In 1975 a small group of fire buffs, who had been meeting informally from time to time to "buff the job", saw the need for a formal fire buffing group in the Metro Toronto area. Out of that need was born the Metro Toronto Multiple Alarm Association. The group originally meet in members' basements. Later, the MTMAA would later benefit from the generosity of member Bruce Beauchamp's family, setting up a meeting room above their tailor shop on Adelaide St. W. That location provided a great vantage point for watching responding apparatus from the Adelaide St. firehall.
Wanting to expand their service to the community, in 1977 the members of MTMAA took over the operation of S.U.N. 1, the Scarborough Fire Department canteen truck. (see Support 7 section.) 29 years later, we still proudly provide canteen and rehab services to the amalgamated Toronto Fire Services. Through the 1980's, MTMAA moved again. Buildings come and buildings go in the big city, and we were allowed the use of the Toronto Firefighters Association meeting hall at 39 Commissioners St. We meet there to this day, holding our meetings on the former apparatus bay of Fire Hall #30 - an old single-bay firehall active until 1980. The 1990's were interesting and turbulent times for the Fire Service in Toronto. 1998 saw the amalgamation of the Toronto Fire Department with it's five suburban counterparts. Metro Toronto was no more, so MTMAA became GTMAA - the Greater Toronto Multiple Alarm Association. The canteen service (now called Support 7) was expanded westward from Scarborough into the new City of Toronto.
Over the years, GTMAA has grown to about 40 members and twice as many subscribers. While many have moved on, new members are continuously attracted to our ideas of fellowship and inclusiveness. Our friends and alumni often walk through the door unannounced, always welcome from as far afield as the United States and the Middle East.