The notation of the units and of the vehicles are not comparable to those ones used in the rest of Germany. So here is a short summary and explanation.
Units of the professional fire department (or other units assigned to a fire station) are called with the number of their station, a short term for the unit type and, if needed, with an extension. Here are some examples:
| Short term | Meaning |
| 13-DL 13/5 |
turntable ladder of fire station 13 (Rotherbaum) - a DLK 23-12 (23 meters high when standing 12 meters apart for example of a building) |
| 15-HLF2 15/2 |
2nd engine of fire station 15 (Stellingen) - 'HLF' stands for 'Hamburger Loeschfahrzeug', it is an engine for fire extinguishing, technical help and medical aid |
| 16-KLF 16/0 |
Small command unit of fire station 16 (Alsterdorf) |
| 12-RTWA | 1st emergency ambulance of the station 12 (Altona), radio call-name 'Florian Hamburg Rettungswagen 12 Anton' |
| 32-WLFB | Swap body truck of the station for technical help and environmental protection, the letter 'B' indicates that there are more trucks of this type at this station |
| 25-HANSA | ambulance helicopter assigned to fire station 25 in Billstedt, 'Christoph Hansa' of the German automobile association |
The units of the fire stations from the tunnel underneath the river 'Elbe' (Elbtunnel) have additional to the letters 'ETF' an 'N' (for north) resp. 'S' (for south) to characterize their locations. First engine of the station at the northern entry (located in the street Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse) has the notation 'ETFN1'.
Emergency ambulances that are in service all the times carry letters from 'A' to 'E', there are different amounts of ambulances between different fire stations. Ambulances that are brought up into service by crew members of the fire engines have letters 'K' and maybe 'L', if there is a second one at the station. Off-area stations, so called 'rescue stations' instead of 'fire- and rescue stations (that means fire engines are positioned here too) have emergency ambulances with the letters 'F', 'G' and 'H'. Several times additional ambulances get in service maintained by the german red cross and 'worker samaritans association' ('Arbeiter Samariter Bund' ASB) carrying the letter 'P'.
Volunteer Fire Departments have an abbreviation built-up by a maximum of 5 letters as an abbreviation for the name of the quarter they work in. For units of other organizations there are short terms existing, too. They are uses in alarming messages for example.
Names of the fire- and rescue stations of the professional fire department
| Number | Station name |
| 11 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Innenstadt |
| 12 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Altona |
| 13 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Rotherbaum |
| 14 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Osdorf |
| 15 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Stellingen |
| 16 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Alsterdorf |
| 21 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Wandsbek |
| 22 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Berliner Tor |
| 23 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Barmbek |
| 24 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Sasel |
| 25 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Billstedt |
| 26 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Bergedorf |
| 31 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Harburg |
| 32 | Technik- und Umweltschutzwache Wilhelmsburg |
| 33 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Veddel |
| 34 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Wilhelmsburg |
| 35 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Finkenwerder |
| 36 | Feuer- und Rettungswache Suederelbe |
| Short term | German term | Meaning |
| AB ASG | Abrollbehaelter Atemschutz | swap body with equipment for breathing protection |
| AB AUF | Abrollbehaelter Aufenthalt | swap body for people to rest in |
| AB BEF | Abrollbehaelter Befehl | swap body usable as command unit |
| AB BES | Abrollbehaelter Besprechung | swap body for meetings |
| AB DEKON | Abrollbehaelter Dekontamination | swap body for decontamination |
| AB ENERG | Abrollbehaelter Generator | swap body with generator |
| AB GAB | Abrollbehaelter Gabelstapler | swap body carrying a forklift |
| AB HAF | Abrollbehaelter Hafen | swap body 'harbor' (for example equipped with immersion pumps and large exhaust ventilators) |
| AB KFZ | Abrollbehaelter Kfz-Versorgung (Kraftstoff) | swap body to provide gasoline |
| AB KME | Abrollbehaelter Sprengen und Entschaerfen | swap body with equipment for handling mitigation and blasting |
| AB KRAN | Abrollbehaelter Kran | swap body with equipment for the fire department crane |
| AB MU | Abrollbehaelter Mulde (mehrere) | swap body used as rubbish hutch (there are several ones) |
| AB OELS | Abrollbehaelter Oelschlaengel | swap body carrying material for surrounding oil pollution on water |
| AB PRIT | Abrollbehaelter Pritsche | swap body pallet |
| AB PUV | Abrollbehaelter Pulver/Sonderloeschmittel | swap body with chemical and dry extinguishing agent |
| AB RM | Abrollbehaelter Ruestmaterial | swap body carrying additional material for technical aid such as building support material |
| AB SAND | Abrollbehaelter Sandsack | swap body with sandbags |
| AB SCH | Abrollbehaelter Schaum (AFFF) | swap body with built-in foam tanks |
| AB SMAT | Abrollbehaelter Schlauchmaterial | swap body carrying hoses |
| AB UEF | Abrollbehaelter Ueberfass | swap body with material to secure broken barrels |
| ADI | A-Dienst (Einsatzfuehrungsdienst) | chief of fire |
| BDI | B-Dienst (Einsatzfuehrungsdienst) | battalion chief |
| BERF | Bereichsfuehrer der FF | chief of district (officer leading a district with several VFD's) |
| BF | Berufsfeuerwehr | professional fire department |
| BFW | Befehlswagen | large command unit |
| BMA | Brandmeldeanlage | automatic fire detection system |
| BNAW | Baby-Notarztwagen | emergency physician ambulance for babies |
| DBERF | Direktionsbereichsfuehrer der FF | chief officer of the VFD, leading several districts |
| DL | Drehleiter | turntable ladder |
| DME | Digitale Meldeempfaenger | digital alarm receiver |
| DMF | Dekontaminationsmehrzweckfahrzeug | truck for several decontamination tasks |
| ELW | Einsatzleitwagen | small command unit, normally a car with special equipment |
| FEZ | Feuerwehr-Einsatzzentrale | fire department's control room |
| FF | Freiwillige Feuerwehr | volunteer fire department |
| FLD | Leiter der Feuerwehr | chief of fire department |
| GRTW | Großraumrettungswagen | large emergency ambulance (bus) |
| GWAS | Geraetewagen Atemschutz | vehicle to support breathing protection (for example refilling of air cylinders) |
| GWASD | Geraetewagen Atemschutz Druckluft | vehicle to support breathing protection (for construction areas with compressed air) |
| GWRD | Geraetewagen Rettungsdienst | vehicle to support emergency ambulances, carrying medical equipment |
| HLF | Hamburger Loeschfahrzeug (Hilfeleistungsloeschfahrzeug) | engine for fire extinguishing, technical help and medical aid |
| HLZ | Hamburger Loeschzug (16 Funktionen) | fire company of two HLF, a turntable ladder and command car with 16 crew members |
| HLZK | Hamburger Loeschzug personalreduziert (10 Funktionen) | fire company of one HLF, a turntable ladder and command car with 10 crew members |
| JF | Jugendfeuerwehr | fire department youth group |
| KB | Kleinboot | small boat |
| KLF | Kleinloeschfahrzeug | small engine |
| KRAN | Kran | crane |
| KRD | Kampfmittelraeumdienst | special company of the Hamburg FD for mitigation and handling explosives |
| LAB | Loesch- und Ambulanzboot | fire and ambulance boat |
| LB | Loeschboot | fire boat |
| LBF | Landesbereichsfuehrer der FF | chief of the Hamburg VFD |
| LIMA | Lichtmastanhaenger | trailer with a built-on lamp post |
| LNA | Leitender Notarzt | leading emergency physician |
| NAW | Notarztwagen | emergency physician ambulance |
| NEF | Notarzteinsatzfahrzeug | emergency physician car |
| RLST | Rettungsleitstelle | control room for emergency handling |
| RTH | Rettungshubschrauber | ambulance helicopter |
| RTW | Rettungswagen | emergency ambulance car |
| RW | Ruestwagen | engine for technical help |
| RWOEL | Ruestwagen oel | engine for handling fluids such as oil and other |
| SEGD | Sondereinsatzgruppe Druckluft | special task force for working in compressed air |
| SEGT | Sondereinsatzgruppe Tauchen | special task force for diving |
| SM | Komponente Spueren und Messen | special component for measurement of particulate matter |
| SMFZ | Spuer- und Messfahrzeug | special vehicle for 'SM' |
| SW | Schlauchwagen/Komponente Wasserversorgung | hose-carrying engine |
| UDI | Umweltdienst | officer maintaining special technical and environmental requests |
| WLF | Wechselladerfahrzeug | swap body truck |
| VFD | Short term | Number |
| Allermoehe | ALLER | 2962 |
| Alsterdorf | ALSTD | 1955 |
| Altengamme | ALTG | 2952 |
| Altona | ALT | 1928 |
| Barmbek | BARMB | 2926 |
| Bergedorf | BERGD | 2941 |
| Bergstedt | BERGS | 2932 |
| Berliner Tor | BERLT | 2969 |
| Berne | BERNE | 2911 |
| Bille | BILLE | 2947 |
| Billstedt-Horn | BILLH | 2948 |
| Billwerder | BILLW | 2961 |
| Blankenese | BLANK | 1922 |
| Boberg | BOBG | 2944 |
| Bramfeld | BRAMF | 2921 |
| Cranz | CRANZ | 3934 |
| Curslack | CURSL | 2951 |
| Duvenstedt | DUVST | 2934 |
| Eidelstedt | EIDST | 1932 |
| Eimsbuettel | EIMSB | 1937 |
| Eissendorf | EISSD | 3926 |
| Eppendorf | EPPD | 1951 |
| Farmsen | FARMS | 2912 |
| Finkenwerder | FINKW | 3931 |
| Fischbek | FSCHB | 3925 |
| Francop | FRANC | 3932 |
| Fuenfhausen | FUEH | 2968 |
| Fuhlsbuettel | FUHL | 1952 |
| Groß Borstel | GBORS | 1954 |
| Groß Flottbek | FLOTB | 1925 |
| Harburg | HARB | 3922 |
| Hausbruch | HAUSB | 3921 |
| Hohendeich | HOHED | 2964 |
| Hummelsbuettel | HUMMB | 2924 |
| Kirchdorf | KICHD | 3911 |
| Kirchsteinbek | KICHS | 2945 |
| Kirchwerder Nord | KIWN | 2956 |
| Kirchwerder Sued | KIWS | 2955 |
| Krauel | KRAUL | 2954 |
| Langenhorn | LANGH | 1956 |
| Langenhorn Nord | LANGN | 1953 |
| Lemsahl-Mellingstedt | LEMSM | 2933 |
| Lohbruegge | LOHBR | 2943 |
| Lokstedt | LOKS | 1935 |
| Lurup | LURUP | 1926 |
| Marmstorf | MARMS | 3916 |
| Meiendorf | MEID | 2915 |
| Moorburg | MOORB | 3923 |
| Moorfleet | MOORF | 2967 |
| Moorwerder | MOORW | 3912 |
| Nettelnburg | NETTB | 2942 |
| Neudorf | NEUD | 2965 |
| Neuenfelde Nord | NEUFN | 3933 |
| Neuenfelde Sued | NEUFS | 3935 |
| Neuengamme | NEUG | 2953 |
| Neugraben | NEUG | 3924 |
| Neuland | NEUL | 3913 |
| Neuwerk | NEUW | 3936 |
| Niendorf | NIEND | 1934 |
| Nienstedten | NIENS | 1923 |
| oejendorf | OEJD | 2946 |
| Ohlstedt | OHLST | 2936 |
| Oldenfelde | OLDF | 2914 |
| Oldenfelde Siedlung | OLDFS | 2913 |
| Osdorf | OSD | 1924 |
| Ottensen/Bahrenfeld | OTTS | 1929 |
| Poeseldorf | POESD | 1938 |
| Poppenbuettel | POPPB | 2923 |
| Rahlstedt | RAHLS | 2916 |
| Reitbrook | REITB | 2963 |
| Rissen | RISS | 1921 |
| Roenneburg | ROENB | 3914 |
| Rothenburgsort-Veddel | ROTVE | 3917 |
| Sasel | SASEL | 2925 |
| Schnelsen | SCHNL | 1933 |
| Sinstorf | SINST | 3915 |
| Spadenland | SPADL | 2966 |
| Stellingen | STELG | 1931 |
| Suelldorf-Iserbrook | SUELD | 1927 |
| Tonndorf | TONND | 2917 |
| Volksdorf | VOLKD | 2931 |
| Wandsbek-Marienthal | WDBMA | 2918 |
| Warwisch | WARW | 2957 |
| Wellingsbuettel | WELLB | 2922 |
| Wilhelmsburg | WILH | 3918 |
| Winterhude | WINTH | 2928 |
| Wohldorf | WOHLD | 2935 |
Units of the Volunteer fire departments are named with the short term of the department and with an extension. Examples:
| Short term | Meaning |
| LOKS1 | 1st engine of the Lokstedt VFD (The 1st engine of a VFD is normally a type 'LF 16/12' pumper) |
| STELG2 | 2nd engine of the Stellingen VFD (The 2nd engine of a VFD is normally a type 'LF 16-TS', 'LF 16' or 'LF 16-KatS' pumper) |
| EIDST RW | Emergency tender (german expression: Ruestwagen) of the Eidelstedt VFD |
| ALT FM | Radio car (german expression: Fernmeldefahrzeug) of the Altona VFD |
| EPPD GKW | Heavy emergency tender (german expression: Gerätekraftwagen) of the Eppendorf VFD |
Examples for short terms of units belonging to other organizations:
| Unit | Short term | Hints |
| JUH-SEG "Rettung" | SEGR | Rapid intervention team for medical help |
| THW-Ortsverband Eimsbuettel | TEIMS | Technical unit, area "Eimsbuettel" |
| THW-Ortsverband Harburg | THARB | Technical unit, area "Harburg" |
| THW-Pumpengruppe | PUMPE | Unit with giant pump |
| THW-Radlader | RADL2 | Earthmoving plant |
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