Fire Trucks are Red!

Many believe that a fire truck should be RED.
Why?
Why is red the magic color?
How was it chosen as the color of the fire service?
Are there colors out there that have been proven to be more visible?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Oldman on November 13, 2008 at 1:30pm

Maybe we can get the paint manufacturers to develop florescent red, lime green, and white paint that glows in the dark. That way it would be highly visible both in the daytime and at night. Just think of the customizing possibilities. A red truck, with lime green eyes painted on the front, with white sharks teeth. Or maybe add some yellow for a flame pattern.

(Just thought I'd add a little levity).

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by FETC on November 13, 2008 at 2:24pm

Who really cares what color they are? I personally think black over red looks really sharp pictures... but who cares really. The color of the apparatus whether red, black, blue, green or yellow at night is difficult at best to see in the total darkness especially with a light rain. Therefore paint them as you wish just make sure you have the correct lighting package that meets the lighting code and the new cheverons on the rear with the reflective taping, that is where most of your nighttime visability comes from anyway.

It is like the new safety vests, Our tunout gear has always been beige and we have 3M triple trim scotchlite tape on our gear. Two wraps on our arms, two on our waists and two on our legs. We have DOUBLE the amount that any normal person orders but they are still not acceptable to the new fed standard as it is less visable without the center panel section being reflexlite and an alternate high visability reflexite color.

I can see the gear manufacturers trying to figure out how to make high vis gear that meets the new fed regs.

Whats next? Fed Law stating all apparatus will be painted with high visablity, DAY GLOW, flouroescent "House of Color" three part paint for fire trucks? Hey hunnie look at the three ring circus coming into town straight from the trick my truck TV show.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on November 13, 2008 at 4:29pm

I agree.
Color IS important, especially if you spend alot of time on the road at MVAs.
It is a proven fact that traditional red causes shadows around the truck, making it difficult to be seen at an incident.
The iridescent and fluorescent colors allows natural light and artificial light to "reflect" off of the truck.
That is why we changed colors in 1989.
Fluorescent red is the way to go.
You can keep the rest.
TCSS.
Art

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on November 13, 2008 at 4:55pm

Oh you can get them painted ANY color you want for a price$$ $$ $$$$

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on November 13, 2008 at 4:58pm

And I understand some of the women around here have "Balls" big enough to man them too.....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on November 13, 2008 at 5:09pm

Some of the other gals might have but not me. I don't "man" anything & I don't have that particular apendage although I can handle a truck.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on November 13, 2008 at 5:23pm

Two words: Earl Scheib!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trainer on November 14, 2008 at 7:34am

Before this gets shut down for getting personal, I’ll make one last comment. A lot of people have said color does not matter or personal preference, another thing I overheard once was they can’t sell trucks on quality so they sell them on paint, I have to disagree. The same day that last statement was made, a guy came up and said “you cover interstate don’t you”. For those of you who say it doesn’t matter, you have never seen this color up close. Maybe you have seen pictures, in the 20 years we have had this color I have yet to see a picture that does it justice, they just don’t come out right. At night it stands out more then traditional red, our heavy rescue is painted traditional. During the day it stands out more then the lights, you can spot our truck from 3 miles. In 89 it was a new thing here in the states and price was not an issues, in 99 it cost us 4 grand extra, now in 08 they want 8 grand, and you know what, we will probably do it. Just so you know we are not fiscally irresponsible, in 05 we purchased a used heavy rescue, we had to pass on the 30 grand to repaint it. Now you may ask why so much? There are close to 20 layers of paint, and each one has to be sanded before the next. Now I’m sitting here early in the AM, sippin coffee, proof reading and got to thinking, yea I know that’s dangerous; we cover 15 miles of a well traveled interstate, flat, middle of nowhere, in other words high speed. In the 20+ years I’ve been on this dept, we have had some close calls, nothing to bad, till a couple of years ago, our last 2 have been very close, head for cover close. It makes me wonder if it’s because our new rescue is not painted that color, the one prior was. On the roadways its all about safety and visibility, the more you got the better off you are. I’ll close with an offer to anyone that thinks this color does not “stand out”, come visit us on a sunny day, we’ll pullout the truck and you can help wash it, bring your shades, but it won’t help, you’ll still end up with a headache.