can man

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English

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Noun

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can man (plural can men)

  1. (informal) A firefighter whose task is to haul a fire extinguisher.
    • August 29 2002, Jim Dwyer, "How the Fire Commissioner Saw It" [book review of Strong of Heart by Thomas Von Essen], The New York Times,
      Mr. Feehan would reflect on the role of the "can man," the raw young firefighter assigned to haul an extinguisher up the stairs.
    • 2004, Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper, →ISBN, page 141:
      In ten seconds, I was dressed and walking out the door of my room at the station. . . . By the time two minutes passed,, Caesar was driving the engine onto the streets of Upper Darby; Paulie and Red were the can man and the hydrant man, riding behind.
    • 2006, Jim Dwyer, Kevin Flynn, 102 Minutes, →ISBN, page 199:
      Douglas Oelschlager was the can man, bringing up extinguishers.

See also

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