Fire Helmet

early 1920

Can you figure out what is sitting on top of the fire helmet? If you guessed a lion, you’d be right. Lions are a universal symbol for bravery, which seems the perfect adornment for a fire fighter’s helmet. New York-based Cairns and Bro Makers made aluminum helmets worn by the Waterloo Fire Department. Helmet colours also show rank in a fire brigade. In the early hook-and-ladder fire companies, only firemen fighting the flames wore these red coloured helmets. This helmet is missing its black leather crest on the front with “Waterloo FD” in red and white.