Waterloo Fire Department Chief’s Helmet

around 1990

Firefighters around the world use helmet colours as a way to distinguish rank. Frontline firefighters wear yellow helmets, Captains wear red helmets, and Platoon Chiefs wear white helmets. The Chief and Deputy Chief wear only white helmets with a large leather crest. This helmet belonged to Chief John Staller of the Waterloo Fire Department. At the time, 38-year old Chief Staller was Ontario’s youngest Fire Chief. Chief Staller was also Waterloo’s longest-serving Chief, serving from 1968 to 1991.