(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.
