Embroidery for Fire Departments
Maltese cross shoulder patches, Class B polos, station wear, recruit-class gear, and bag branding for Long Island volunteer and paid fire departments.
Embroidery for the Fire Service
Fire service identity is carried on the shoulder patch and the badge. Both have to be correct - in design, in color, in tradition - or members will reject the gear. We treat fire department orders with that level of seriousness. Maltese cross shape, agency name layout, scroll banners, motto placement, founding-year detail - every element is reviewed against a department sample or historical reference before the patch is produced.
Station wear is its own category. NFPA 1975 governs the inherent flame-resistant properties of station uniforms. We use tear-away embroidery backings on FR-rated station wear because fusible adhesives can compromise the FR properties of the fabric. We do not embroider directly on turnout gear or bunker shells - those are not garments that should pass through an embroidery machine.
Volunteer departments on Long Island have specific needs - recruit-class shoulder patches before swearing-in, parade gear, awards banquet items, family-night merchandise, and replacements when members move up ranks. We handle every one of these without minimums, with stored files, and with same-day or next-day turnaround for single-piece reorders.
What We Embroider for Fire Departments
- Maltese cross shoulder patches (department and company)
- Class B and Class C polos with embroidered badge and name strip
- Station wear shirts and pants (FR-considerate process)
- Job shirts and station jackets with department crest
- Station ball caps and watch caps
- Gear bags, turnout bags, and SCBA bags with embroidered ID
- Recruit-class patches and probationary member rocker patches
- Awards banquet polos and parade gear
Placements & Traditions
For polos, the standard fire service layout is embroidered badge or department crest on the left chest, with the member's name and rank on the right chest. Maltese cross shoulder patches are placed on the left sleeve at the seam, often with a department or company rocker beneath. We follow whatever your department's past tradition is - we do not impose our own.
For gear bags, embroidered ID panels go on the side or end of the bag for visibility on the apparatus floor. For station hats, front-panel department or company patch is standard.
FR Fabric & NFPA Considerations
NFPA 1975 station wear is designed to not melt or drip when exposed to short-duration heat. Adhesive backings used on cheaper embroidery jobs can defeat the FR rating of the underlying fabric. We use tear-away or cutaway backings appropriate to the fabric weight on all FR station wear and we do not use any heat-press process on rated garments.
We do not embroider on NFPA 1971 turnout gear. That is structural firefighting PPE and embroidery on it can compromise the integrity of the shell. Department identification on turnout coats should be handled through the gear manufacturer at the time of build, not after the fact.
“We had a swearing-in for four new probationary members and needed shoulder patches and Class B polos ready for the ceremony. EmbroideryLI turned the order around in seven days, matched our department color exactly, and the patches looked like they had been made at the founding of the company. The new probies were proud to put them on. That is what matters.”
Pricing & Bulk
Embroidered shoulder patches start at $12 and increase with size and stitch count. Embroidered badge and name on a Class B polo runs around $15 to $20 per piece. Bulk discounts kick in at 12 pieces. See pricing. Free digitizing on orders of $150 or more.
Fire Department Embroidery FAQ
Do you understand the NFPA 1975 considerations for station wear?
Yes. NFPA 1975 governs the inherent FR properties of station wear. We use tear-away backings on FR-rated garments rather than fusible backings, and we avoid any process that could compromise the FR rating of the fabric. We do not embroider directly on bunker gear or turnout shells.
Can you produce Maltese cross shoulder patches in our department colors?
Yes. Custom Maltese cross patches are one of our most common fire department orders. We produce them as fully embroidered patches with merrowed edges in any color combination, and we can match historical department colors from a sample patch.
Do you embroider directly onto badges or just produce sew-on patches?
We produce sew-on and iron-on patches for placement on uniforms by your tailor. For polos and Class B shirts, we embroider the patch design directly onto the garment. We do not produce metal badges.
Can you turn around recruit-class orders quickly?
Yes. We have turned recruit and probationary member orders in a week for departments that needed shoulder patches and station polos before a swearing-in or parade. Call us with your date and we will tell you straight.
Do you serve volunteer and paid departments equally?
Yes. Long Island runs a mix of volunteer, combination, and paid departments. We embroider for all of them, on equal terms, with no minimum order requirement.
Get a quote on your department's order.
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