Quick links
fire hall
DCHP-2 (Jun 2010)
Historically, Fireman's Hall is a variant form, which is today gender-discriminatory and therefore outdated. Fire house is more frequent in the US (Chart 3); see Chart 2 for fire station.
n
the headquarters of a fire brigade.
Type: 5. Frequency — OED-3 considers the term "North American". As Chart 1 shows, today the term has a clear Canadian dimension. Firehouse is listed in OED-3 as "Chiefly U.S." (def. 3), although the term itself dates back to Old English (fyrhus).
The term is listed in COD-2 s.v. "fire hall" and is labelled as Cdn., described as "a fire station."; in CCD-2010 s.v. "fire hall", labelled as Canad and described as "a building where firefighting vehicles and equipment are stationed. Also called (esp. US): fire station"; in Gage-5 s.v. "fire hall (def. 1 & 2)" labelled as Cdn. and described as "a building in which firefighting equipment is kept. [T]he headquarters of a fire department [...]"; in FWSCD-82 s.v. "fire-hall" described as "[a] building housing fire-fighting equipment and personnel. Also U.S. fire house."; in ITP Nelson s.v. "fire hall" described as "a fire station."; in CGCPD-2006
The term is listed in Merriam-Webster Unabridged s.v. "fire hall" labelled as North & Canada; W-3 s.v. "firehall" labelled North & Canad.; The term is not listed in W-2 or DARE.
The term is listed in Merriam-Webster Unabridged s.v. "fire hall" labelled as North & Canada; W-3 s.v. "firehall" labelled North & Canad.; The term is not listed in W-2 or DARE.
Quotations
1849
[Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 (Toronto)--Fireman's Hall Church Street.]
1881
For the protection of property there is an efficient Fire Department with two steam fire engines and hook and ladder apparatus, ready for use at a moment's warning, in a handsome fire hall centrally located.
1891
Whereas there are 4 chiefs and 19 firemen in the fire brigade and only 15 fire halls, it is recommended that 8 more fire halls be built to provide those 8 lonely officials with proper accommodation.
1924
We, your Fire Wardens, have to report the completion of much needed additions and alterations to the City Fire Hall.
1933
Capt. P. Jeffrey, Fireman A. Ayotte and others of the boys at the fire hall secured old, broken, and discarded toys, dolls and other articles, repaired, renewed, painted and polished them and made them as good as new, indeed, in some cases, better than new because, they were stronger.
1953
Bylaws governing fire fighting going back to 1869 were reviewed amidst laughter here last Thursday night as present day firemen marked the opening of their new fire hall.
1966
Council decided to increase the insurance on the fire hall. . . .
1979
More than a year ago Weatherup asked city council if he could purchase or lease the fire hall for development of a restaurant.
1995
HELP! FIRE! Call 911. But what if there was no 911? What if the firemen didn't have trucks? How could we ever manage? Quite well, thank you - as we learn from nostalgic Star readers' memories of firefighting in Old T.O.* So tell us, Bert Leat of Collingwood, what was the scene down at the Ford St. fire hall in the 1920s when you were a kid in West Toronto?
2008
Wiebe stood at attention with his wife and son at Fire Hall Number One, which is his fire station. It was also Lessard's home fire hall.
2023
The RM of La Broquerie is putting the finishing touches on its first purpose-built fire hall after years of planning and debate. The six-bay hall, located on a six-acre property along Provincial Road 210, will be fully operational by Match 1, Fire Chief Alain Nadeau said last week during a site tour.
References
- OED-3
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 23 May 2024
