Gifts for Firefighters (Station, Shift and Home)
- 20 gift ideas
- From under $10 to $100 and up
- 8 niche picks
Good gifts for firefighters fit the job and the downtime: a right-angle flashlight or helmet light for the shift, a glove strap or door chocks for the gear bag, a boot dryer for off duty, and coffee or a pressure cooker for the station. These 20 ideas also include books.
Quick picks
- Best overall: A right-angle flashlight for turnout gear A hands-free light that clips to turnout gear. Idea 1
- Best stocking stuffer: A glove strap A small gear item that gets used on every shift. Idea 5
- Best off-duty: A boot dryer Has wet boots and gloves ready for the next shift. Idea 11
- Best splurge: An 8-quart pressure cooker for the station A big shared gift for a crew that cooks together. Idea 16
- Best for the station: A coffee urn for the station A thank-you for a whole crew that runs on coffee. Idea 17
A good firefighter gift is one they will use on shift, at home or at the station. Start by asking whether the department issues the item already, since some departments have rules about what gear can be carried or worn.
We sorted these ideas into gear for the shift, EMS tools, off-duty gifts, thank-you gifts for a whole station and a reading shelf. If you are choosing for a family member, Gifts for Dad has more ideas.
Ideas 1 to 5
Gear gifts for the shift
Lights, straps and bags. Check department rules on gear first.
1. A right-angle flashlight for turnout gear
A right-angle flashlight clips to a turnout coat and points where the firefighter is facing, which suits one who buys their own gear and wants a light that stays out of the way. Check which models the department allows, and whether the crew already has them issued. Bright orange makes it easy to find in a dark cab or on a scene.
Tip: Ask whether the department already issues one before you buy.
2. A helmet light
A helmet-mounted light keeps both hands free on a dark scene, which suits a firefighter who takes night calls or works in low light. Helmet mount compatibility varies by model, so check the firefighter's helmet or ask someone at the department before you buy. It is a bigger purchase, and a thoughtful one for a firefighter buying their own gear.
Tip: Check which mount their helmet needs before you order.
3. A leather radio strap
A leather radio strap with an anti-sway strap keeps the radio close and steady while the firefighter works, which suits one who carries a portable radio on every call. Boston Leather makes fire-service gear. Ask for the radio model and check the department's rules on what gear may be worn before you order.
Tip: Ask their radio model, since straps are made for specific radios.
4. A step-in turnout gear bag
A step-in turnout gear bag holds the coat, pants and boots ready to put on, which suits a volunteer firefighter who keeps gear in a car and responds from home or work. A shoulder strap and a helmet pocket keep everything together. Check the size and ask whether the department already provides one before you buy.
Tip: Check the size: the listing is a 3XL, sized for full turnout gear.
5. A glove strap
A glove strap keeps gloves clipped to the coat instead of on the ground, so it suits every firefighter who has dropped a glove at a scene. It is inexpensive, light and reflective, which makes it a stocking stuffer that actually gets used. Pair it with a pocket light for a small on-shift bundle.
Tip: Ask whether the department allows added straps on turnout coats.
Ideas 6 to 10
Gifts for firefighters who run EMS calls
Small tools and bags for medical calls and vehicle incidents.
6. Door chocks
Door wedges keep doors propped open on calls, which suits a firefighter or EMT who needs a hand free in a hallway or entry. A set of sturdy chocks always finds a use, and eight in a pack means they can be spread across the rig, a personal bag and a car. They take almost no room, so they fit a stocking too.
Tip: Keep a set in the rig and another in a personal bag.
7. A car escape tool
A keychain seatbelt cutter and window breaker is a small rescue tool for the firefighter's own car, and the second one in a two-pack can go to a family member. It suits a firefighter who thinks about vehicle safety and wants a family to have the same. It is small and inexpensive enough to tuck into a stocking.
Tip: Clip one to the keys in their car and give the other to a family member.
8. A small EMS jump bag
For a firefighter who also runs medical calls, a small jump bag keeps a personal kit organized in the car, which suits a firefighter-EMT or a volunteer who responds from home. It gives them one place to keep what they carry. Check the size and whether the listing includes anything inside before you give it.
Tip: Supplies may be sold separately, so check what the bag includes.
9. A pocket penlight
A slim penlight rides in a shirt pocket for reading gauges, searching a dark rig or checking a dim corner, which suits a firefighter or EMT who wants a light in every pocket. Streamlight's Stylus Pro has a machined aluminum body, a pocket clip and two lighting modes. It is also easy to give in pairs, one for the car and one for the pocket.
Tip: Take the battery type into account and add spare AAA batteries.
10. A weatherproof EMS pocket notebook
On medical calls a firefighter jots vitals and times on scene, and a weatherproof notebook stays writable in rain, sweat and hose spray, which suits one who runs EMS calls. This one is printed with a vital-signs layout. Check that the layout suits their agency's reporting before you buy, since protocols differ by department.
Tip: Buy two so there is one spare for the rig and one for the pocket.
Ideas 11 to 13
Off-duty and home gifts for firefighters
11. A boot dryer
Station boots and gloves get soaked, and an electric boot dryer has them dry by the next shift, which suits a firefighter who comes home with wet gear. It is quiet, so it can run overnight in a hallway or garage. It suits anyone who spends time in boots, and it is useful off duty as well as after a call.
Tip: Check outlet space at home, and ask how many pairs they need to dry.
12. A blackout sleep mask
After 24-hour shifts and night calls, daytime sleep is hard to come by, and a blackout sleep mask helps a firefighter shut out light in a bright room. It suits someone who sleeps in the day or in a shared bunk room. An adjustable fit and detachable eye cups let the wearer choose what is comfortable.
Tip: Ask whether they prefer a strap or a contoured style.
13. A thin red line flag
The thin red line flag honors firefighters, and a 3 x 5 foot flag fits a garage, porch or station wall. It suits a fire family or a station that wants to show pride in the service. Check how it will hang, and whether it needs a pole or brackets, before you give it as a gift.
Tip: Check that it suits their house or station mounting before you buy.
Ideas 14 to 17
Thank-you gifts for firefighters and the whole station
Food, coffee and kitchen gifts that serve a full crew.
14. Fire Department Coffee
A coffee brand that gives back to firefighters is a thoughtful pick for a station or a coffee-loving firefighter, and a two-pack keeps the station pot full. The listing says the company gives back to firefighters and the coffee is roasted in the USA. It suits a crew that goes through coffee on every shift.
Tip: Order early, as coffee is better fresh.
15. A firehouse cookbook
Firehouse meals feed a whole crew, and a cookbook by a firehouse chef is written for cooking that way, which suits the cook on a crew. Recipes written for a crew can scale for family dinners. It is a thoughtful gift for the person who usually cooks at the station, or a firefighter who cooks at home.
Tip: Ask whether the firehouse already has a favorite cookbook.
16. An 8-quart pressure cooker for the station
An 8-quart pressure cooker and air fryer makes chili for a crew fast and is easy to walk away from when the tones drop, which suits a station that cooks together. It is a big, shared gift, so it fits a station group gift or a crew that chips in. Confirm what the kitchen already has first.
Tip: Check the station kitchen has space and an outlet before you give it.
17. A coffee urn for the station
For a station thank-you, a big coffee urn serves a full crew at once, which suits a thank-you from a group of neighbors or a firefighter's family. It is a gift for the whole station rather than one person. Check the kitchen space first, and ask the station's officer before you deliver so it is welcome.
Tip: Ask the station for a good time to drop it off, and check the kitchen has an outlet.
Ideas 18 to 20
Books for firefighters who read
18. Report from Engine Co. 82
Dennis Smith's account of a busy South Bronx firehouse in the 1970s is a classic of fire service writing, which suits a firefighter who reads. It tells the story of a company's years on the job. Check whether they have it already, and give it with another book or a gift card for the next read.
Tip: Pair it with a gift card to a local bookstore for the next read.
19. Young Men and Fire
Norman Maclean's account of the 1949 Mann Gulch fire is a classic for wildland firefighters and anyone who reads about fire. This 25th anniversary edition suits a firefighter who values history and the lessons of past fires. It is a serious book, so it suits someone who reads and not someone who wants a light stocking filler.
Tip: A thoughtful gift for a wildland firefighter or a history reader.
20. Fire Weather
John Vaillant's book on the Fort McMurray wildfire and how fire behavior is changing is a gripping read for anyone in the fire service. It suits a firefighter who follows wildfire science or fights fires in dry regions. It is a heavy subject, so it suits a reader who wants a serious take, not a light read.
Tip: A good fit for a firefighter who follows wildfire news.
Frequently asked questions
What are good gifts for firefighters?
Match the gift to where it is used. On shift, a right-angle flashlight, helmet light, glove strap or door chocks are practical. Off duty, a boot dryer or sleep mask helps after long calls. For the station, coffee or a pressure cooker serves everyone. A classic book also works for firefighters who read.
What are good Christmas gifts for firefighters?
Pick something small and useful, such as a glove strap, a penlight or a weatherproof notebook, and add a bigger item such as a boot dryer or a book. A coffee gift or a cookbook also suits the station. Ask about department rules before you choose gear.
What are good gifts for volunteer firefighters?
A step-in turnout gear bag, a helmet light, door chocks or a small EMS jump bag suit a volunteer who responds from home or work. Because volunteers may buy some of their own gear, ask what they use before you buy. A boot dryer helps after wet calls.
What are good thank you gifts for firefighters?
Food and coffee are the traditional choices for a station: a coffee urn, a coffee brand that gives back to firefighters or a pressure cooker for crew meals. A handwritten note from a family or neighborhood is always welcome. Check with the station first so the gift fits their rules.
What is a good gift for a firefighter who has everything?
Look for items that fix a small problem on the job: a weatherproof notebook, a penlight, a glove strap, a car escape tool or a boot dryer. A book of fire service writing, such as Young Men and Fire, also suits a firefighter who reads.
What are good stocking stuffers for firefighters?
A glove strap, a pack of door chocks, a penlight or a car escape tool all fit in a stocking and get used on the job. A bag of coffee from a brand that gives back to firefighters is another option. Check that any gear is allowed at the department.
