|
Fire Services
Trivia and Lore
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
The
Maltese Cross |
|
The Star of Life |
|
|
|
| |
| Click on each graphic to go to that page. |
| |
|
| |
Why are Fire
Trucks Red? |
|
|
|
| Well, as you can see from the
pictures above, fire trucks come in many colors. Back in the 1920's most cars and trucks
were painted black. To make the fire trucks stand out more, they were painted red. In the
1960's, fire departments began experimenting with different colors that would make the
fire trucks more visible in daylight as well as nightime. Hence the first instance of a
'lime green' color. Today, each fire department choses their own colors for their
vehicles. Some departments have even gone to a dark blue color. And some others paint
murals in the sides of their trucks. |
|
Why are
fire hydrants different colors? |
|
| Fire hydrants are painted
different colors to allow firefighters to quickly identify the flow rate of any fire
hydrant. Knowing the flow rate of a fire hydrant tells them how much water it can provide
for firefighting operations. The four basic colors of fire hydrants and their respective
flow rates are listed below. |
|
 |
Red fire hydrants have
a flow rate under 500 gallons per minute. |
 |
Yellow fire hydrants
have a flow rate between 500 and 999 gallons per minute. |
 |
Green fire hydrants
have a flow rate between 1000 and 1499 gallons per minute. |
 |
Blue or light blue
fire hydrants have a flow rate of 1500 gallons per minute or higher. |
|
|
| More On Fire Hydrants There are two types of fire hydrants, wet
barrel and dry barrel. As the name suggest, wet barrel fire hydrants have water in the
barrel at all times, whereas dry barrel fire hydrants do not. Dry barrel fire hydrants are
used in areas where freezing temperatures are common. If wet barrel fire hydrants are used
in freezing climates the water inside can freeze and damage the hydrant.
The blue reflectors often seen in streets are used to mark water sources; most commonly
these water sources are fire hydrants however they can be lakes, ponds, or any other water
source. |
|
Why do we
have to park at least three feet from a fire hydrant? |
|
| Firefighters need a straight line
approach to the fire hydrant so that they can connect the hose (or hoses) to it. A
firehose with water pressure in it does not bend all that well, so a clear path to and
from the hydrant is very important. Note: The following very rarely happens. |
|
|
| |
| "But
it was the only space left!" |
|
 |
|
Why are
Dalmations fire department mascots? |
|
| Dalmatians were originally chosen
as fire dogs because they formed a strong bond with the fire horses. They guarded the
valuable equine and kept them company in the station. Dalmations were also helpful in
directing the horses during the era of the horse drawn fire engine. Dalmations were
favored probably because of their size, friendly nature, ability to train, and ability to
care for themselves. Likewise urban and nearby departments gave away puppies as new
litters were born thus creating an ongoing fire service tradition. 
They are still very
valuable today. They of course help to find the hydrant. |
|
 |
| |
What do
the different colors of a Firefighter's helmet mean? |
|
| Although some fire departments
have a single color and style of helmet for all personnel, many fire departments use
different colored helmets for different ranks. When there are several firefighters on a
fire or accident scene, different color helmets can help the incident commander keep track
of all personnel. There is no set standard, however the following combinations are most
commonly used: |
|
|
White helmets usually
signify chief officers including Battalion Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs, and
the Fire Chief. |
|
Red helmets usually
signify other officers such as captains and lieutenants. |
|
Yellow helmets usually
signify firefighters and engineers. |
|
| |
Why is the very top of some Firefighter's helmets red? |
|
| Because they are
assigned to a Truck Company or Ladder Company. |
| |
|
More to come... |
