What Makes Fire Trucks Special?

Fire trucks are amazing pieces of machinery that make it possible for firefighters to get to the scenes of emergencies and do their jobs. But have you ever thought about how many different kinds of fire trucks there are and what sets them apart? In this article, we’ll take a look at eight of the most common types of firetrucks and what makes them unique.

A fire truck (also known as a fire fighting apparatus, firefighting appliance or fire engine) is any vehicle that has been modified to carry equipment used in the fight against fires and other emergency situations. They are usually based on commercial vehicles but can also be designed from the ground up for specific duties. Fire trucks can be fitted with a variety of lights, sirens and other warning devices, including thermal imaging cameras that let firefighters see a situation before they enter a building and detect victims’ body heat to ensure their safety.

Most firetrucks have a large water tank equipped with thousands of gallons of water and long hose lines that can expel the water at high rates of pressure, depending on the type of nozzle and diameter. The water tank can be filled directly from a nearby fire hydrant or by pumping from a smaller on-board supply reservoir.

The type of firetruck a department chooses to use depends on its needs, which may be dictated by its geographic location and the types of emergency calls it receives. For instance, fire departments located in urban areas often need a fire truck that can mitigate hazardous materials and effect technical rescue operations, while those in rural environments require a fire truck with specialized gear for wildland firefighting.

Another consideration is the size of a firetruck’s crew. The number of firefighters a firetruck can carry is determined by the gross vehicle weight rating when fully loaded and by state regulations. For example, a Type 1 firetruck requires a chassis with a GVWR of more than 26,000 pounds when fully loaded. This is to ensure the vehicle can support its full complement of equipment, which includes self-contained breathing apparatus, chainsaws and forcible entry tools.

Ladder trucks feature long ladders mounted on the roof, allowing firefighters quick access to tall buildings to rescue people who are trapped or otherwise in danger. These are the trucks most people think of when they imagine a firetruck, and similar vehicles called quintuples — which combine ladder trucks with pumper engines — offer additional capabilities for fighting fires in high-rise buildings. Ladder trucks are commonly equipped with a hydraulic platform to lower the ladder and a deck gun mounted on top of the truck that sprays up to 1,000 gallons of water per minute. They are surrounded by gripped steps, which allow firefighters to climb safely into and around the truck. They are also equipped with a hydraulic winch to haul away damaged or burning cars.