Catalogue Number: HFHS_APP_000004

History of the Fire Department Bell

The men and women of today's fire service are confronted with a more dangerous work environment than ever before, being forced to continually change their strategies and tactics to accomplish the tasks they are called upon to deliver.

While their methods may change over time, their goals remain the same as they were in the past, to save lives and to protect property, sometimes at a terrible cost. This is what they do... this is their chosen profession... this is the tradition of the fire fighter.

The fire service of today is ever changing, but is steeped in tradition, some over 200 years old. One such tradition is the sound of a bell.

In the past, as fire fighters began their tour of duty, it was the bell that signaled the beginning of that day's shift. Throughout the day and night, each alarm was sounded by a bell, which summoned these brave souls to fight fires and to place their lives in jeopardy for the good of their fellow citizen. And when the fire was out and the alarm had come to an end, it was the bell that signaled to all the completion of that call. Eventually, bells become commonplace on the front of apparatus, used as a means of warning the public that a fire apparatus was responding to an emergency call. When a fire fighter died in the line of duty, paying the supreme sacrifice, it was the mournful toll of the bell that solemnly announced a comrades passing.

We utilize these traditions as symbols, which reflect honor and respect on those who have given so much and who have served so well. To symbolize the devotion that these brave souls had for their duty, a special signal of three rings, three times each, represents the end of our comrades' duties and that they will be returning to quarters. And so, to those who have selflessly given their lives for the good of their fellow man, their tasks completed, their duties well done, to our comrades, their last alarm, they are going home.

(from The Last Alarm – Inside the IAFF Bell Ceremony)

• In Halifax ,(not mentioned above), it has also been tradition to present retiring fire chief's with one of the department's fire bells, when available. This bell was presented to Chief Tom Power upon his retirement date in 1996. Tom generously donated the bell to the Halifax Fire Historical Society in 2020.