fire department

American  

noun

1. the department of a municipal government charged with the prevention and extinguishing of fire.

2. the personnel in such a department.

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fire department British  

noun

1. the department of a local authority responsible for the prevention and extinguishing of fires

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Etymology

Origin of fire department

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25

Example Sentences

For decades, St. Michael’s had its own fire department and ambulance department, staffed largely by student volunteers and serving nearby towns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

After the sun came up, "we watched the water recede little by little" before the fire department arrived, Mikey said.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

One early party he planned—a Halloween rave at a defunct plastics plant that was a registered toxic-waste site—was shut down by the fire department after it deemed the place unsafe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Safety controls, validated by the fire department, must be implemented for the storage of this fuel, the businessman told AFP, but "the institutions themselves are not able to clearly outline all the steps."

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

He would need a police force and a fire department, a hospital and an ambulance service.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson