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Fire departments are structured differently around the world. Many firefighters are sworn members with command structures similar to the military and police. They do not have general police powers but have specific powers of enforcement and control in fire and emergency situations.
| Operational rank | Membership type | Insignia |
|---|---|---|
| Commissioner | NSW Government Senior Executive Service Officer | |
| Deputy commissioner | NSW Government Senior Executive Service Officer | |
| Assistant commissioner | NSW Government Senior Executive Service Officer | |
| Chief superintendent | NSW Government Public Service Officer | |
| Superintendent | NSW Government Public Service Officer | |
| Inspector | NSW Government Public Service Officer |  |
| Group captain | Volunteer | |
| Deputy group captain | Volunteer | |
| Assistant group captain | Volunteer | |
| Captain | Volunteer |  |
| Senior deputy captain | Volunteer |  |
| Deputy captain | Volunteer |  |
| Support fire fighter (no qualifications) | Volunteer |  |
| Administrative ranks for volunteer firefighters | Helmet insignia | Epaulette | Hardboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group officer |  |  | N/A |
| Deputy group officer |  |  | N/A |
| Operational ranks for volunteer firefighters | Helmet insignia | Epaulette | Hardboard |
| Captain |  |  |  |
| 1st lieutenant |  |  |  |
| 2nd to 5th lieutenant | | | N/A |
| Firefighter |  | N/A | N/A |
| Firefighters and leading firefighters | Rank insignia |
|---|---|
| Probefeuerwehrmann (PFM) |  |
| Feuerwehrmann (FM) |  |
| Oberfeuerwehrmann (OFM) |  |
| Hauptfeuerwehrmann (HFM) |  |
| Löschmeister (LM) 18 years as firefighter |  |
| Sub-officers/crew commanders | |
| Löschmeister (LM) | |
| Oberlöschmeister (OLM) |  |
| Hauptlöschmeister (HLM) |  |
| Leading ranks | |
| Brandmeister (BM) |  |
| Oberbrandmeister (OBM) |  |
| Hauptbrandmeister (HBM) |  |
| Brandinspektor (BI) |  |
| Oberbrandinspektor (OBI) |  |
| Hauptbrandinspektor (HBI) |  |
| Abteilungsbrandinspektor (ABI) |  |
| Administrative ranks | |
| Verwalter (V) |  |
| Oberverwalter (OV) |  |
| Hauptverwalter (HV) |  |
| Higher ranks | |
| Brandrat (BR) |  |
| Oberbrandrat (OBR) |  |
| Landesbranddirektor-Stv. (LBD-Stv.) |  |
| Landesbranddirektor (LBD) |  |
New rank structure of 2015.
| Higher cadre | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
| Colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant |
| Middle cadre | Basic cadre | ||
 |  |  |  |
| Adjutant | Sergeant | Corporal | Firefighter |
| Rank group | General/flag officers | Field/senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Military Firefighters Corps |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Comandante Geral | Comandante segundo | Coronel | Tenente-coronel | Major | Capitão | Primeiro tenente | Segundo tenente | Aspirante | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Military Firefighters Corps |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Subtenente | Primeiro-sargento | Segundo-sargento | Terceiro-sargento | Cabo | Bombeiro primeira classe | Bombeiro segunda classe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ranks amongst Canadian firefighters vary across the country and ranking appears mostly with larger departments:
Toronto
| Rank | Fire chief | Deputy fire chief | Division commander | Platoon chief | District chief | Captain | First class firefighter | Second class firefighter | Probationary firefighter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  | None | None | None |
Montreal
| Rank | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Firefighter/Firefighter instructor | no insignia |
| Interim lieutenant | 1 silver stripe |
| Lieutenant/Lieutenant instructor | 2 silver stripes |
| Captain | 3 silver stripes |
| Operations Chief | 1 thick yellow stripe |
| Division Chief | 1 thick and 1 thin yellow stripe |
| Assistant Chief | 1 thick and 2 thin yellow stripes |
| Deputy Chief | 1 thick and 3 thin yellow stripes |
| Fire Chief | 1 thick and 4 thin yellow stripes plus star |
Vancouver
| Fire chief | Deputy fire chief | Assistant chief | Battalion chief | Training officer | Captain | Lieutenant | Firefighter | Probationary firefighter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank epaulettes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia | No insignia |
| Rank pins |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia | No insignia |
Ranks are divided between company officers and fire department officers, which can be subdivided between active officers (field officers) and administrative officers. The active officers are the captain, and three or four lieutenants, these four active officers are distinguished by red lines on their helmets.
| Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Commanders | Battalion chiefs | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Director general | Deputy director general | Assistant director general | Senior commander | Commander I | Commander II | Commander III | Battalion chief I | Battalion chief II | Battalion chief III | Battalion chief IV | |
| Senior firefighters | Intermediate firefighters | Junior firefighters | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Captain I | Captain II | Captain III | Firefighter I | Firefighter II | Firefighter III | Firefighter IV | Probationary firefighter | |
| Rotný | Strážmistr | Nadstrážmistr | Podpraporčík | Praporčík | Nadpraporčík | Podporučík | Poručík | Nadporučík | Kapitán | Major | Podplukovník | Plukovník | Brigádní generál | Generál- major | Generál- poručík | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Corporal | Sergeant | Staff sergeant | Sergeant 1st class | Master sergeant | Sergeant major | Third lieutenant | Second lieutenant | First lieutenant | Captain | Major | Lieutenant colonel | Colonel | Brigadier general | Major general | Lieutenant general |
| Rank epaulettes [1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct translation of Danish ranks | Emergency director/ Emergency chief | Deputy emergency director/ Deputy emergency chief | Department chief/ Area chief | Area manager | Fire inspector | Deputy fire inspector/ Station master | Emergency master/ Fire master | Deputy emergency master/ Deputy fire master | Part-time team leader with instructor skills | Part-time team leader | Fire assistant/ Emergency assistant |
| Equivalent in London Fire Brigade | Commissioner | Deputy commissioner | Assistant commissioner | Deputy assistant commissioner | Group manager | Station manager | Station officer | Sub-officer | No equivalent | No equivalent | Firefighter |
The Paris Fire Brigade belongs to the army and uses army ranks with the corps of engineers badge. The commanding officer has the rank of divisional general. The Marseille Naval Fire Battalion belongs to the navy and uses naval ranks. The commanding officer has the rank of rear admiral. Civilian fire services uses the following ranks. The chief fire officer of a departemental fire brigade can be a comptroller general, a colonel senior class or a colonel, depending on the size of the brigade.
| Ministry of Interior | Civilian professional firefighters class A+ | Civilian professional firefighters class A | Civilian professional firefighters class B | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Director general of civil security and crisis management | Director of fire protection and deputy director general of civil security and crisis management | Comptroller general (senior positions) | Comptroller general | Colonel senior class Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Commander | Captain | Lieutenant senior class Lieutenant first class Lieutenant second class | |
| Civilian professional firefighters class C | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Chief adjutant | Adjutant | Chief sergeant | Sergeant | Chief corporal | Corporal | Sapper | |
In Germany every federal state has its own civil protection laws thus they have different rank systems. Additionally, in the volunteer fire departments, there is a difference between a rank and an official position. This is founded on the military traditions of the fire departments. Every firefighter can hold a high rank without having an official position. A firefighter can be promoted by years of service, training skills and qualifications. Official positions are partly elected or given by capabilities. These conditions allow that older ordinary firefighters have higher ranks than their leaders. But through this ranks are no authorities given (Brevet).
Completed vocational training in a technical occupation suitable for the fire service. Basic firefighter training.
 |  |  |  |
| Brandmeister/-in während der Laufbahnausbildung | Brandmeister | Oberbrandmeister | Hauptbrandmeister |
Bachelor of Engineering and two years departmental training.
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Brandinspektorenanwärter | Brandinspektor | Brandoberinspektor | Brandamtmann | Brandamtsrat | Brandoberamtsrat |
Master of Engineering and two years of departmental training.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Brandreferendar | Brandrat | Oberbrandrat | Branddirektor | Leitender Branddirektor Ministerialrat | Leitender Ministerialrat | Landesfeuerwehrinspekteur |
 |  |  |
| Company leaders | Upper technical grades, battalion chiefs | Higher technical grades, fire chiefs |
| Title | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Fire major | Fire captain | Fire lieutenant | Fire second lieutenant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek title | Αντιστράτηγος | Υποστράτηγος | Αρχιπύραρχος | Πύραρχος | Αντιπύραρχος | Επιπυραγός | Πυραγός | Υποπυραγός | Ανθυποπυραγός | |
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Title | Warrant officer (NCO) | Master sergeant | Sergeant | Senior firefighter | Firefighter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek title | Πυρονόμος | Αρχιπυροσβέστης Παραγωγικής Σχολής | Αρχιπυροσβέστης Μη Παραγωγικής Σχολής | Υπαρχιπυροσβέστης | Πυροσβέστης |
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |  |
Firefighters in Indonesia form part of the civil service of local governments and wear variant forms of uniforms worn by civil servants and employees.
| Rank category | Rank category number | Rank in Indonesian | Equivalent rank (with US General Schedule and UK Civil Service paygrade) | Rank in English (Regional/City/Municipal fire service personnel only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directors and senior ranked personnel | IV/e | Pembina Utama | Director general Senior executive service level V, Pay band 3 A7 | Director |
| IV/d | Pembina Utama Madya | Director Senior executive service level V Pay band 2 A7 | Commissioner | |
| IV/c | Pembina Utama Muda | Deputy director GS-15, Pay band 2 A6 | Commander | |
| IV/b | Pembina Tingkat I | Assistant director GS-14, Grade 6 A5 | Battalion chief | |
| IV/a | Pembina | Senior executive officer 1st class GS-14, grade 7 A4 | Fire captain first class | |
| Field ranked officers | III/d | Penata Tingkat I | Senior executive officer 2nd class GS-13, grade 7 A3 | Fire captain |
| III/c | Penata | Higher executive officer 1st class GS-12, grade 7 A2 | Lieutenant | |
| III/b | Penata Muda Tingkat I | Higher executive officer GS-11, A2 | Senior inspector | |
| Subaltern ranked officers | III/a | Penata Muda | Executive officer 1st class GS-10, A2/B6 | Inspector |
| II/d | Pengatur Tingkat I | Executive officer 2nd class GS-9, A1/B6 | Station sub-officer | |
| II/c | Pengatur | Executive officer GS-8, A1/B5 | Brigadier major | |
| Senior firefighters | II/b | Pengatur Muda Tingkat I | Administrative officer class 1 GS-7, B4 | Brigadier 1st class |
| II/a | Pengatur Muda | Administrative officer class 2 GS-6, B4 | Senior brigader | |
| Junior firefighters | I/d | Juru Tingkat I | Higher clerical officer 1st class GS-5, B3 | Brigadier |
| I/c | Juru | Higher clerical officer GS-4/GS-3, B3 | Junior brigadier | |
| I/b | Juru Muda Tingkat I | Clerical officer GS-2, B2 | Senior firefighter | |
| I/a | Juru Muda | Administrative assistant GS-1, B1 | Firefighter | |
In Iran, every city has its own fire department, but ranks are the same in the whole country, and are as follows:
| Rank | Persian | Collar/epaulette markings | Collar/epaulette markings (in Persian) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volunteer firefighter I | آتش نشان داوطلب | One yellow bar | یک خط زرد |
| Volunteer firefighter II | آتش نشان داوطلب دوم | Two yellow bars | دو خط زرد |
| Volunteer firefighter III | آتش نشان داوطلب سوم | Three yellow bars | سه خط زرد |
| Firefighter I | آتش نشان | One silver bar | یک خط نقره ای |
| Firefighter II | آتش نشان دوم | Two silver bars | دو خط نقره ای |
| Firefighter III | آتش نشان سوم | Three silver bars | سه خط نقره ای |
| Head firefighter I | سرآتش نشان | One flame and one gold bar | یک شعله و یک خط طلایی |
| Head firefighter II | سرآتش نشان دوم | One flame and two gold bars | یک شعله و دو خط طلایی |
| Head firefighter III | سرآتش نشان سوم | One flame and three gold bars | یک شعله و سه خط طلایی |
| Master firefighter I | سر آتش یار | One flame | یک شعله |
| Master firefighter II | آتش یار | Two flames | دو شعله |
| Master firefighter III | آتش یار دوم | Three flames | سه شعله |
| Master firefighter IV | آتش یار سوم | Four flames | چهار شعله |
| Chief firefighter I | آتش پاد | One empty gold wreath | یک حلقه گل طلایی خالی |
| Chief firefighter II | آتش پاد دوم | One gold wreath with a flame inside | یک حلقه گل طلایی با یک شعله درونش |
| Chief firefighter III | آتش پاد سوم | One gold wreath with a flame inside and a silver bar below them | یک حلقه گل طلایی با یک شعله درونش و یک خط نقره ای زیر آنها |
| Chief master firefighter I | فرآتش پاد | One gold wreath with a flame inside and two silver bars below them | یک حلقه گل طلایی با یک شعله درونش و دو خط نقره ای زیر آنها |
| Chief master firefighter II | فرآتش پاد دوم | One gold wreath with a flame inside and three silver bars below them | یک حلقه گل طلایی با یک شعله درونش و سه خط نقره ای زیر آنها |
| Chief master firefighter III | فرآتش پاد سوم | One gold wreath with a flame inside and four silver bars below them | یک حلقه گل طلایی با یک شعله درونش و چهار خط نقره ای زیر آنها |
In Ireland, the traditional British and Commonwealth brigade rank structure is used, across the 26 counties.
Fire and rescue services are provided by 26 County Councils to the 26 counties of Ireland, and by three city councils with unitary authority status (those of Dublin, Cork, and Galway) within their respective cities. By agreement, the Dublin Fire Brigade provides cover to both the city and the county. Similarly, Galway City Council and Galway County Council have an agreement for the provision of a single fire and rescue service. Only Cork has separate services - Cork City Fire Brigade in the City of Cork, and Cork County Fire Service in the wider County of Cork. In each of the other 23 counties of Ireland a single fire and rescue service covers the whole county, including all large towns and cities, as those 23 county councils are unitary authorities for the entire county jurisdiction.
| Structure | County brigades | Dublin City Brigade [2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Insignia | Helmet | Insignia | Helmet |
| Firefighter |  | Yellow | | Yellow |
| Leading firefighter or driver mechanic |  | Yellow, one 12 mm horizontal black stripe | This rank is not used in Dublin | |
| Sub officer |  | Yellow, two 12 mm horizontal black stripes | | Yellow, two 12 mm horizontal black stripes |
| Station officer |  | White, one 19 mm horizontal black stripe | | White, one 12 mm horizontal black stripe |
| District officer (operations) or district FPO | These ranks are not used in counties |  | White, one 19 mm horizontal black stripe | |
| Third officer (operations) or executive FPO | These ranks are not used in counties |  | White, two horizontal black stripes (one 19 mm, one 12 mm) | |
| Second officer (operations) or senior executive FPO | These ranks are not used in counties |  | White, two horizontal black stripes (one 19 mm, one 12 mm) | |
| Assistant chief fire officer | | White, two horizontal black stripes (one 19 mm, one 12 mm) |  | White, two horizontal black stripes (one 19 mm, one 12 mm) |
| Senior assistant chief fire officer | | White, one 38 mm horizontal broad black stripe | This rank is not used in Dublin | |
| Chief fire officer | | White, two 38 mm horizontal broad black stripes | | White, one 38 mm horizontal broad black stripe |
| Key: FPO = fire prevention officer | ||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rav tafsar (רב טפסר) | Tafsar (טפסר) | Tat tafsar (תת טפסר) | Tafsar mishne (טפסר משנה) | Segan tafsar (סגן טפסר) | Ráv Reshef (רב רשף) | Reshef (רשף) | Lahav (להב) | Lahav mishne (להב משנה) | ||||||||||||
| English | Lieutenant general firefighter | Major general firefighter | Brigadier general firefighter | Colonell firefighter | Lieutenant colonel firefighter | Major firefighter | Captain firefighter | First lieutenant firefighter | Second lieutenant firefighter | |||||||||||
| |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rav semel bakhir kabai (רב-סמל בכיר-כבאי) | Rav semel rishon kabai (רב-סמל ראשון-כבאי) | Rav semel kabai (רב-סמל-כבאי) | Semel kabai (סמל כבאי) | Rav kabai (רב כבאי) | Lokhem esh rishon (לוחם אש ראשון) | Lokhem esh (לוחם אש) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| English | Sergeant major firefighter | Master sergeant firefighter | Sergeant 1st class firefighter | Sergeant firefighter | Corporal firefighter | Senior firefighter | Firefighter | |||||||||||||||||||
| Role of chief fire officers | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Dirigente generale Capo di corpo | Dirigente generale | Dirigente superiore di livello C | Dirigente superiore di livello D | Dirigente superiore di livello E | Dirigente superiore di livello F | |
| Role of divisional commanders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| |  |  |  |  |
| Direttore vice dirigente con funzioni dei vicario dei dirigente di livello E | Direttore vice dirigente | Direttore | Vice direttore | |
| Role of station commanders | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Sostituto direttore antincendi capo esperto | Sostituto direttore antincendi capo | Sostituto direttore antincendi | Ispettore antincendi coordinatore | Ispettore antincendi esperto | Ispettore antincendi | |
| Role of watch and crew commanders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| |  |  |  | |
| Caporeparto | Caposquadra esperto | Caposquadra | ||
| Role of firefighters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |
| Vigile del fuoco coordinatore | Vigile del fuoco esperto | Vigile del fuoco | ||
| Volunteer firefighters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| |  |  |  |  |
| Funzionario tecnico antincendi volontario | Caporeparto volontario | Caposquadra volontario | Vigile del fuoco volontario | |
Japanese Fire Department's rank insignias are place on a small badge and pinned above the right pocket. Rank is told by stripes and hexagram stars. The design of the insignias came from older Japanese style military insignias. Officers and team leaders could wear an arm band on the arm of fire jacket to show status as command leader. Sometimes rank can be shown as different color fire jacket for command staff. The color whites and gray are reserved for EMS. Orange is reserved for rescuers.
Firefighter
| Assistant fire sergeant
| Fire sergeant
|
Fire lieutenant
| Fire captain
| Battalion chief
|
Assistant chief
| 1st assistant chief
| Deputy chief
|
Fire chief
|
| Higher cadre of professional and volunteer fire fighters [3] Cadre supérieur des pompiers volontaires et professionnels | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| French | Directeur général | Colonel | Lieutenant-colonel | Major | Capitaine | Lieutenant 1ère classe | Lieutenant | Lieutenant-aspirant |
| English | Director general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant 1st class | Lieutenant | Aspirant lieutenant |
| Middle cadre of professional and volunteer fire fighters [3] Cadre moyen des pompiers volontaires et professionnels | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |
| French | Adjudant-major | Adjudant-chef | Adjudant | Adjudant-aspirant |
| English | Adjutant major | Chief adjutant | Adjutant | Aspirant adjutant |
| Basic cadre of professional and volunteer fire fighters [3] Cadre de base des pompiers volontaires et professionnels | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| French | Sergent-major | Sergent-chef | Sergent | Caporal-chef 1ère classe | Caporal-chef | Caporal | Brigadier | Brigadier-aspirant |
| English | Sergeant major | Chief sergeant | Sergeant | Chief corporal 1st class | Chief corporal | Corporal | Brigadier | Aspirant brigadier |
| No. | Rank | Abbreviation | Rank (English) | Grade | Epaulet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulder board | Collar badge | |||||
| Penguasa Bomba (fire superintendent) | ||||||
| 1 | Ketua Pesuruhjaya Bomba | KPjB | Chief fire commissioner | JUSA A | ||
| 2 | Pesuruhjaya Bomba | PjB | Fire commissioner | JUSA B | ||
| 3 | Timbalan Pesuruhjaya Bomba | TPjB | Deputy fire commissioner | JUSA C | ||
| 4 | Penolong Kanan Pesuruhjaya Bomba | PKPjB | Senior assistant fire commissioner | KB 54 | ||
| 5 | Penolong Pesuruhjaya Bomba | PPjB | Assistant fire commissioner | KB 52 | ||
| 6 | Penguasa Kanan Bomba I | PgKB I | Senior fire superintendent I | KB 48 | ||
| 7 | Penguasa Kanan Bomba II | PgKB II | Senior fire superintendent II | KB 44 | ||
| 8 | Penguasa Bomba | PgB | Fire superintendent | KB 41 | ||
| Penolong Penguasa Bomba (assistant fire superintendent) | ||||||
| 9 | Timbalan Penguasa Bomba | TPgB | Deputy fire superintendent | KB 38 | ||
| 10 | Penolong Kanan Penguasa Bomba | PKPgB | Senior assistant fire superintendent | KB 32 | ||
| 11 | Penolong Penguasa Bomba | PPgB | Assistant fire superintendent | KB 29 | ||
| Pegawai Bomba (fire officer) | ||||||
| 12 | Pegawai Bomba Tinggi | PBT | Leading fire officer | KB 26 | ||
| 13 | Pegawai Bomba Kanan I | PBK I | Senior fire officer I | KB 24 | ||
| 14 | Pegawai Bomba Kanan II | PBK II | Senior fire officer II | KB 22 | ||
| 15 | Pegawai Bomba | PB | Fire officer | KB 17 / 19 | No insignia | |
 | Hoofdcommandeur | Fire chief |
 | Adjunct-Hoofdcommandeur | Deputy fire chief |
 | Commandeur | Division chief |
 | Hoofdbrandmeester | Battalion chief |
 | Brandmeester | Captain |
 | Hoofdbrandwacht | Engineer |
 | Brandwacht | Fire fighter |
 | Algemene / Aspirantfuncties | Trainee |
In New Zealand, rank is shown on epaulettes on firefighters' station uniform, and through colors and stripes on firefighter helmets. As the nation only has a single fire department, the New Zealand Fire Service, ranks are consistent through the country.
| Rank | Epaulette [4] | Helmet [4] |
|---|---|---|
| Trainee firefighter (TFF) | plain | fluro-green |
| Firefighter (FF) | one hollow bar | yellow |
| Qualified firefighter (QFF) | one solid bar | yellow, one red stripe |
| Senior firefighter (SFF) | two solid bars | yellow, two red stripes |
| Station officer (SO) | one impeller | red, one blue stripe |
| Senior station officer (SSO) | two impellers | red, two blue stripes |
| Deputy chief fire officer (DCFO) | impeller between two ferns below one impeller | white, one blue stripe |
| Chief fire officer (CFO) | impeller between two ferns below two impellers | white, two blue stripes |
| Assistant area commander (AAC) | three impellers | silver |
| Area commander (AC) | one impeller below a crown | silver, one blue stripe |
| Assistant national commander (ANC) | three impellers trefoil below a crown | silver, two blue stripes |
| Deputy national commander (DNC) | silver crossed sword and baton below an impeller | black |
| National commander (NC) | silver crossed sword and baton below a crown | black |
 |  |  |  |
| Strażak Firefighter Private | Starszy strażak Senior firefighter Private | Sekcyjny Section leader Private 1st class | Starszy sekcyjny Senior section leader Specialist |
 |  |  | |
| Młodszy ogniomistrz Junior firemaster Corporal | Ogniomistrz Firemaster Sergeant | Starszy ogniomistrz Senior firemaster Staff sergeant | |
 |  |  |  |
| Młodszy aspirant Junior aspirant Sergeant 1st class | Aspirant Aspirant Master sergeant | Starszy aspirant Senior aspirant Sergeant major | Aspirant sztabowy Staff aspirant Command sergeant major |
 |  |  |  |
| Młodszy kapitan Junior captain Second lieutenant | Kapitan Captain First lieutenant | Starszy kapitan Senior captain Captain | Młodszy brygadier Junior brigadier Major |
 |  |  |  |
| Brygadier Brigadier Lieutenant colonel | Starszy brygadier Senior brigadier Colonel | Nadbrygadier Chief brigadier Brigadier general | Generał brygadier General brigadier Major general |
In the Russian Federation, the decals are applied symmetrically on both sides of the helmet (front and rear). The location of the decals on the special clothing and SCBA is established for each fire department of the same type within the territorial entity. The following ranks are used by State Fire Service civilian personnel, while military personnel use ranks similar to those of the Police of Russia, due to their pre-2001 history as the fire service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation before all firefighting services were transferred to the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
| Rank | Helmet colour/markings |
|---|---|
| Firefighter | The all color helmet with the applied number, indicating the fire station |
| Head of fire brigade | The all color helmet with the applied number, indicating the fire station, underlined by line 50 mm wide and 5 mm thick |
| Head of duty shift fire station | The all color helmet with the applied a circle, inside which the applied number is indicating the fire station |
| Deputy head of the fire station | The all color helmet with the applied a triangle, inside which the applied number is indicating the fire station |
| Head of the fire station | The all color helmet with the applied a square, inside which the applied number is indicating the fire station |
| Commanding staff of the fire department | The all color helmet with the applied a circle, inside which the applied a rhombus |
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Director general | Deputy director general * Fire chief of metropolitan city | Level 3 positions | Level 4 positions | Level 5 positions | Level 6 positions | Level 7 positions | Level 8 positions | Team leader | Team member | Basic level |
Tunisian firefighter's ranks are the same as the army, police and national guard.
Ranks marked in italics are exclusive to the London Fire Brigade
| Rank title | Rank markings |
|---|---|
| Firefighter | |
| Leading firefighter | |
| Crew manager/commander or sub-officer | |
| Watch manager/commander or station officer | |
| Station commander |  |
| Group commander or borough commander | |
| Area commander or deputy assistant commissioner |  |
| Assistant chief fire officer or assistant commissioner | |
| Deputy chief fire officer or deputy commissioner | |
| Chief fire officer or commissioner | |
In the United States, helmet colors often denote a fire fighter's rank or position. In general, white helmets denote chief officers, such as battalion chiefs, division chiefs, etc while red helmets may denote company officers, such as captains, lieutenants, etc but the specific meaning of a helmet's color or style varies from region to region and department to department. The rank of an officer in an American fire department is most commonly denoted by a number of speaking trumpets, a reference to a megaphone-like device used in the early days of the fire service, although typically called "bugle" in today's parlance. Ranks proceed from one (lieutenant) to five (fire chief) bugles. Traditional ranks in American fire departments that exist but may not always be utilized in all cities or towns include:
| Rank | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Firefighter | No bugles |
| Engineer/technician/apparatus operator | 3 chevrons |
| Lieutenant | 1 bugle |
| Captain | 2 bugles, either traditionally side by side or less usually crossed |
| Battalion chief/district chief | 2 bugles, either side by side or more traditionally crossed |
| Division chief or assistant chief/deputy assistant chief/deputy assistant commissioner/assistant deputy commissioner | 3 crossed bugles |
| Deputy chief/deputy commissioner | 4 crossed bugles |
| Chief/commissioner | 5 crossed bugles |
In many fire departments in the U.S., the captain is commonly the commander of a company and a lieutenant is the supervisor of the company's firefighters on shift. There is no state or federal rank structure for firefighters and each municipality or volunteer fire department creates and uses their own unique structure.
Some other American fire departments such as the FDNY (New York City Fire Department) use military rank insignia in addition to or instead of the traditional bugles. Additionally, officers on truck companies have been known to use rank insignias shaped like axes for lieutenants (one) and captains (two).
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within an armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a military hierarchy. It incorporates the principles of exercising power and authority into the military chain of command – the succession of commanders superior to subordinates through which command is exercised. The military chain of command constructs an important component for organized collective action.
Commander is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
Inspector is a police rank and an administrative position used in a number of organizations. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it.
The fire service in France is organised into local fire services which mostly cover the Departments of France, with a few exceptions. There are two types of fire service:
The New Zealand Fire Service was New Zealand's main firefighting body from 1 April 1976 until 1 July 2017 – at which point it was dissolved and incorporated into the new Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Police ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships in police organizations. The rank system defines authority and responsibility in a police organization, and affects the culture within the police force. Police ranks, dependent on country, are similar to military ranks in function and design due to policing in many countries developing from military organizations and operations, such as in western Europe, former Soviet countries, and English-speaking countries. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms.
Station officer is a supervisory rank in a number of Commonwealth and other fire services, including those in Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the New Zealand Fire Service.
For centuries, firefighters have worn helmets to protect them from heat, cinders and falling objects. Although the shape of most fire helmets has changed little over the years, their composition has evolved from traditional leather to metals, to composite helmets constructed of lightweight polymers and other plastics.
United States Army Officer rank insignia in use today.
Chief fire officer (CFO), formerly often just chief officer, is the highest rank in the fire and rescue services of the United Kingdom. There are currently 50 chief fire officers serving in the United Kingdom in charge of the local authority fire services. There is also a chief fire officer responsible for the Ministry of Defence Fire Services, which includes the Defence Fire and Rescue Service and the RAF Fire Service. Some UK airport fire services also designate their seniors officers as CFOs, though these officers rarely wear the same rank insignia as a local authority chief fire officer.
Leading firefighter is a rank in the London Fire Brigade. It used to be in all British fire services, ranking between firefighter and sub-officer. A leading firefighter was usually in charge of a single fire appliance. The badge of rank was one white or silver bar on the epaulettes. The helmet was yellow with one 12.5 mm (0.49 in) black stripe on it.
St John Ambulance Ireland (SJAI), previously known as the St John Ambulance Brigade of Ireland, is a charitable voluntary organisation in Ireland. For constitutional reasons it is not a full member association of the Venerable Order of Saint John and the international St. John Ambulance movement, but rather is classed as an "associated body". The organisation is dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid. It is engaged in first aid training to the public, providing first aid and ambulance cover at public events, patient transport and community services.
The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) provides fire services for the city of Calgary, Alberta.
Civil Defence Ireland is the national civil defence organisation of Ireland. It is a statutory agency of the Irish Department of Defence and is administered by local authorities. It was established in 1951 in response to the threat of nuclear disaster posed by the atomic bomb following World War II. Today it is an emergency response and rescue agency whose purpose is to provide aid, assistance and relief in times of emergency or natural disaster. It may also support primary emergency response agencies namely the Garda Síochána, HSE National Ambulance Service, and local authority fire services when requested. Civil Defence Ireland consists almost entirely of volunteers, numbering 4500 as of February 2019.
Captain is a rank in various fire services.
The military uniforms of the Union Army in the American Civil War were widely varied and, due to limitations on supply of wool and other materials, based on availability and cost of materials. The ideal uniform was prescribed as a dark blue coat with lighter pants, with a black hat. Officer's ranks were denoted with increasing levels of golden decoration. Specific jobs, companies, and units had markedly different styles at times, often following European customs such as that of the Zouaves. Officers uniforms tended to be highly customized and would stray from Army standard. Ironically, several main pieces of gear had been created by order of Confederate president Jefferson Davis before the war, when he was United States Secretary of War.
The St. Louis Fire Department provides emergency medical services, fire cause determination, fire prevention, fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and rescue services to the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The department is also the Second oldest paid fire department in the United States. The STLFD is responsible for 69.0 square miles (179 km2) and has a population of approximately 294,890 with a daytime population of over 2 million.
Firefighting in the United States dates back to the earliest European colonies in the Americas. Early firefighters were simply community members who would respond to neighborhood fires with buckets. The first dedicated volunteer fire brigade was established in 1736 in Philadelphia. These volunteer companies were often paid by insurance companies in return for protecting their clients.
The United States Army's enlisted rank insignia that was used during World War I differs from the current system. The color scheme used for the insignia's chevron was olive drab for field use uniforms or one of several colors depending on the corps on dress uniforms. The chevron system used by enlisted men during World War I came into being on July 17, 1902, and was changed to a different system in 1919. Specification 760, which was dated May 31, 1905, contained 45 different enlisted insignia that varied designs and titles by different corps of the Army. General Order Number 169, which was enacted on August 14, 1907, created an even larger variety of enlisted rank insignia. Pay grades similar to the current system were not yet in use by the U.S. Army, and instead, the pay system reflected the job assignment of the soldier rather than their rank. By the end of World War I, the system contained 128 different insignia designs.
