What Does a Fire Truck Carry?

When you hear that there’s a fire near you, you probably see a huge red vehicle blaring its sirens and honking its horn as it drives down the road toward the scene. This is a fire truck, an essential piece of machinery that brings all the tools that firefighters need to fight blazes and rescue people from them. Fire trucks are truly incredible, and they have come a long way since the days of the first bucket wagon.

Most people have only ever seen fire engines, which are characterized by their bright red color and elevated ladders that are used to reach places of the building that are too high to get to using a normal ladder. They also often carry water pumps that generate never-ending sprays of water. Fire trucks also contain various other emergency equipment such as breathing masks, chainsaws and strong fans. These help in circulating air in the area so that smoke and fumes don’t get trapped inside the room.

The exact tools that fire trucks carry depend on the needs of each fire department. Fire departments that work in urban areas might need the equipment to mitigate hazardous materials and effect technical rescues, while those that operate in wildland-urban interface environments might need to use their fire trucks to tackle brush fires.

Conventional fire trucks can typically haul 8 firefighters to the scene of a blaze. Each firefighter will wear their bunker gear, which is a full set of protective clothing that includes a coat, pants and helmet. They will also have a pair of goggles and an air tank that helps them breathe clean air while at the fire scene.

Some conventional fire trucks are equipped with a fixed deluge gun, which is usually referred to as a master stream. This gun is a special firefighting tool that can be directed at the area of the blaze and release a heavy water stream in the direction it is pointed. Fire trucks also have other water sources such as fire hydrants or water tenders, which can be connected to the fixed deluge gun to refill it quickly when required.

Another feature that some fire trucks may have is an articulating boom. This is a type of platform ladder that can be extended in multiple ways and can even go “up and over” an obstacle, which is a useful capability when it comes to reaching difficult to reach areas of the structure.

There are also many different types of fire truck vehicles, depending on the specific needs of each fire department. For example, some have a boom that can be tilted to direct the flow of water in any direction, while others have an articulating arm that allows the ladder to bend in one or more directions.

There are numerous manufacturers that build and sell fire trucks in the US. Sutphen Corp, for instance, is an expert fire truck manufacturer with more than five generations of aerial apparatuses, chassis, pumpers and specialty fire vehicles under their belt. They also offer a wide range of services like 24 emergency service, testing and inspections, fire truck repair and maintenance, and replacement parts for current and obsolete fire trucks.