The City of South Portland is the fourth largest city in Maine. Located on Portland Harbor, South Portland Fire Department provides Fire and Emergency Medical Services to a community with a resident population of over 26,000 and a workday population almost double in size. The city covers 13 square miles of a mix of industry and residential structures.

The department is staffed with 71 full time firefighters and paramedics, supported by 34 paid on call firefighters.  The department operates three fully staffed stations and three call companies.

  • Administration - Car 41, Car 42, Car 44, Car 49, Car 45 (Reserve)
  • Cash Corner  - Ladder 45,  Engine 46 (CC), Rescue 45, Ladder 41 (Reserve), Ambulance 43 (Reserve), Hazmat 401, Engine 49 (Foam), Forestry 5 (gator), Engine 4 (Antique)
  • Central Station – Engine 48, Ambulance 41, Ambulance 44 (Reserve), Gator 8, Foam Trailer (990 gallons AFFF)
  • Portland Street - Marine 48
  • Union Street  - Engine 6 (Antique)
  • Western Ave Station – Engine 44, Ambulance 42, Hazmat 402, Engine 41 (Reserve)
  • Willard Square – Engine 42 (CC), Ladder 42 (CC)

The Department has a Chief, a Fire Inspector, and an EMS supervisor, who work Monday-Friday and 4 Deputy Chiefs that work on shifts as duty chief as well as oversee different programs such as: Fire Prevention, Code Enforcement, Training and Personnel. 

There are 4 shifts that work 24 hour shifts. Each station has a House Captain and 3 Lieutenants (for a total of 3 Captains and 9 Lieutenants) and 13 Firefighters assigned (for a total of 52 total firefighters). Daily staffing is at least 13 plus the duty chief.   

The Call Companies have a Capatin and three Lieutenants. Most of the companies have 12-15 members. They do not have shifts and the stations are not staffed, instead they are always "on duty" and respond to calls whenever they occur. They meet and train regulaly, usually about 2-3 times a month.    

The delivery of Emergency Medical Services continues to be the largest part of our business. We continue to see a steady increase in the demand for our Emergency Medical Services. Currently, more than half the department members are paramedics. This equates to the majority of the full time staff employed by South Portland having completed the highest level of emergency medical training offered. We continue to recruit and train paramedics in an effort to provide our citizens the highest level of medical care available in the prehospital setting. The department also prides itself in having some of the most advanced medical equipment in the field.

South Portland is home to one of the largest oil ports on the east coast, with seven bulk liquid petroleum terminals, the largest rail yard in New England, a chemical storage facility, two semiconductor plants, and the largest retail complex north of Boston. These commercial facilities present a challenge to our first responders. The department spends hundreds of hours annually to train for these unique hazards not found in other communities in Maine.