Throughout most of history, the life of a firefighter has been closely associated with the ringing of a bell. As they began their tour of duty, it was the bell that started the shift. Throughout the day and night, each alarm was sounded by a bell, which called them to duty and to place their lives in jeopardy for the good of their fellow man. And when the call had ended it was the bell that rang to signal the end of the call.

The fire service is rich with ceremony, custom, and tradition. The custom of rendering final honors has its origins in the fire department of the city of New York (FDNY), where many years ago, long before the advent of radios or pagers, fire alarms, and daily announcements were dispatched from central headquarters to outlying firehouses by a system of bell commands and telegraph. Each different type of alarm or announcement would have its own number and series of bell strikes. At FDNY, when a firefighter died in the line of duty or when some important official or personage died headquarters would transmit five bell strikes, repeated in four series, with a slight pause between each series, followed by the announcement. This was done as long ago as 1865 in the NYFD to inform the rank and file of the death of Abraham Lincoln.

Fire Departments utilize these traditions as symbols, which reflect honor and respect on those who have selflessly given their lives for the good of their fellow man, their final alarm served, their tasks completed, their duties well done to announce that they are going home “to a higher station”.

Each fire department has their own tolling pattern – our local Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue strikes THREE FIVES.