (high-angle and confined space), ice and water rescue, wildfires and many other situations in which citizens are in need of external help.

History

Professional fire fighting in Quebec began in 1765, but the current force was created by amalgamation of several area fire services in 2002: * Québec: provided fire protection to Charlesbourg, Beauport and Vanier before amalgamation * Sainte-Foy: provided fire protection to Cap-Rouge and l'Ancienne-Lorette * Sillery * Val-Bélair *

Loretteville Loretteville () is a List of former municipalities in Quebec, former city in central Quebec, Canada. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. It is located within the borough of La Haute-Saint-Charles, and also contains the upmark ...

* Saint-Émile * Lac Saint-Charles * Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures * Duberger * Neufchâtel Despite presence of a fire service, Quebec suffered two devastating fires:

Quebec fires of 1845

In 1845 Quebec would face two devastating fires resulting in 50 deaths, 3000 buildings lost, 22,000 residents losing their homes or business and caused extensive damage to the two-thirds of the city outside of the Fortification thus sparing Old Quebec (La Basse-Ville de Québec): * May 28 - the first fire that began in a tannery on rue Arago and burned down wood structures in the Lower Town and Saint-Roch area * June 28 - the second fire began in the Upper Town, in St. Jean (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) and St. Louis (

Parliament Hill Parliament Hill (), colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern bank of the Ottawa River that houses the Parliament of Canada in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. It accommodates a suite of Gothic revival buildings whose ...

)

Great Fire of Quebec 1866

A fire at a store on rue St. Joseph on 14 October 1866 resulted in 2500-3000 buildings lost, 7 deaths and 20,000 residents homeless. Wind and lack of water resulted in extensive damage (significant part of the Saint-Sauveur neighbourhood razed) but

Saint Roch Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79; traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327), also called Rock in English, was a Majorcan Catholic confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he was especially invo ...

was spared with less fire damage.

Ranks

Besides regular firefighter, SPCIQ has other ranks: * Logistics platoon leader * Chief of logistics operations * Platoon leader * Chief operating officer * Chief of operations * Platoon chief * SST platoon chief * Deputy director - operations * Deputy director - strategic and administrative affairs * Director

Operations

There are 16 stations (numbered 1-17 with the exception of 14:

Water and ice rescue

Quebec City uses small vessels with outboard motor mainly for water rescue operations. Known vessels include: * Airsolid 16' inflatable rescue boat * NAV 16 inflatable rescue boat Rapid Deployment Craft are unpowered inflatable vessel used for ice rescue operations. Major fire suppression can be assisted by

Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; ) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues in Canadian waters, such as navigation aids and i ...

vessels stationed nearby along the St. Lawrence River. Water and ice rescue is further assisted by the Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre Quebec.

References

External links

Quebec City Fire Department

Quebec City Firefighters' Union
{{DEFAULTSORT:Service de protection contre les incendies de Quebec

2002 establishments in Quebec Municipal government of Quebec City