A person trained to extinguish fires, perform rescues, and mitigate hazardous materials incidents. While the term was historically the standard job title, most agencies use the gender-neutral term firefighter. In some departments, it specifically refers to the rank of a non-officer riding the apparatus, or historically, the person who stoked the boiler on a steam fire engine.
The captain ordered the senior fireman to pull the cross-lay and make entry.
In many metropolitan departments, 'fireman' is still used colloquially as a badge of honor for a highly skilled, aggressive interior firefighter, regardless of gender.
Do not mix it up with
- Firefighter: Firefighter is the standard, gender-neutral occupational title, while fireman is an older term or specific rank.
Related terms
Firefighter
A trained first responder tasked with extinguishing fires, executing rescues, and mitigating hazardous materials incidents.
Engineer
The firefighter responsible for driving the apparatus and operating the pump.
Truckie
A firefighter assigned to a ladder truck company rather than an engine company.