What Are Fire Stations?

A fire station (also known as a fire hall, firehouse, firemen’s hall or engine house) is a building for storing a fire company’s vehicles and equipment. Many also contain living quarters and work areas for the firefighters who reside there, and some include dormitories to allow career firefighters to sleep during their night shifts. Fire stations may also contain a siren, an alarm system and other emergency warning devices, as well as a library of reference materials and a trophy wall to display memorabilia.

The buildings themselves can be quite diverse, with some featuring narrow towers for drying fire hoses. A common feature is a sign with the name of the fire company or companies housed there, which can be useful to those searching for a particular vehicle or identifying where a particular firefighter is assigned. In addition, some fire stations also serve as community centers with events and activities for the local residents.

In larger cities, fire stations are often named for the primary fire company and apparatus housed there. Other cities or communities may have unique names for their stations.

In smaller towns or rural areas, the fire stations may be part of a larger Fire District which brings together several communities and unincorporated areas under one full-time career department. This can greatly reduce costs by reducing the number of stations, staff and apparatus required while providing the communities with much better area coverage. The Cloquet Area Fire District in Northern Minnesota is one such example, with six stations serving five communities and unincorporated areas in two counties.