A fire station (also called a fire house , fire hall , firemen's hall , or engine house ) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment , fire hoses and other specialized equipment. Fire stations frequently contain working and living space for the firefighters and support staff.
8-586: The Old Kowloon Fire Station is a former fire station in Tsim Sha Tsui , Kowloon , Hong Kong . Together with the Former Marine Police Headquarters , it is now part of a commercial complex called 1881 Heritage . The station is located at 33 Salisbury Road , at the corner with Kowloon Park Drive. The Old Kowloon Fire Station consists of a Main Block and an Accommodation Barrack. The main block
16-420: A callout comes through. Career firefighters are usually able to sleep during a night shift, so these stations will also have dormitories. There will be an alarm system to alert them of an emergency call , and to give some indication of where and what the emergency is. In some small fire departments, the only alarm may be a telephone for receiving calls. Many fire stations were built with the living quarters above
24-432: The fire station has been listed as a Grade II historic building since 2009. 22°17′41″N 114°10′13″E / 22.29477°N 114.170369°E / 22.29477; 114.170369 ( Old Kowloon Fire Station ) Fire station In large U.S. cities, fire stations are often named for the primary fire companies and apparatus housed there, such as "Ladder 49". Other fire stations are named based on
32-410: The firefighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the fire station during events such as a "fire prevention week", and the facility may also be used for fund-raising by the "firemen's association", " fire buffs ", or "fire auxiliary". If the station is occupied full-time by career firefighters , it will contain living quarters and work areas, where they wait until
40-521: The garage. This arrangement is common for fire stations built in a crowded city. The fireman's pole was invented to allow firefighters to quickly descend to the garage. In modern times, agencies such as the National Fire Protection Association have argued that these pose a safety hazard. Modern fire stations are often built with the living quarters on the same level as the garage. Some fire stations are not regularly occupied, with
48-460: The settlement, neighborhood or street where they are located, or given a number. A fire station will at a minimum have a garage for housing at least one fire engine . There will also be storage space for equipment, though the most important equipment is stored in the vehicle itself. The approaches to a fire station are often posted with warning signs, and there may be a traffic signal to stop or warn traffic when apparatus are leaving or returning to
56-422: The station. Fire stations have often been built with a tower, for purposes that have changed with time. A drill tower is used for practicing high-rise rescue, while a hose tower is used for hanging hoses to dry to prevent rot. Historically, towers were lookouts for spotting fires. Activities at a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and training drills in which
64-735: Was built in 1920, while the two-storey accommodation barrack was completed in 1922. It served as a fire station until 1971, when it was replaced by the Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station on Canton Road . The fire station was also known as the Terminus Fire Station because of its proximity to the Kowloon station (demolished in 1974), the then south terminus of the British Section of the Kowloon–Canton Railway . The main block of
#920079