"Yes, hats are heavy till you get used to 'em, but you don't think much about that when you're at work...If it weren't for the heavy hat, where'd you be?"
Reminiscences of the Old Fire Laddies and Volunteer Fire Departments of New York and Brooklyn, 1885.
The fire hat's reinforced design and
careful construction saved many firemen from injury in the line of duty.
It has also become a symbol of the brotherhood between these men. Presentation hats were given to firemen as a token of friendship or admiration. Other helmets were mounted to the firehouse wall to memorialize fallen firefighters.
