On Sunday September 10, 1944, at 2:30pm, a group of men who for the most part were from the Corps de Protection Civile, gathered in the Salle Sainte-Anne, Ottawa Street, in Montreal. They were nineteen at this assembly during which the group of volunteers who would later be called "Les Pompiers Auxilliares de Montréal" was founded.

The organization, which was probably unique in Canada at this time, was established with the goal of being useful to the Service des Incendies de Montréal, at the time directed by Raymond E. Paré. This association was more specifically created to be of assistance to the firefighters at the scene of an intervention.

It is for the above-mentioned reasons that in 1945 the auxiliary firemen finalized the idea of a portable canteen, which would permit them to offer firefighters some pleasantries at the scene of a blaze. Later on, the volunteers would acquire a van (retired protection vehicle) equipped with tools enabling them to serve coffee and other beverages, hot or cold, depending on the season. They completed it all with the distribution of cigarettes. After a few years, the need for the auxiliary firemen was growing and therefore a larger and more modern van was purchased. This newer unit had a generator on board, as well as two coffee machines and storage areas.

In 1963, the centennial year of the Service de la Prévention des Incendies de Montréal, a first-aid vehicle was offered to the auxiliary firemen who at the time called home the third floor of station 47. The unit obtained was an ambulance, which allowed for first-aid to be given to the firefighters on the scene of a fire as well as the transportation to a nearby hospital if need be.

Today, the 25 volunteers-members of the Montreal Auxiliary Firemen, directed by Mr. Steven Garnett, have three very recent vehicles at their disposal (1230, 1330 and 1379). They respond to fires upon the third alarm and participate in many other events in the community.

Along with their work of supporting the Montreal Firefighters, the auxiliary firemen also have a museum in their station where many photos and firefighting equipment are kept for perusal. They moved into their current home, inside station 30, in Mai of 1930 where many pictures along with historic memorabilia are kept. In addition to this, the auxiliary firemen keep the helmets of past directors all the way back to the man who founded the SSIM in 1863, Mr. Alexander Bertram as well as the helmets of firefighters who lost their life in the line of duty.

For more information you may contact:

M. Steven Garnett (President)
museedespompiers@videotron.ca

or visit their website at:
www.museedespompiers.com