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?

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Permalink Reply by Mike Carey on January 24, 2008 at 4:40am

I'm not sure what color works best but I've seen them all. I've photographed trucks in red, maroon, yellow, white, blue, black, green, and even orange!

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Permalink Reply by Nate Mills on January 26, 2008 at 11:25am

the town next to us has one that is neon green!

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Permalink Reply by Judy Keihl on February 18, 2008 at 7:12pm

They call us Mellow Yellow....quite right...if you can't run with us....stay in your house...lol
Judy

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on February 18, 2008 at 7:15pm

Judy...Judy..Judy...as I have said before RED trucks get you to the fire....BUT, it takes a YELLOW truck to put it out.....LOL (guess what color ours are..?) 8)

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Permalink Reply by Judy Keihl on February 18, 2008 at 7:41pm

That's right brother...lol
Yellow's where it's at

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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on February 20, 2008 at 2:54pm

Yes.
We don't want to confuse fire trucks with tow trucks.
TCSS.
Art

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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on February 20, 2008 at 8:48pm

I know, but I saw my shot and took it! (wink)
TCSS.
Art

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Permalink Reply by jmillsaps2204 on February 21, 2008 at 8:33am

I honestly think that the people's house that is burning down could care less what color the truck is. LOL my $.02

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Permalink Reply by Robert on March 8, 2008 at 10:25pm

mine is like a lime yellow.

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Permalink Reply by Huw Jones on March 9, 2008 at 12:43pm

Back in the 60's our Dennis water tender had a red front with the rest of the body silver, the pump escape was red and the AFS pump was green, (Nick name for these pumps was the Green Goddess)

The station I am in now our squad, pump and tanker are all red.
After yesterday I was glad they were not white as we would have lost them in the snow!!!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Amy on March 9, 2008 at 1:49pm

While it is true that fire trucks were primarily red because of the competition between companies and it being an expensive color my company switched away from red many years ago. We now have white as our traditional color.