Synonyms

fire brigade

American

noun

a group of firefighters, especially as formed temporarily or called upon to assist a fire department in an emergency.
a small fire department privately employed by an institution.

fire brigade British

noun

an organized body of firefighters

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fire brigade

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After Farmer went to see what had happened, she described seeing "at least five ambulances", a police helicopter and the fire brigade.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

The fire brigade had to be called overnight after a burst pipe in the Louvre's Denon wing, which houses some of the museum's most valuable exhibits including the Mona Lisa, according to a statement.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Specialised divers from the fire brigade assisted residents on inflatable boats, AFP journalists saw.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Faisal said that it took a long time for the fire brigade to arrive, "while the ambulances, which weren't even needed at that moment - had already reached".

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

Their big yellow eyes surveyed the fire brigade, squinting and widening again.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023