Fire Trucks – The Specialized Firefighting Equipment

When a fire is reported in the area, many of us will see a large red vehicle blaring its sirens and driving rapidly towards the location. These are fire trucks, the specialized equipment that is called out for structure and other situations where extra manpower and emergency firefighting gear is needed.

The main difference between a fire truck and a regular four wheel drive vehicle is that the former is equipped with a ladder. This enables firefighters to quickly access and extinguish the fire from ground level or even higher up in the building where people are trapped.

A fire truck also contains a variety of other equipment to help fight the fire, save lives and protect the property that is affected by it. These include hoses, water pumps, air compressors and more. Firefighters often use the truck’s high-intensity artificial lights to navigate around the fire scene and illuminate the situation so they can take action accordingly. Some fire trucks are even equipped with reference books that firefighters can read or refer to at the scene of a fire.

Depending on the type of fire, the truck can also contain an articulating boom which is capable of bending in one or more places. This is a great feature to have on the firetruck as it helps to reach otherwise inaccessible areas and save more lives and property. Firetrucks are also equipped with a fixed deluge gun, or master stream, which can be directed at a specific point to release a heavy stream of water to extinguish the fire. Once this onboard water source runs out, the firetruck can be connected to external water supplies like fire hydrants or other vehicles such as a water tender.

Inside the firetruck, firefighters are protected by their bunker gear which includes their coats, pants, helmets and gloves. They can easily put on their SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) in the truck, thanks to special seats that are fitted with air tanks. This allows them to don their SCBA while seated in the truck and not have to stop to do it outside of the firetruck or at the scene of the incident.

Firefighters also use the truck’s air compressors to fill their personal air tanks with compressed air. These tanks have 40 minutes of air and are usually located in the front of the cab. This is to allow firefighters to do their SCBA donning while they are still in the truck on their way to the fire scene, rather than when they arrive at the spot and have already started to work on the blaze.

US Fire Apparatus is committed to providing high quality and fast-delivery firetrucks for your local fire department. We listen to the needs of our customers and work closely with fire departments to ensure they get exactly what they need. We are the trusted partner for helping you acquire a firetruck that can meet all your firefighting requirements and help you save lives, property and valuable resources every day.