The Fire Service was established in 1871. The first fire station was located on Suttin Street, Downtown. The first fire vehicle was a horse drawn pump operated by a small number of men under the command of Scotsman Alexander McFarlane. The current head of the service is Laurie A. William. The Fire Service is divided into two branches, namely: Administrative Branch and Operations Branch. There are 33 fire station and 3 fire boats. The Vision Statement is a citizen centered fire and rescue service that provides high quality emergency response.