Why are fire trucks so shiny?

A question posted recently on Quora asked, “Why are U.S. fire trucks always so well-polished?” in reference to tax money being spent. We keep the trucks shiny in our department because they don’t belong to us, they belong to you. …

Why are firetrucks kept so clean?

The reason that firefighters seem to wash their trucks so frequently is to provide longevity for the equipment, allow for damage and other issues to be more easily seen and therefore fixed, and as a way to show their professionalism and pride in their job.

Why are American fire trucks so big?

In the U.S., we put a lot of equipment on our aerials that is used for fire suppression up high, rescue, and ventilation, which is why U.S. aerials are so much larger, longer, heavier, and often on tandem rear axles.”

Why are fire trucks in Hawaii yellow?

Why are fire trucks in Hawaii yellow? – Quora. Sometime around the 70s a study decided that yellow was the most visible (and therefore safest) color at day and at night for fire Apparatus. Before that Honolulu Fire Department trucks were red, but switched to yellow in the 80s, and we’ve simply never changed back.

What do blue fire trucks mean?

These blue firetrucks have flame-throwers to deal with floods and water leaks.

Are fire trucks Blue?

Whether their apparatus is red, yellow, green or Carolina blue (as is Chapel Hill, N.C. apparatus), firefighters are passionate that theirs is the right color. Red has long been the standard color of fire apparatus.

Do firefighters sleep at the station?

Firefighters do (sometimes) sleep at the station or firehouse. Stations usually are equipped with sleeping quarters, but depending on how busy the firefighters are, they may not have time to sleep while on duty.

Can fire engines push cars out of the way?

Although firefighters are entitled to move cars out of the way, Mr Pascall, of Walton fire station, said they are more likely to blast the engine’s horns or sound the sirens to get people to come out of their houses to move their vehicles. But this can still be stressful for firefighters.

Why are there no fire hydrants in the UK?

They have fire points in the UK, not Fire Hydrants though. It would be better for water quality and water pressure to have above ground hydrants like the USA/Canada, however, the narrow streets in UK cities would make the hydrants a safety issue.

Why are airport fire trucks different?

The difference largely comes down to weight. Some of these trucks are so heavy, that if they are at or near top speed, they only have one good ‘breaking’ in their brakes before they over-heat and have to be repaired. Airport crash trucks are tremendously heavy, because they have to carry their water with them.

Why were fire trucks originally painted red?

Because red was the most expensive color of paint, volunteers used red to make their fire trucks stand out as a source of pride. Another theory holds that fire trucks were painted red to make them stand out from all the other vehicles on the road.

Why is Steven apparatus painted white?

He then said that later he spoke to an optometrist friend of his in upstate N.Y. The New York optometrist was Stephen S. Solomon who would later publish an article, “Fire Truck Visibility: Red may not be the Most Visible Color,” in the journal, Ergonomics in Design in April 1997. Today, Dr.