Why firetrucks are red

The first fire trucks were horse-drawn, which is why they resembled a stagecoach. Red was also used to distinguish them from other vehicles on the road and make it easier for firefighters to spot their own trucks in an emergency situation. Some believe that these colour choices date back even further when horses would be startled by something as simple as a light or noise, and so if there was ever an alarm raised, people could see where the frightened animal had bolted off to before following after it — this proved particularly useful during fires!

Yellow is a more visible colour for mail services and air traffic controllers. This choice was once made because yellow contrasts with the black lettering of postal carrier uniforms. The colours of airport fire trucks are usually representative of the local firefighting authority. Such service is often augmented by mutual aid agreements to provide enough resources to handle large-scale incidents or disasters. But there are flight operational considerations that could preclude the availability of other required resources, so this support should be sought out before an emergency arises.

Nowadays, fire truck purchases are monitored based on local hospital resources and specific departmental needs. This is why some regions have begun to experiment with finishing red finishing methods or switching back from yellow altogether.

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We must also mention that there is no official regulation concerning what color a firetruck should be. What we do know is that this is not a rule that applies everywhere. Some firetrucks in Australia are lime green. As such, the best thing to do when in need is to pay attention to any large vehicle with a gaudy color, with blaring lights and sirens.

Image Source: 1 , 2 , 3. Home About School Results Contact us. Here Are Four Popular Theories. When Do Firetrucks Intervene? Why Are Firetrucks Red? Four Explanations Firetrucks have been around for a long time.

Expensive Paint Another different, but somewhat related theory suggests exactly the opposite. Should Firetrucks Be Red? Does Paint Color Matter in the End? The following two tabs change content below. Bio Latest Posts. Hi, my name is Gabrielle, but all my friends call me Gaby. Having a degree in foreign languages, I first intended to develop a career in translations, but then I realized human interaction is more satisfying and got engaged in educational projects.

Writing is my second best skill after teaching. I started writing about jobs and education based on my experience of not knowing what career path to choose. Sharing my knowledge and experience is the most rewarding aspect of my work, especially when I see it really touches people. Why though? Is it because of the color of a fire?

Or is it because red is a color that also connotes the dangers firefighters deal with daily? By the conclusion of this article, you shall have answers to the above questions. For clarity sake, let us review the basics of this concept.

Commonly called a fire engine, a fire truck is a vehicle whose primary function is to serve as a firefighting apparatus. It consists of a fire hose, alongside a sizable amount of water storage, alongside a ladder for putting out fires and rescuing people in tall buildings. They are also equipped with technical communication equipment such as two-way radios, emergency lighting and mobile computer technology.

A competing theory dates back to the same time when fire departments were composed of unpaid volunteers. According to this other theory, however, there was fierce competition amongst the volunteer brigades of neighboring towns.

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

In the early s, Ford only offered cars in black, so red fire trucks would be sure to stand out amidst the sea of black vehicles on the road. Standing out from the crowd is obviously a good quality for a fire truck — or any emergency vehicle — to have.

But is red the best color to stand out, especially at night? Today, red remains by far the most popular color for fire trucks and a variety of other emergency vehicles. However, you will also see many other colors of fire trucks.

For example, it's not uncommon to see fire trucks that are white, yellow, blue, orange, green, and even black. We hope you enjoyed learning more about fire trucks today! Learn even more when you get a friend or family member to help you check out the following activities:. And if there's one way your logic, or a firetruck shouldn't go, it's in circles. But now I've got it straight; it's that they use the red paint on them.

Thanks for the information, Joe! It sounds like you've done some extra research on this topic! Did you know that red was the cheapest paint color?

It's important to stay well rested! Let us know what you discover! We're thrilled that you enjoyed learning about this Wonder, Mathew!! Since it is an older Wonder, out Wonder Sources are not listed, but our more recent Wonders do provide this information!!

We are SO excited to hear that, Mathew!!! That's awesome, AJ! You can keep exploring Wonders by click here. Browse through recent Wonders or search for ones you are interested in! Thank you for sharing what you thought of this Wonder, Sara! We hope you learned some new things! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this Wonder question, gabriel! It is important that they stand out! Hi, Jeffrey! There are many different theories out there, but they were painted red to stand out from the other cars!

Hello, Chiara! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about why firetrucks are red. We encourage you to read the Wonder to learn more about it! Hi, Zach! Thanks for your comment! We appreciate your explanation. It sounds like you know a lot about the history of firetrucks. Hi, nate! There are different theories as to why fire trucks are mostly red. Thanks for sharing yours! I think it's because red makes people think," woah!

They want to stand out!!! Hi, Luna! That's right! The red trucks stand out better among the other cars, especially when all the other cars used to be black, as the Wonder mentions. Hi, diamond! It's true that ambulances are white and fire trucks are red. There are two theories as to why fire trucks are red We hope you read the Wonder again to find out! Which one do you think is correct? Let us know after reading! Hi, Wesley! Thanks for joining the discussion! Ambulances are sometimes different colors and may even resemble the colors and logo of the hospital.

Good afternoon, mackenzie alpert! That's a popular riddle that is often used as the answer to why fire trucks are red. We can't believe how many stories there are behind the color of a fire truck. It was very interesting to read! Hi, Cheryl! This riddle is well-known for the reason fire trucks are red. Hi, Aaron! You ask an interesting question. There is a lot of history behind "Russians are red". Have fun! Hi kelsie! You made a great connection when reading.

That's a great connection! Hi Jesse L. That is another theory to consider. We don't know the reason for sure, but there are many different theories out there.