The mark consists of a black and yellow outlined red shield with the words "ARLINGTON" on top and "VIRGINIA" on bottom. In the center of the shield is a black outlined grey cross in the middle. The wording "FIRE" appears in the upper section of the cross, "EMS" in the lower section, "EST" is in the left section, and "1940" is in the right section. In the center of the cross is a circle on which appears, stacked from the background to the foreground, a fire ladder and Pike pole crossed as an X, then a Pickhead axe bisecting the fire ladder and the Pike pole horizontally, on top of which is overlaid an inverted vertical "talking" trumpet, on which is overlaid a fire helmet horizontally, all of which are centered on the middle of the circle.