 "Leatherhead" is also slang for a firefighter who uses a leather helmet as opposed to more modern composite helmets.The leather helmet is an international symbol of firefighters dating to the early years of organized civilian firefighting.Typically, traditional leather helmets have a brass eagle adornment affixed to the helmet's top front of the helmet to secure a leather shield to the helmet front, though on the original design it also served as a glass-breaking device.