Fire Stations

A fire station (also known as a firehouse, fire hall, firemen’s hall or engine house) is a building where the equipment used for fighting fires is stored. This includes fire engines and other vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire hoses and other specialized equipment. The buildings may also contain living and working areas for the firefighters. In addition, the stations are the headquarters for the fire department. Fire departments may be staffed by professional firefighters or, as in some countries, by a combination of professionals and volunteers. Fire departments are responsible for fire suppression, emergency medical services and rescue operations.

Some fire stations are occupied full time by career firefighters, who live in the station’s living quarters, which are usually above the garage. The firefighters are called out to respond to emergency calls by siren, radio or pager. When they receive a call, the firefighters leave the station on their vehicles and drive to the scene of the emergency.

In some countries, the firefighters are cross-trained as emergency medical technicians and may also provide emergency medical services. In these cases, the fire station may be referred to as a combined fire and ambulance station.

Many cities have numerous fire stations, which are strategically placed throughout the city to minimize response times and maximize efficiency. The fire departments are normally staffed by professional, volunteer or conscripted firefighters and may be complemented with specialist units for aircraft rescue and recovery, water rescue, hazardous materials response and technical rescue.

Narrow towers rise above many of the fire station buildings. These are generally hose towers, used for washing and drying the fire hoses. They may also be fire lookout towers, bell or clock towers, and drill towers. Some also have firefighting training towers, which are often built in the yard behind a fire station.

Fire stations are sometimes named for the primary fire company or apparatus housed there, such as “Engine 49”. Some are numbered, while others are named for the settlement, neighborhood or street where they are located. In the United States, some fire stations are also part of a historic district or listed on the National Register of Historic Places.