Fire Stations

A fire station (also known as a firehouse or a fire hall) is a building that houses a fire department and the apparatus needed for responding to emergency calls. Fire stations typically include administrative areas, vehicle maintenance bays, equipment storage, and dormitories for firefighters. Some also house ambulances, which are equipped with basic life support and advanced life support equipment for administering first aid to injured civilians.

In larger cities, a fire station may be named for the primary company and apparatus housed there, such as “Ladder Company 8.” Other times, they are named after the settlement, neighborhood or street where they are located, or given a number for easy reference. They are usually located near a street or highway for ease of access by the vehicles. Approaches to the fire station are often posted with warning signs, and traffic signals may be used to control traffic when trucks leave or return.

The firefighting profession became a fully professional operation with the founding of the Metropolitan Fire Department in 1865. Prior to this, firefighting was a volunteer endeavor, with volunteers serving on 24-hour shifts. Following a series of large fires that caused excessive losses and high insurance rates, the city council passed an act to combine Manhattan and Brooklyn into the Metropolitan District, forming the first paid fire departments and requiring all firefighters to serve on a continuous tour of duty with three hours off for meals each day. Military discipline and a system of merit promotion were introduced to the paid department at this time, resulting in more efficient service and reduced fire losses.

While the design of fire stations varies widely, most contain an Apparatus Bay that contains the garage where fire engines and other equipment are kept. This area is typically separate from the main fire station building and includes a heavy-duty lift for loading and unloading of the equipment. It also may contain a washing and drying room for the firefighters’ self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), as well as secure storage for personal belongings and supplies.

Administrative areas at a fire station typically consist of standard offices and conference and training rooms for firefighter training. Some also may have a specialized dispatch room for receiving emergency calls from the public.

A firehouse is a familiar sight in movies and television shows. The 1986 and 1989 comedy films Ghostbusters feature the fictional headquarters of Ladder Company 8 in Tribeca. The 2002 film Brotherhood: Life in the FDNY follows the lives of members of Engine 7/Ladder 1 in Brooklyn, and the 2002 Sesame Street video Elmo Visits the Firehouse has Elmo touring Engine 3 and Ladder Company 26 at their Manhattan firehouse to learn about their jobs. In fact, the oldest FDNY firehouse in NYC, at 4 Centre Street, opened its doors all the way back in 1865. Check it out here.