Exhibits
Every child has dreamed of someday becoming a firefighter. For them, we have a full size fire truck, toy fire trucks to play with, and even firefighters to talk with. For adults, the Fire Hall Museum & Education Centre has artifacts from around the world, which provide an overview of the evolution of fire services from the Industrial Revolution to today.
Take a Virtual Tour of the museum's exhibits - select 3D Tour. Note that some exhibits may have changed, and/or are subject to change, from the date of this production.
Every child has dreamed of someday becoming a firefighter. For them, we have a full size fire truck, toy fire trucks to play with, and even firefighters to talk with. For adults, the Fire Hall Museum & Education Centre has artifacts from around the world, which provide an overview of the evolution of fire services from the Industrial Revolution to today.
Take a Virtual Tour of the museum's exhibits - select 3D Tour. Note that some exhibits may have changed, and/or are subject to change, from the date of this production.
History of Firefighting
Although all fires are tragic, major fires often define an era – as natural and man-made landscapes are altered. Many of the largest fires are remembered as "Great" due to their sheer scale – the loss of life, the number of structures destroyed, or the size of the acreage laid bare.
The Great Fire of Rome in 64. The Great Fire of London in 1666. Great Fires in Toronto in 1849 and again in 1904. Chicago in 1871. Great Matheson Fire in northern Ontario in 1916. The Lytton, British Columbia fire in 2021. Wildfires in and around Jasper, Alberta in 2024. Wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles and southern California in early 2025.
The Fire Hall Museum exhibits don’t explore all these fires and every development in the evolution of fighting fires, but we do offer an overview of organized firefighting dating back more than two thousand years to the first fire brigade in Rome established in the year 6.
Firefighting technology has evolved dramatically over time in North America. Key eras include:
In 2026, the Fire Hall Museum will be revamping our overview exhibit on the history of firefighting but in the meantime, in 2025, we're pleased to share with visitors a video about the major eras in firefighting courtesy of the Aurora Regional Fire Museum in Aurora, Illinois – giving visitors a deeper understanding of the technological advancements and courageous efforts that have shaped the way fires are fought today.
The Great Fire of Rome in 64. The Great Fire of London in 1666. Great Fires in Toronto in 1849 and again in 1904. Chicago in 1871. Great Matheson Fire in northern Ontario in 1916. The Lytton, British Columbia fire in 2021. Wildfires in and around Jasper, Alberta in 2024. Wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles and southern California in early 2025.
The Fire Hall Museum exhibits don’t explore all these fires and every development in the evolution of fighting fires, but we do offer an overview of organized firefighting dating back more than two thousand years to the first fire brigade in Rome established in the year 6.
Firefighting technology has evolved dramatically over time in North America. Key eras include:
- The Colonial Era, with fires fought by bucket brigades.
- The Hand-Drawn Era, where firefighters pulled engines and equipment manually.
- The Steam Engine Era, with powerful engines pulled by teams of horses.
- The Motorized Era, which began in the early 1900s and continues today.
In 2026, the Fire Hall Museum will be revamping our overview exhibit on the history of firefighting but in the meantime, in 2025, we're pleased to share with visitors a video about the major eras in firefighting courtesy of the Aurora Regional Fire Museum in Aurora, Illinois – giving visitors a deeper understanding of the technological advancements and courageous efforts that have shaped the way fires are fought today.
Tools of the Trade
Get a close-up look at the many tools and pieces of equipment used in the past and today by firefighters in fire prevention, fire suppression and emergency response.
Bunker and turnout gear, helmets, life safety equipment, hand tools such as axes and jaws of life, ladders, fire hydrants, fire hose, communication gear such as radios and walkie talkies, fire extinguishers, alarm bells, and much more.
Learn how much weight a firefighter adds when they put on their turnout gear – coat, pants and boots, helmet, air pack and breathing apparatus, and other equipment.
Try on some of this equipment yourself – you’ll be surprised at how heavy it is. And it makes for a great selfie!
Bunker and turnout gear, helmets, life safety equipment, hand tools such as axes and jaws of life, ladders, fire hydrants, fire hose, communication gear such as radios and walkie talkies, fire extinguishers, alarm bells, and much more.
Learn how much weight a firefighter adds when they put on their turnout gear – coat, pants and boots, helmet, air pack and breathing apparatus, and other equipment.
Try on some of this equipment yourself – you’ll be surprised at how heavy it is. And it makes for a great selfie!
Sound the Alarm!
An important aspect of firefighting – and all emergency services – is communication and dispatch services. When you call 911, what happens? Who answers your phone call? Before there was a central emergency telephone number who did you call to report a fire? Explore some of the alarms and communications equipment used in the past to make sure that firefighters were and are sent quickly to the correct address to help with an emergency.
The Fire Departments of Galt, Preston and Hespeler
The City of Cambridge was incorporated in 1973 when the three municipalities of Galt, Preston and Hespeler, along with parts of Waterloo and North Dumfries Townships, were amalgamated into a single city with a new name. Each of the communities possesses a long and proud history in their fire departments that has, since 1973, been embodied in the Cambridge Fire Department. See photos of fire crews, fire halls and artifacts from each of the former municipalities. And if you have a relative who volunteered or worked for one of the local fire departments, ask us – we may have information in the Museum's archive about their service.
Firefighting Around the World
The Museum’s exhibits primarily relate to firefighting in the City of Cambridge and its predecessor communities of Galt, Preston and Hespeler, but the Museum also has an extensive collection of shoulder patches, commemorative medals, and many helmets from fire services across Ontario, Canada, the United States, and countries and cities around the world.
Women in Firefighting
“Women have been firefighters for longer than most people realize: in fact, for almost 200 years” in North America, according to the International Association of Women in Fire & Emergency Service.
It would not be until 1985 that Karen Morrison became the first female firefighter in Canada when she was hired by the City of Windsor, Ontario. The Cambridge Fire Department hired its first female firefighter – Kelley Willemze – in 1991.
A video presentation at the Museum honours women who have been and are firefighters with the City of Cambridge, and those women, beginning in 1974, who have worked in fire dispatch and administration.
It would not be until 1985 that Karen Morrison became the first female firefighter in Canada when she was hired by the City of Windsor, Ontario. The Cambridge Fire Department hired its first female firefighter – Kelley Willemze – in 1991.
A video presentation at the Museum honours women who have been and are firefighters with the City of Cambridge, and those women, beginning in 1974, who have worked in fire dispatch and administration.
Floods, Flooding and Water Rescue in Cambridge
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Over centuries, a rapid spring thaw or heavy rain upstream has caused the Grand and Speed Rivers to rise and spill over their banks. After the settlements of Blair, Galt, Preston and Hespeler developed, flood waters washed away bridges and flooded low-lying areas, leaving behind massive ice flows and other debris, while inundating homes and businesses. Lives were at risk. The Fire Hall Museum showcases photos from floods and how the Cambridge Fire Department has modernized its equipment, training and skills in ice and water rescue. |
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