helmet color by rank/assingment

[mercurygrandmarquis1]

in heard that theres a system for color coding helmets by rank and assignment can somebody please elaborate on this?

 

[ladder197]

I live in Norhtern NJ and in some depts Capts, Lts wear red helmets, as in some the Lts have red helmets, and the Capt yellow,etc. My dept the Capt, Lt wear yellow coats, black helmets w/ white fronts.

 

[vbcapt]

It widely varies around the country. Some, are confusing with the multiple color helmets and turnout gear.

In NYC, Firefighters and Company Officers have black helmets. The Firefighters have an insert in the frontpiece indicating the Company number, the background color of the insert denotes the type of Company i.e black-Engine, red-Ladder, blue-Rescue, green-Marine, yellow?-Squad. At the bottom of the frontpiece is their badge number.

The Company Officer has a white frontpiece with the Company number and the background color denotes the type, same colors as stated above. The bottom of the frontpiece will have either Captain or Lieutenant.

Chief Officers wear white helmets with a gold frontpiece that shows Battalion number, Deputy Chief, Deputy Asst. Chief and so on.    

There's also some special helmet frontpiece setups out there for Field Comm, Chiefs Aides etc.


Down here in Va. Beach Firefighters wear yellow helmets, Capts. & Chiefs wear white helmets  

 

[tbendick]

The other colors that have been used in NYC. 
Red - Fire Patrol no longer in service.
Yellow - Aux FF, not sure if any are around these days.

EMS side of things.
EMTs/Paramedics - Orange
EMS Lts and up - White.

 

[mercurygrandmarquis1]

sorry to tack on another question but what about ranks and shirt color? because ive seen white shirts,light blue shirts and dark blue shirts and that always confused me.

 

[dg116]

sorry to tack on another question but what about ranks and shirt color? because ive seen white shirts,light blue shirts and dark blue shirts and that always confused me.

Firefighters usually wear dark blue shirts.

Capt.'s and Lt.'s wear light blue shirts

Chiefs wear white shirts

 

[tbendick]

Admin Lt's Capt's (Fire&EMS) tend to where white as the FF's will wear light blue.
Kinda of Class A but not all the way. You will see this at HQ.

 

[mack]

FDNY Aux also used to wear red helmets.  I do not know when they switched over to yellow but the old World War II/Cold War fiberglass or plastic helmets were red in color.  There used to be stockpiles of them in the basements of NYC firehouses when they were bomb shelters during the 1950s-1960s.

Some departments paint helmets distinctively to indicate "Probationary Firefighters".  Many color code helmets by type of unit (e.g. - blue EMS units/black suppression).  Some color or mark helmets to distinguish engine or truck personnel.  Wildfire crews color code their helmets to distinguish types of crews.  

SFFD color codes helmets:
engine=all black
truck=black brim/ribs and red/white panels
squad=black brim/ribs and white /black panels
chiefs operator=black brim/ribs and white panels
chiefs=all white
arson=black brim/ribs and blue panels

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Boston: Engine companies are all black, Ladder companies have a red top. As i recall, the Rescue companies were also all black.

 

[68jk09]

FDNY Auxilaries helmet color changed from red to yellow in '66 or '67 due to request by the NYFire Patrol who wore red.