What color fire truck?

[canman]

I was just wondering as to what color fire truck you prefer? Red, yellow etc. I'm a traditionalist and like Red fire trucks also that's my favorite color, Fire Engine Red to be exact. There is no right or wrong color I just wanted to know what color you liked.

[Neptune 33]

I have to go with what my department runs, white over red. I really like white over blue with a gold and white FDNY style stripe. Red over Whites nice too.

[chief14]

It has to be slime green!!

[daysleeper47]

I like the old days when my city ran with red bodies w/ white cabs. Now the entire apparatus is red. It looks good with the new gold trim, but I still like the white cabs.

[FFCode3EMT]

White with blue and gold reflective stripes.

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**The preceding comments in no way represent the views of my department, its members, or associations that it may belong to.**

[OFDLUIT33]

Gotta go with all red with a white reflective stripe. Who ever decided fire trucks needed to be SLIME GREEN needs their head examined

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The views here are mine and do not reflect that of my department or any of it's members.

[FireRebel]

Fire Engine Red! But seriously, does anyone know why there are different colors of trucks out there, what do they represent if anything, probably just a preference....

[Da Sharkie]

I have to say I like all Red rigs. The white over red doesn't do much for me. The black over red in Chicago adn New Jersey areas looks better than white over red.

Green has to go. Honolulu's all yellow rigs are a pretty nice looking bunch.

We also have a dept. near me that has all white rigs with a red reflective stripe. They really do look pretty awesome the way they are all done up.

I heard a story that red apparatus came from the old, old days when all the fire departments tried to compete with each other for the best, most decorative rigs. Red pigment was teh most difficult and expensive pigment to make and everyone knew it so a lot fo departments had their rigs painted red to show off pride and everything and now it has just carried over through the years.

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I didn't do it, nobody saw me do it. You can't prove anything.

[ffeng]

Got to go with all red, same color red painted wheels - the classic fire truck. Agree with a few others on the all bright yellow rigs; they look sharp too. No two-tone for me.

[DRA-252]

The department runs the "slime green" on all the apparatus.

[daysleeper47]

Hey, firerebel, The differnce in color is usually just preference, but I know a lot of cities, including the Almighty New Yawk and my hometown of Youngstown gave "slime lime" a try in the early 1980's. NYC's study was to see if it increased people's awareness of the engine on calls, and en-route, and to see if it would decress accidents. After 6 months, i think, the study proved nothing. They opnly ran it on a couple of engines, but within 2 years, they were all back to red.

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Joe
Daysleeper47...cause I gotta sleep sometime.

[Fire Line]

Rainbow! 2 red, 2 slime green, 2 white. Like most departments in the late 70s early 80s we went to slime green, our newer engines are RED!! Our home built tenders have white cabs and grey tanks.

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[BTFD11-19]

MY COMPANY RUNS WHITE CABS OVER RED BODIES, WITH GOLDLEAFING. I PREFER BLACK CABS OVER RED BODIES WITH GOLDLEAFING, BUT SINCE RED IS THE HARDEST COLOR TO SEE AT NIGHT, I GUESS SLIME GREEN IS THE SAFEST.

[Drewbo]

I did some research in college, great thing about being a history major, you could make a 25 page history of firefighting. The color "slime green" came out in the '70's cause it would be more visible. In most cases it was causeing more accidents, people were starring at the huge green thing in amazement. (probully cause it was so ugly).

Anyways, red is the best way to go. Red with white is great, I like the red and black (seen it up close a few times). I also used to ride around on a '71 Hahn, open air cab, it was all white. One of my personal favorite piece of apparatus ever.

Take it easy, take it anyway you can.


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*************************
* God Looked down and
* saw this was bad, it
* was bad, it was Drew
*************************

[Ladder Man]

RED

[INDY FIRE]

White over red with gold stripes.

[LadderCo13]

RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED RED Did I mention I like RED
http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

[CollegeBuff]

My hometwon is switching back to red from yellow. Ambo's are white with red striping. I grew up with just yellow, so that's what I'm used to, but the way their doing the red looks really good. The next city over has this shade of red that's just ugly.

The station nearest my house at one point had a ladder that had just been rebuilt and was the new red paint scheme. At the time of the story to follow, they still had the '78 Hahn open cab yellow engine thats older than I am. One fall day I'm passing by and get stopped by the redlight at the intersection where the station is. They had both bay doors open, and there were the two trucks, side by side, like proud old soldiers standing watch. But it gets better. The leaves on the trees outside the station were the perfect misture of red and yellow! Add that to the two-story redbrick firehouse with a yellow and red truck side by side.... it was truly a picturesqe scene. I really wish I'd had a camrea on me that day.

[F02]

Red,with gold leaf.

[SRVFD2]

I loved DaSharkie's reasoning!! We have 3 red, but our main truck is yellow. Still think fire trucks should be red!!

[johnnyrebel00]

Of course traditional red-the green trucks just need to sit out in the sun a bit longer to ripen

[nozzleman310]

I like red with a gold stripe the best,anything red is fine though, also a local dept runs white over yellow that doen't look to bad...i mean for yellow

[klingerjr33]

MY COMPANY RUNS RED BODIES WITH WHITE CABS, AND GOLD LEAF. I PERSONNALLY THINK RED WITH BLACK CABS LOOKS SHARP BUT THEN AGAIN I DIDN'T GET TO DECIDE THE COLORS OF OUR TRUCKS.

OH YEAH GREEN AND YELLOW HAVE TO GO. EVERY TIME I SEE TRUCKS LIKE THAT I WANT TO HOOK A PLOW UP AND GO TILL A FIELD FOR PLANTING.

ROBERT A. KLINGER, JR
FIREFIGHTER

[smokeeater51]

Color does not matter, as long as the piece is done up nice, with quality lettering, and a lot of chrome......SCHWING. Anyhew, our department runs both red and white. White with a red stripe being the primary scheme.

Lt. Spinney
Rollinsford Fire & Rescue

[Kafbfire23]

My old volunteer company ran with White with red and white striping I like it. Here we use red with whitr striping on all structural and slimelime on anything that is a flightline or crash truck. Some of our sopprt trucks are Air Force Blue with no striping
We also have a tanker that is OD green (really an eye catcher)
It works but the paint shop has problems keeping trucks separated sometimes and orders the wrong paint other than that it works

[trumpeter75]

Our engines and ladder are white over red, squads are presently white and yellow. We still have a couple older green trucks (grass, etc).

[RLee509]

All RED with white stripe...also polished alluminum rims....Chicago Black and Red is my all time favorite.

[Fired0g]

Of course the answer is RED. Everyone knows fire trucks are RED. Ask any three year old child and they'll tell you, fire trucks are RED.

Personally, I don't care if it's white over RED, black over RED or all RED, as long as it's RED. RED with a white stripe is pretty cool. White with a RED stripe doesn't count...not enough RED.

If it's not RED it must be something other than a fire truck. Again, ask any three year old child, yellow is for school buses. (One little tyke, on seeing a yellow truck with hose on it, was overheard asking "Daddy, does that mean those firemen are still learning?" Funny he should ask, in parts of Europe, Auxiliaries have yellow trucks, while the real firemen ride the RED rigs.) Some Highway Department trucks are yellow too, but Fire Department trucks are RED.


The absolute worst color is slime-lime. Nauseating is the only word to describe this most un-fire truck like color. I'm getting sick just thinking about it.

If fire trucks could talk they would beg you, please...paint me RED!

Does that answer your question? http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Fired0g (edited September 24, 2000).]

[NCOTS]

We have red with reflective stripe. the lettering is gold.

[daysleeper47]

Fired0g,
That brought a tear to my eye... :_)
Not only was it eloquent, but written with such heart and emotion. God bless you man!

[pokeyfd12]

Somebody has to be in the minority here, might as well be a New Yorker........

My vollie company was all "chrome yellow" and eventually went to white over yellow with blue stripes. It's a really sharp combination.

My brothers company in Pennsylvania had a black Kenworth walk-in rescue with silver leaf and chrome out the you know what....that thing was a real head turning beautiful rig.

Some companies around here have sky blue trucks with white tops and white reflective stripes and one company is all white.

Our first motorized fire truck was delivered in a shade of off-white almost cream colored and the one that replaced that was built by the military so you know what color that was "olive drab green." So if you want to get technical, the original color of fire trucks in my area was not red......

Lt. Kevin C. (aka Pokey)

[SRVFD2]

I loved johnnyrebel's reply that it needs to ripen - and klingerjr33 that you're ready to plow with it!! You're obviously country like us!! FireOg also has the right idea!!!
Thanx!!!!!!

[firefighter15_wv]

come on firedog, why bash yellow. personally i think certain trucks look better red and some look better yellow. i think the custom cab trucks look better red than yellow, but if you go out and buy a truck with a commercial cab, you've just wasted over 100 thousand bucks if the truck isn't chrome yellow with gold leaf lettering. granted, red is more traditional, but the fire service has changed over the years (in case you haven't noticed) for example, we now wear bunker gear and air packs!! so why is a yellow fire truck such a bad thing?

[AVF&R452]

Lime Green-Dupont Imron 7744U

"Friends don't let friends drive RED fire trucks" http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif

Quoting a past president of ours." When I die, I don't care what you do, Just DON'T carry me on no DAMN RED FIRE TRUCK."

FIRE AWAY!, I know it's coming!! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif

Jim

[firefighter15_wv]

lol, i hear ya jim. i'm behind you 100% too. i dont have anything against red fire trucks, and to be honest with you, i dont particulary like a lime green one, but i'm tired of hearing everyone preach about red fire frucks. RED this, RED that. i'm gonna pull for the minority here. besides, like i said before; i like chrome yellow.

[MM187]

White over Red with white and blue reflective stripes and Gold leaf lettering...

I had an Asst. Chief once that said he wouldn't paint a S**T House yellow...

[ENGINE18-3]

Gotta go RED because thats really a colr never heard of someone wanting their Mustang "Fire Engine Yellow" etc. So Fire Trucks should be RED. Our trucks are Red bodies w/ White cabs.

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The statements above are my own opinions

FF Greg Grudzinski
Oaklyn Fire Dept.
Station 18-3

[N2DFire]

Hmm - I think I shoulda been Swiss or something - always neutral.
My Dept traditionaly ran all red trucks until about 2 weeks ago. Our new tanker arrived with a White over Red Cab (International 4900) and an all Red Body with White Striping. (Black Trimmed Gold Leaf to be added soon)

The White over Red was due to a Builder Paint error and we just decided to leave it vs having it repainted.

Take Care - Stay Safe
Stephen

[FFTrainer]

I vote for RED and if not all RED I will settle for Black over RED like Chicago runs.

The reasoning of changing to yellow to increase awareness wouldn't cut it here in my part of NJ since our state DOT trucks are "slimey" also my county's road dept is also that color.

[Truck109]

Personally, my favourit would be the black/red with gold trim lettering (chicago).
My dept. has 2 all red pumpers, a tanker with a red cab and a silver tank and a white rescue truck with a red strip. I know it's not "traditional" being white, but a neighbouring dept. is switching over from slime-lime to red, and personally I think their rescue unit looks like a big tomato, so I to agree with the opinion that the colour depends on the truck.

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It's not where you've been, but what you've done!

[kiddo]

OK...red wins!

Personally, I like the Fire Engine Red too. Some surrounding depts have the slime green, but it fits with their dept. We have one dept with white trucks with red lettering, and they look okay too.

I just prefer red


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[engine10_iaff12]

Our trucks are Omaha orange with white cab and black trim. Hadn't seen if anybody mentioned that color

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G.B. Yoho (member)
IAFF Local #12
Wheeling Firefighters
Wheeling, WV.
Be Alert and Be Safe!!!!

[cozmosis]

When I was but a small boy, I had a book about firefighters. I remember a two-page spread featuring a photo of a fire station with a yellow rig. The book quoted a fire chief as saying that we would see fewer red trucks in the future... that they would be replaced with yellow trucks. Of course, I believe the book was written in the 1970s, when many departments were trying new paint schemes.

Regardless, the yellow trucks have always stuck with me. Not that faded-looking pale yellow. Or yellow with a little slime lime mixed in. I'm talking about bright, smiley-face yellow. Maybe I'm sick, but when it came time to redesign my fire web site... I went with my favorite fire truck color. (Yellow) ;-) Check it out:
http://www.emergency-world.com/eh

-michael.

[BucksEng91]

redredredredredredredredredred redred

Oh, yeah...and red. :-)

[Untouchables21]

My personal favorite is a white engine. Boy do they look sweet when they are clean. I've seen white with a red stripe or white with a blue stripe and both look good. If you like the traditional, red with a black cab looks really good too...

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Not for self, but for others...


The views posted above are not the opinion of the companies or departments I am affiliated with.

[This message has been edited by Untouchables21 (edited October 12, 2000).]

[Looper]

RED!!! With a white stripe and lots of lights & chrome!

Unless you're at an airport -- then its ok to have yellow or lime.

A department near hear uses white & baby blue on their trucks -- hideous!

[LFD2203]

BLACK OVER RED WITH LOTS OF GOLD LEAF. JUST LEFT PIERCE PLANT, AND SAW THREE ENGINES: WHITE WITH LARGE DARK GREEN REFLECTIVE STRIPE, NARROW GOLD ABOVE AND BELOW THE GREEN. PACKER FANS WILL LOVE IT.(THESE THREE WERE GOING TO VA.) THESE THREE REALLY LOOKED GOOD TOO. MY DEPT. USES RED WITH WHITE REFLECTIVE STRIPE. AMBULANCES ARE WHITE OVER RED WITH WHITE STRIPES. STILL LOVE THE BLACK OVER RED......

[fighting57th]

We run white over red with a white reflective 6" stripe here . We do have one OLD pea green truck . Best one i have seen so far is Chapel Hills carolina blue truck. SWEEEEETTTTTT!!!!!!!!! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

[Fire29_1999]

I have to go with RED, we order everything in FORD BRIGHT RED, the only thing that didn't come RED became RED before it went into service. Central States Fire apperatice has a great six inch white ribbon reflective stripe, we have three of their trucks with it on them, it really stands out at night. The local ambulance is run from our fire dept. so you guessed it they are RED, all four of them. It looks pretty cool at parades when you have eight trucks of differant sizes and four ambulances, all in bright RED leading the way.
stay safe
P.S. Did I mention that my choice was RED

[ffemtmjb]

Gotta be either solid red or black over red!!! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif

[JawOLife]

LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME REEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN LIME GREEN -

NOT "SLIME GREEN"
It's very distinctive with dark green reflectolite.

If I have to get my head examined; its because we're thinking SAFETY.

Its a hell of alot better than urine yellow or rash red http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

GET OVER IT http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

[Hamy91]

Canary Yellow with white and blue use to be my old ny department colors. I miss them. They looked real sharp.

In the military they have several different colors. Red, Airport Green, Camoflage......You have not seen an uglier looking truck until you see a truck in camo.

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Hamy91

FIrefighters are the chosen people.
_________________________

My views do not reflect that of my department or the United States Air Force

[nshake67]

Since the dawn of motorized fire engines, they have almost always been red. Why in gods name would you want to chnge that to some putrid color.

[engineer_189]

I agree with going with what your department runs because of pride. But my dept also runs white trucks but i perfer red thats my thought

[Mic13]

And, I thought I was the only one who thought Chicago's Black over Red was sharp!?! FYI, the Bloomington, IL Fire Dept. also runs their rigs in this paint scheme, and the command cars (Suburbans) painted like this are really sharp lookin! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

You know, your color of preference for fire trucks probably has a deep Freudian meaning, but I think it has more to do with what you saw when you were a kid. In my home town, when I was a boy, my dad drove 100% RED American/LaFrance Series 700 open cab ladders and engines. Even the wheels were red, with very little chrome on the truck. To this day, I don't like very much chrome or polished, shiny aluminum, etc. on a firetruck.

To me, the generic term "Firetruck" will always be an all red, open-cab Series 700 ALF with those 12-cylinder gasoline engines! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif

That said, my best buddy is a fire mechanic and has the excellent point that a white or light-colored underside makes the plumbing/problems really stand out...

Did I mention that nothing's better to a 7 year old boy then helping his dad and his crew wipe down the RED truck at the fire station after a run??? (We lived right behind Dad's station, so I spent a LOT of time there! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/smile.gif)

[firefighterbeast]

MY FORMER VOLLIE DEPARTMENT PURCHASED A 1998 PIERCE INTRUDER ON A FREIGHTLINER THE COLOR A NICE FOREST GREEN WITH A WHITE CAB. OR IF YOU ARE FROM WISCONSON GREEN BAY GREEN.
THE TRUCK LOOKS SHAPR!!! http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/tongue.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/biggrin.gif http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/tongue.gif

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FIREFIGHTERBEAST
THINK SAFE TRAIN SAFE BE SAFE

[charbo]

Red with alot of chrome or alluminum diamond plating.

http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/wink.gif

[mike13_27]

The vast majority of fire trucks in my county are red, which is the color I like, however, one department has a putrid slime color truck (only one) and yet another has these God awful blue trucks (who ever heard of such an idea?) However, as long as I have anything to do with it, my department will run only beautiful red trucks with reflective striping and an amber strobe as per the state of SC DOT.

[spotthedalmation]

Red Trucks. White over or Black over, It doesn't matter -- Orange Rigs are Sacreligious. And who came up with black over yellow? What are they? Beehives on wheels? Give me a break -- Almost as Important, A Federal Q Siren. Without this, it's not a fire truck.

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Those who dare not to follow their dreams fail to live.

[391HD]

Today's fire service is ever so safety conscious. It would only stand to reason then, that apparatus be painted lime-yellow for safety, as this has proven to reduce accidents. This color was developed for the Ward LaFrance Corp. of Elmira, NY in the early '70s, although at the time, visual warning equipment mounted on fire apparatus does not compare to today's carnival wagons.
The argument on what color an apparatus should be has been around for years and shows how childish things are at times in the fire service.
I once asked a firefighter from a dept. that was adamant that red was the only color and that lime-yellow had no effect on safety, why their portable folding water receiving dump tanks were yellow in color. The answer:
'You can see them better at night, and that's what color everyone uses.'

[Ford45]

well, you can call it safety if you want to, but if someone is going to hit you, they are probably not going to see you no matter what color, shape, size, fire truck, car, rig, suv, whatever. but when i was a kid thinkin about fire trucks, i was thinkin RED!!! anything else should be left out on the ramp to ripen up a little. but no matter what color, it still has the same puprose, and thats all thats important. and yes, chicago has something goin for them with that paint scheme!!

[BMTFD]

Red with a royal blue stripe

[cozmosis]

Our newest pumper is red, but I can't imagine anyone NOT seeing it. It has white reflective striping, strobes to the front and sides of the cab, flashers on the sides, a red and amber rotator on the rear and a halogen light bar on top. I sometimes wonder if they can't see this truck from space.

-michael.

[Poin]

Is there anything other than WHITE!!!!


http://www.firehouse.com/interactive/boards/uploads/E128.jpg

[This message has been edited by Poin (edited 11-10-2000).]

[ME93]

Gotta go with RED!!!

Our trucks have a white cab and a red box bot the red kind of sets in and makes the damn truck look like a KFC bucket comin' down the road.

[nshake67]

RED RED and more RED!

[TM]

Lime Green? I think that was the color of the vomit from the OD Paitent we rolled on with the medics today?. It is simple as this Fire Trucks are red, School Buses are yellow, Garbage Trucks are Green, Cop carsare Black and White, Firetrucks shold not be painted any other color but red, A black and white firetruck?

END OF DISCUSSION A FIRE TRUCK IS RED!!!!!!

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Tim Macias
TMacias@Firehousemail.com
Engine 101

[The Edge501]

Bright yellow with gold lettering and white stripes. All apparatus the same color. The trucks look sharp.

[JE75at48]

<BODY BGCOLOR=000000>
<FONT COLOR=GOLD>
[b]
<H3 ALIGN=LEFT>
I LIKE YELLOW!

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my webpage (http://www.gwuniverse.com/40k/penncrow/)
JE75at48@fredmail.com

[keitho61]

We have mostly white over red and some all red trucks, the white over red looks good but the white roof is a pain to keep clean.We had one truck that was order slime green and the fireman pitched in and its painted red now

[LFD2203]

have you ever seen clearwater fl. rigs? glow in the dark orange with white tops. just saw the newest ladder under const., and was amazed that they painted the rig that color.

[dousaems]

Neat topic. After reading some of these responses, I can see why it becomes such an issue.
I belong to four departments. Let me run them down briefly:
1. Some kind of yellowish color. Nasty. I don't like it, but it works for them. The medic is white with grey and yellow stripes. Yuk.
2. White with black stripes, and lots of gold flake. Not bad, but too expensive. High visibility, but gets dirty real quick.
3. Green, with a white cab, the medic is just the opposite. Personally, the engines look fine, the medic needs help, but gets the job done. Gold trim helps.
4. White, with orange and blue stripes. My favorite. Professional, high visibility, looks really nice. Just needs a bath after every run in the rain. Looks great on the medic. Check out a page with those units: www.abingdonfc.org (http://www.abingdonfc.org)



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Todd Dousa
NREMT-P, CCEMT-P

[TM]

I once saw a red fire truck go to half red and ahlf green oh that was that same od paitent he threw up on the rig, Get Help people FIRETRUCKS ARE RED FIRETRUCKS ARE RED FIRETRUCKS ARE RED

[McCloskey]

My company's colors are white over red, but where I am, outside Philadelphia, there are a variety of color schemes. Mustard yellow, Navy Blue, Maroon, Slime Green, Chicago style, white with red stripes and Cream with any color stripes. Around here we all have lots of Diamond plate and even more gold leafing to compliment any color scheme.

[SRVFD2]

There are some great pictures on this subject on www.firefightersforums.com (http://www.firefightersforums.com) - the blue ones were bad enough - but how about the dept. in Grapeville, PA with purple trucks??!! I guess if a trust promised us a new truck every year as long as it was purple, we'd go along with it!! But until that extremely unlikely event happens, we'll stick with red!!

[fireman_1]

GOD intended fire trucks to be BIG....RED...and LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to all of you who like the different colors!

[ttfd24]

Firetrucks are RED
Garbage trucks are green
State Road trucks are yellow
and the local power company is white

I agree, ask any kid what color a fire truck is and they'll promptly reply RED

[E_man9RFD]

I prefer Red. I like Chicago and FDNY paint schemes also.

http://www.firehouse.com/forums/biggrin.gif

[windham3]

Our apparatus is florescent green. For any old Mopar fans, it is the same color as a Challenger T/A! We use the color because we like it, but on the practical side it is much more visible the traditional red. If we are on the road, lights or not we get noticed. Let's face it, with the motorists that are out there, we need all the protection we can get!! Stay safe.

------------------
Bradford County PA.
Department 19

[Firehose]

Just had to put my 2 cents in...
A red truck looks good when new but after 4 or 5 years the sun has faded the upper portions and it takes on that dull dirt color. There are a few lime pumpers around here....they stand out, but.... I have seen many departments that chose to break new ground with a different color, origional but......
You take a pumper, trim it with lots of chrome, add a gold 6 inch reflective stripe and paint it WHITE.!!!!!! Now THAT is a firetruck.

The good guy always rode a white horse!!!

Firehose

[smokeyben1]

My department ran with all red with reflective yellow and red tape and then went to white over red as well as using a new generation 3M red and white reflective tape.

[k.a. sitzes]

all of our trucks are white with a 6 inch red reflective stripe and a 2inch red stripe,one stripe above the 6 inch and one below that run all the way down the middle of the truck. this looked good. we have only one red truck left in our dept.

[Frank Allen]

Sorry

[This message has been edited by Frank Allen (edited 12-13-2000).]

[Frank Allen]

Florescent PINK or Red With Polka Dots???? LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[FireCapt529]

My station has White over Red. But I know a company in Western Pa the has all BLUE, all BLUE. Now picture that....

[Trukkie_24]

Red or Red over White is for structural firefighting apparatus. Slime yellow is for Aircraft Rescue / Firefighting apparatus. If you have yellow fire apparatus, I suggest parking it out on the apron during the day to ripen.

[SCFire2402]

Our apparatus are all white with a 4" blue reflective stripe and TONS of gold leaf. I prefer the red color, but our trucks look sharp.

[DuMoYea FF]

Gotta go w/ RED, not orange-red, or red-orange.....FIRE ENGINE RED

[fjbfour]

For aesthetics, nothing much beats traditional fire engine red with plenty of gold leaf detailing and lettering. Other colors look good, though, depending on how they are presented.

I think the "safest" (more on that later) combination is the white over red cab and red body.

Red can't be seen well at night, yellow/green and white can't be seen well in fog, so the mix is a good compromise.

Personal design: Start a line at the bottom center of windshield, extend it down both ways to the outer corners of the front bumper, then up the side of the cab to the top rear corner of the cab roof. Above this line is 12" flourescent yellow, above that is white. Below the line is 12" flourescent orange, below that and the rest of the body is red. I have images of this available if anyone is interested.

Editorial:
It doesn't matter what color your truck is when responding, your driver ought to be able to arrive safely even if you're driving a plaid pumper. You should never assume any amount of safety or visibility based on color alone. It's all about the lights you have and how you use them. There is a point of too much and too few lights. Wise applications are the order of the day.

[This message has been edited by fjbfour (edited 12-14-2000).]

[Poin]

Check out the following website for a collection of non-standard paint schemes and designs.

http://www.pafirefighter.net/Appgraphics.htm

[Firelover]

I like what my department has going on. It's yellow with a white center and red that divides the yellow and white.

[ffirefighter]

Originally posted by canman:
I was just wondering as to what color fire truck you prefer? Red, yellow etc. I'm a traditionalist and like Red fire trucks also that's my favorite color, Fire Engine Red to be exact. There is no right or wrong color I just wanted to know what color you liked.

RED

[co5ffwv]

My department has gray trucks with navy blue wheels. On the newer trucks the navy blue wheels have changed to blue reflective 1"-4"-1" stripe.Elders in the department say the scheme came from us bring located so close to the Mason-Dixon Line.Our 1998 Pierce Lance tandem axal 2000 gallon 1250 gpm pumper-tanker has the nickname in the county as the "Battle Ship"

------------------

[mike021]

I run with white over lime green. haha yea the joke is that our trucks haven't ripened yet. i heard they make it different colors for a safety reason. plus EVERYONE had red. i would rather stand our then be the same as everyone else.

------------------
This is your brain... Pierce
This is your Brain on drugs..... E-One

[Engine 101]

http://www.firefightersforums.com/fffphotos/MonroviaE11.JPG
RED AND NOTHING ELSE
Fire Engines are Red
Ambulances are white (At least AMR's are)
Cal Trans trucks are orange
School Buses are yellow
Garbage Trucks are White and Green
End of discussion


------------------
Engine101
TimMacias101@Firehousemail.com
Got Electrcity?

[This message has been edited by Engine 101 (edited 02-18-2001).]

[Fireguy411]

Our department has white vehicles with red stripes. At one time, all 5 stations in town had different colored apparatus

Co.1 - Gold & White
Co.3 - Red
Co.4 - White
Co.5 - Red & White
Co.6 - Cream/Beige

On the scenes of calls, it looked like a large box of crayons on the street.

[ffirefighter]

Originally posted by canman:
I was just wondering as to what color fire truck you prefer? Red, yellow etc. I'm a traditionalist and like Red fire trucks also that's my favorite color, Fire Engine Red to be exact. There is no right or wrong color I just wanted to know what color you liked.

RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rfd241]

RED. All fire apparatus have to be red, nothing to it.

[WFDTruck1]

my department was orginally red until the early 70's, then we switched to Yellow. personally i liked the yellow, no departments around use had it so it made us unique. we just switched back earlier this year to red. the new rig looks great. the only problem i see is that we purchased 2 engines and a truck in the past 7 years. we run with 5 total apparatus, 1 truck and 4 engines. so that was more than half our fleet, why didnt the do the switch over back then. i know its a minor detail, but we will be running with a mixed fleet for the next 15-20 years. our next engine will be red, but after we forsee no new purchases.

[RS225]

well our vol. dept runs a green bottom half and a white top half it looks rather nice, but i dont care what color it is as lpng as i get to DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


......fire fetish????........ damn right

[ffdrew]

OUR 1981 AMERICAN LAFRANCE WAS REFURBED IN 1994, IT COLOR NOW IS MAROON, WITH WHITE FRONT , AND YELLOW AND WHITE STIRPES. IT DOES LOOK SHARP BUT I PERFUR, TRADITIONAL RED , OUR OLD FORD PUMPER WAS LIME , EWWWW GOOD THING I WASNT A MEMEBER THEN ..

RICHMOND VOL. FIRE CO.
"GATOR COUNTRY'
RICHMOND NY

[cfr3504]

Fire trucks are RED. with Gold Leaf lettering. It doesn't really matter to me if they have black or white tops, or what color the stripe is. personally I like gold or white stripes tho. We have 2 solid red, 1 red with white stripe, and one red with gold stripe. Rescue is white with red stripe, and Ambulances are white with burgundy stripes.

[Lewiston2Capt]

I like Yellow with 1 3" wide white stripe and 1 1" wide royal blue stripe. white scotchlite lettering on a navy background. Looks great driving down the road. We tend to keep the chrome to the front of the truck and diamond plate all around.



------------------
Shawn M. Cecula
Captain
Lewiston Fire Co. No. 2

[HOTDOG]

Ask anyone, especially children what color a fire truck is and 99.9% will tell you the only color......RED!!!

Everyone talks about visibility....Wind up the Federal and lay on the air horn and you will be heard long before you are seen!!!

Red with gold leaf lettering, stripe it and/or top it as you wish...but red, red, RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be safe, Be proud, Be first on scene!!!

[ff/emt-murrayco22]

RED!!!! Real fire trucks are red. RED RED RED RED.

[csa_redneck]

a dept. i was an explorer with a while ago clearwater fire rescue had white over a color called german red which was really a bright orange and i thought it was really cool looking but the dept. im with now has all white with a red strip that is like 4 inchs that goes along each side

[dimab]

Yellow/green (canary)
I personally like red, but our dept. has to be different and run yellow.

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www.thfd.8m.com (http://www.thfd.8m.com)

[Engine 33]

Originally posted by fireman_1:
GOD intended fire trucks to be BIG....RED...and LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to all of you who like the different colors!

See even GOD thinks Firetrucks should be red!

[ff24]

ALL OUR TRUCKS ARE RED OF COURSE, BUT PERSONALLY I LIKE THE ODD COLORS LIKE THE SLIME GREEN, AND I HAVE ALSO SEEN SOME REALLY NICE BRIGHT ORANGE AND ROYAL BLUE ONES...

[mike021]

Slime lime with White cab, Top part of cab is white. 10" white Scotchlight down side of truck. Of course handpainted goldleaf on ladder, but new engine will have the decals that match the ladder's goldleaf. I am trying to get a mural painted on the engine also.

[LtStevieB82]

We run white trucks with broad yellow-green stripes, bordered with blue. Looks sharp.

And you know something, ff/emt-murrayco22? THEY ARE REAL FIRE TRUCKS!

[URSULAFORHAN]

Our department's are traditional RED, but my druthers would BLACK with all the goldleaf it could carry.

[11927]

red

[USAR29]

I vote for the traditional White over red...

Rehoboth Beach runs a very sharp looking all white with a blue scotchlite stripe and decorative goldleafing.

Allentown Road VFD, in Prince George's County runs two very sharp looking White over Black pumpers!!!


How 'bout we vote for the ugliest color???
Glenn Dale (Prince George's County), MD School Bus Yellow

[St11FireEMS]

we run the red with white cabs in our department with white ref. stripe....i like the red with blue cabs and the blue ref. stripe that the city of gary in indiana uses

ive also seen a few orange and blue trucks...i get to see alot becuase i ilve by the main production facility of KME.

[FC02]

Our trucks are white over red with white stripe. We have a neighboring dept that runs white with red stripe, and another that runs blue trucks. Quite colorful around here sometimes.

[LisbonTrainingOfficr]

Think and ride GREEN!!!
If you close your eyes the truck that you are responding on will be any color you want.
Stay Safe http://www.firehouse.com/forums/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by LisbonTrainingOfficr (edited 03-03-2001).]

[570eck]

white over cherry red with a white reflective stripe

[ggtruckie]

Red only, any other color should be a crime punisible by 3 years in a mexican prison. Dont forget the chrome lots of it. maybe add white tops or striping, or a black top but those are the only few options that can qualify a rig as a fire truck.

[Chief Taylor]

It Just doesnt matter. Any color fire apparatus will put out fires and help people.
We have been Yellow for 14 years and are now going back to Red.

[daysleeper47]

Hey folks, how long are we going to argue how RED a firetruck should be? We know they are red, yellow, white, black and blue, and we all know they should ALL be RED, so let's drop it.

------------------
Joe
Daysleeper47
"When the bell goes ding-ding, its time to get on the woo-woo."
"Dusting desire - starting to learn. Walking through fire with out a burn..."
Youngstown Fire Department (http://members.tripod.ytownfiredept.c om)

[FFEMT-D2442]

I personally think fire trucks should be red.
And anyone who thinks that yellow or green is more visible think about this, if the people can't see the lights and hear the siren do you really think the color of the truck is gonna matter.

[hot2ha]

At Boulevard Heights we dare to be different are firetruck has a black bottom a grey top and a white ribbon around the middle. In stead of the same old sign that says KEEP BACK 500 FEET, our back roll up door says BACK UP OFF ME!

[Jay19fire]

BLACK...those are the coolest looking firetrucks...Chicago style is nice, and i love the DC fire trucks...white with the red! http://www.firehouse.com/forums/cool.gif

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-JaY-

[This message has been edited by Jay19fire (edited 03-16-2001).]

[ENGINE-2-RESCUE]

I will have to say RED. Although I really like black over red with black/white scotchlight striping.
My department runs all red with white scotchlight striping and gold leaf lettering etc. We just recently started adding gold scotchlight striping to accent the white which realy brings out the entire vehicle.

A neighboring department runs entirely white apparatus with blue scotchlight which looks good also.

[Eng522ine]

My department's color's are White over Red. My personal favorite is Black over Red. Our ambulances are white with red stripes, we're trying to get the dept to let us change the to red with white stripes, being as they are fire dept apparatus we want to go with same color scheme.

[Len]

I reckon more important than what we like is what the public will readily identify with and traditionally firefighters have a big red truck.

[WFD56]

Personally, it has got to be FIRE ENGINE RED. All the dept in our area opted for different colors, red, slime green, white, and a yellowish something or other. At any major incident it looks quite colorful! The reason I was given for other depts changing to white or slime was for better visibility at night, but I would say red.

------------------
They're so hell bent on giving, walking a wire, convinced it's not living, if you STAND OUTSIDE THE FIRE.

[Firebraun]

RedRedRedRedRedRedRedRedRedRed RedRedRedRedRed

------------------
Fire service survival tips:
1) Cook at 350...
2) Pump at 150...
3) When in doubt, isolate and deny entry...
4) When in trouble, claim ignorance and lack of adult supervision.

[chiefgebel]

Are we talking about fire trucks, or school buses? Red forever!!!!!!!!!!!

chief gebel

[buddygamms]

Ours here in Denver are either white with gold lettering or white with red lettering. So the answer to your question... they are white.

[chief56]

It's all personal preference. Red,green,blue black. What does it mater? As long as you take pride in your apparatus thats what matters. I'm partial to Green. See see mine in apparatus gallery March 2001 Rescue 56

Good luck, stay safe

[TILLERMAN-1664]

1-White with green scotchlite.
2-Black and silver (lets here it for Boulevard Heights P.G. Co. MD)
3-Washington D.C. Stars and Bars.

------------------
"VERY PROUD" Union member of the I.A.F.F. as well as my local 1664.
Notice this is my CAREER not my hobby. Help a burned child. Get involed...not sure how just ask. Marshall

[fire boy 038]

IM FROM KINGSBURY N.Y WE HAVE A TOTALY BLACK TRUCK IF YOU ARE INTRESTED IN SEEING OUR TRUCK YOU CAN FIND IT ON THIS SITE WWW.GOWANSKNIGHT.COM (http://WWW.GOWANSKNIGHT.COM) AND LOOK AT KINGSBURY'S BLACK BEAUTY ON THIS SITE KEEP IT REAL & GOOD TOPIC fire boy 038 is on the scene.

[dvfd48r6]

I have to go with red. Only problem is we have one that is red with a white cab above the door line. It looks like a coke truck

[CVFD06]

Well I have to say slime lime is the color of our fire trucks.

[PlattsFire1]

Ours are red with white upper half of cab. Looks pretty good. Omaha fire trucks are yellow, I mean school bus yellow. Ugliest trucks I've ever seen. But I guess if they work then they serve there purpose.

------------------
Mike

[bebifcd806]

I prefer a white body with a red reflective stripe, Just like my company!

[FirefighterRI]

My hometwon is switching back to red from yellow. Ambo's are white with red striping. I grew up with just yellow, so that's what I'm used to, but the way their doing the red looks really good. The next city over has this shade of red that's just ugly.

The station nearest my house at one point had a ladder that had just been rebuilt and was the new red paint scheme. At the time of the story to follow, they still had the '78 Hahn open cab yellow engine thats older than I am. One fall day I'm passing by and get stopped by the redlight at the intersection where the station is. They had both bay doors open, and there were the two trucks, side by side, like proud old soldiers standing watch. But it gets better. The leaves on the trees outside the station were the perfect misture of red and yellow! Add that to the two-story redbrick firehouse with a yellow and red truck side by side.... it was truly a picturesqe scene. I really wish I'd had a camrea on me that day.



Mmmm hotdogs...

[ChiefSquirrel]

Smoothbore!

Oh wait, wrong debate.
Sorry about that.

Let me try again.......Leather!

Dang - wrong debate again.

One more try to get it right......red POV lights!

Shoot - it appears that I'm getting my mindless debates mixed up.

Sorry guys. :rolleyes:

[FlyingKiwi]

It is alright Chief, I keep getting confused now if I should be wearing one boot or two.

[Remthedays]

It is alright Chief, I keep getting confused now if I should be wearing one boot or two.

No,No Kiwi it is wether you should wear one or two hoods and then to try and decide which style and brand to get.........Just so many decissions to make.:eek::D:

T.J.

[Ladder8]

It is alright Chief, I keep getting confused now if I should be wearing one boot or two.


Kiwi,

Two boots I can understand....two feet and such...


I don't want to know on what part of the body you are going to wear the one boot.... :eek:

[dadman]

I like the slime green.
My dept. has red with the reflecto white stripe, and a touch of rust and body rot along the lower body edges.

[CALFFBOU]

Now, nothing like a 7 year old thread to view. Where are some of those old members now???

[dmleblanc]

Now, nothing like a 7 year old thread to view. Where are some of those old members now???

Yeah, we got fire trucks in colors that hadn't even been invented yet when this thread was started....:cool: