Fire Engine in South Bend, Indiana. Note the pump equipment in the middle of the vehicle's side.

A fire engine in Helsinki, Finland. (Click the picture to see a list of equipment).

A fire engine or fire truck usually refers to a vehicle designed to fight fires. Although civilians may use the terms fire truck and fire engine interchangeably, to an emergency worker, the words represent different types of fire fighting apparatus. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 675 KB) Summary Fire truck from Pierce Manufacturing. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 675 KB) Summary Fire truck from Pierce Manufacturing. ... South Bend is a city in St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1078 KB) Summary This fire engine from the end of 1990’s carries 1+5 professional crew members (1 unit leader, 1 engineer and two pairs of fire fighter/EMTs working typically as pairs e. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1078 KB) Summary This fire engine from the end of 1990’s carries 1+5 professional crew members (1 unit leader, 1 engineer and two pairs of fire fighter/EMTs working typically as pairs e. ... A large bonfire. ... A civilian is a person who is not a member of a military. ... Emergency services are services that deal with emergencies and other aspects of Public Safety. ... This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...

Fire engine (Engine Company)

A fire engine is designed to pump water using an engine and onboard water supply, which can be replenished via a fire hydrant, water tender or any other available water source by using suction. Impact of a drop of water. ... An engine is something that produces some effect from a given input. ... City Fire Hydrant A fire hydrant (also known colloquially as a fire plug in the USA or as a johnny pump in New York City, ) is a source of water provided in most urban, suburban, and rural areas with municipal water service to enable firefighters to tap into the municipal... A Water Tender is a specialized piece of firefighting apparatus designed for the sole purpose of transporting water from a water source to a fire scene. ... The term drafting water refers to the use of suction to move a liquid such as water from a vessel or body of water below the intake of a suction pump. ...

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term fire engine was first used in the 17th century, in exactly the same sense it has now, "a machine for throwing water to extinguish fires". The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP). ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ...

Engines are also known as pumpers as they are used to pump water onto fires. There are several configurations of fire engines relating to the position of the pump operating panel including top, side, front and rear mount. On occasion, fire engines have also been used as water cannons for crowd control. The pumpers may carry some amounts of water, but they may rely also on fire hydrants and water tenders. A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. ... French mobile gendarmes doing riot control. ...

The primary purpose of the engines is for direct fire suppression. They may carry many tools including ladders, pike poles, axes, fire extinguishers, and ventilating equipment. Nowadays an engine can be a real multi-purpose vehicle carrying professionals and equipment for fire fighting, rescue tasks, first response missions etc. There is not necessarily a clear border between an engine and a fire truck or a rescue unit (see also heavy rescue vehicle). A ladder A ladder is a vertical set of steps. ... About Pike poles are long (usually 6-10 feet in length) poles, made of fiberglass with metal hooks on the end, used to pull items from an area of intense heat and flame, and ventilating structures by breaking windows. ... The axe or ax is an ancient and ubiquitous tool that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, harvest timber, as a weapon and a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. ... Fire extinguisher A fire extinguisher is a device used to put out a fire, often in an emergency situation. ... A heavy rescue vehicle, often referred to as a rescue company, rescue squad, or simply heavy rescue, is a type of specialty firefighting apparatus. ...

Fire truck (Truck Company)

A fire truck is differentiated from a fire engine in that it has no onboard water supply. Fire trucks are instead equipped with a mix of long ladders, hydraulic platforms, additional firefighting equipment, a variety of heavy rescue tools, extrication equipment, and other emergency gear. Hydraulics is a branch of science and engineering concerned with the use of liquids to perform mechanical tasks. ...

Wildland firefighting requires unique vehicles that can climb mountain roads, be self-reliant, and have high clearances for wheels and suspension. Wildland fire engines and wildland fire tenders may have lower capacities to carry water, but can go into environments where urban fire trucks would become stuck. Fire in San Bernardino, California Mountains (image taken from the International Space Station) A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, brush fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources. ... Type 3 Angeles National Forest Engine ANF 17 Type 3 Angeles National Forest Engine ANF 13 A wildland fire engine is a unique vehicle that is specifically designed for the wildland environment. ... Water Tender ANF 10, from the USDA U.S. Forest Service, Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains of the Southern California, Los Angeles Area. ...

A telescope aerial platform ladder unit in Helsinki, Finland.

The turntable ladder is the best-known form of fire truck, but there are also rescue squads, floodlight trucks and other specialized units. A "Tiller" truck, a semi-trailer carrying a turntable ladder, requires two drivers. It has separate steering wheels for front and rear wheels (the steering device for the rear is sometimes a tiller rather than a true steering wheel). This truck is often used in areas with narrow streets that prohibit longer single-vehicle trucks from entering. Use of the tiller truck is declining in the United States; however, some cities, such as Baltimore, Maryland, San Francisco, California and Portland, Oregon, still rely heavily on them. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x2497, 348 KB) Summary A telescope aerial platform ladder unit H16 (H = Helsinki, 1 = station number, 6 meaning a ladder unit) in a small drill in front of the Central Rescue Station in Helsinki, Finland. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x2497, 348 KB) Summary A telescope aerial platform ladder unit H16 (H = Helsinki, 1 = station number, 6 meaning a ladder unit) in a small drill in front of the Central Rescue Station in Helsinki, Finland. ... semi-trailer truck with sleeper behind the cab. ... A modern road cars steering wheel A modern Formula One cars steering wheel has buttons and knobs to control various functions A steering wheel is a type of steering control used in most modern land vehicles, including all mass-production automobiles. ... A tiller is a lever attached to a rudder post (american terminology) or rudder stock (english terminology) in order to provide the leverage for the helmsman to turn the rudder. ... Nickname: Monument City, Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: Get In On It (formerly The City That Reads and The Greatest City in America; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location of Baltimore in Maryland Coordinates: Country State County United States Maryland Independent City... Flag Seal Nickname: The City by the Bay; The City That Knows How; Golden Mountain (historic Chinese name) Location Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Coordinates: , Government City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Geographical characteristics Area     City 600. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown Location Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Oregon Multnomah County Mayor Tom Potter Geographical characteristics Area     City 145. ...

The term "Tiller" and "Hook and Ladder" are not interchangeable. Truck companies generally operate from ladder trucks. Under the general heading of "ladder truck", there are many types of ladder trucks. Rear mounts, mid-mounts, tower ladders, tillers, and articulating booms are the main types. Generally, ladder trucks carry a wide assortment of ladders and hooks. Ladders have fairly obvious purposes; hooks can be used for a variety of things, but most commonly for pulling drywall or plaster walls away from framing members to expose hidden fire, and to allow access for extinguishing same. Hooks can also be used for pulling siding, breaking windows, etc. Technically, any vehicle carrying hooks and ladders could be consideded a "hook and ladder" vehicle. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... // Gypsum plaster Plaster of Paris, or simply plaster, is a type of building material based on calcium sulfate hemihydrate, nominally (CaSO₄)₂*H₂O. It is created by heating gypsum to about 150 ℃, 2(CaSO₄ · 2H₂O) → (CaSO₄)₂ · H₂O + 3 H₂O (released as steam). ...

Telescopic aerial platform ladders can reach heights of over 100 meters (over 328 feet). These aerials typically have ladders integrated to a hydraulic boom. A joined additional arm gives the platform an ability to go "up-and-over" or bend over a roof. These aerials are equipped with a control unit, lighting equipment, a fixed water way, power outlets and compressed air outlets. A stretcher can be transported over the platform. Some units are even operated with remote-controlling in case of dangerous chemical fires. ambulancers using a stretcher (profile) ambulancers using a stretcher (front) Soldiers using a simple stretcher A stretcher is a device used in medical professions to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. ...

Other apparatus

There are also rescue/medical companies with their own distinctive vehicles, including ambulances and heavy rescue or support trucks. A quint, or quintuple combination pumper, functions as a mix of an engine and a truck by carrying its own water and pump like an engine as well as elevating ladders and more equipment like a truck. The quint carries the 5 main things between a fire engine and an aerial ladder truck: a pump, a water tank, hoses, an aerial ladder, and ground ladders. An ambulance is a vehicle designated for the transport of sick or injured people. ... A heavy rescue is a special type of firefighting apparatus. ... A quint, or quintuple combination pumper, is a fire service apparatus that serves the dual purpose of an engine and a ladder truck. ...

In the United States these are most often found on the East Coast, or where staffing levels are not high enough for multiple vehicles.

In some communities a fire apparatus, often a Paramedic Engine, will be used to carry paramedics or EMTs to medical emergencies because of their faster response times due to forward staging in the city compared to ambulances coming from hospitals. This sometimes puzzles people who see a fire apparatus race past but do not see any fire, but medical calls often outnumber fire calls for such departments. A paramedic is a trained medical professional who responds to medical and trauma emergencies in the pre-hospital setting (in-field) for the purpose of stabilizing a patients condition before and during transportation to an appropriate medical facility, usually by ambulance. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A medical emergency is an injury or illness that poses an immediate threat to a persons health or life which requires help from a doctor or hospital. ...

In heavily forested areas, a special kind of fire truck known as a brush truck is used. They are usually trucks with off-road capabilities for traversing rough terrain in order to reach the fire.

Crew assignment

Engines are normally staffed with at least three people - an officer, a driver who usually operates the pump, and a firefighter. Preferably, an engine will carry a second firefighter, to increase effectiveness in safely attacking a fire. In some countries, such as Finland, an engine carries the unit leader, an engineer and one or two pairs of firefighters. Since aggressive smoke diving takes places in a very hot and hostile environment with high risks, fire fighters work as pairs, and at least one more pair of divers is needed on scene for the safety and shifting.

In the United States, firefighters are generally deployed into fire companies specializing in certain tasks. Most common are engine companies and ladder, or "truck", companies. In addition, large cities frequently staff rescue companies. By definition, each company is led by an officer (a captain or lieutenant) who commands several firefighters. Staffing of fire companies varies by jurisdiction and frequently by company type. In large cities, fire company staffing may vary from as few as three to as many as six personnel. It has been suggested that Firefighter Assist and Search Team be merged into this article or section. ...

In the United Kingdom, firefighters are arranged in "brigades" usually at county (or similar) level. These are divided into stations, which range in size but in almost every instance have at least one "pump." In addition, general purpose engine stations may have specialist vehicles such as turntable ladders, hydraulic platforms, foam tenders, etc. The number of personnel at a station varies depending on the size of the station and whether it is full time, day manned or retained. Generally, the crew of an average sized "pump" is around 5.

Brief history of firefighting equipment

Ctesibius of Alexandria is credited with inventing the first fire pump around the second century B.C. The fire pump was reinvented in Europe during the 1500s, reportedly used in Augsburg in 1518 and Nuremberg in 1657. A book of 1655 inventions mentions a steam engine (called "fire engine") pump used to "raise a column of water 40 feet," but there was no mention of whether it was portable. Augsburg is a city in south-central Germany. ... Events A plague of tropical fire ants devastates crops on Hispaniola. ... Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. ... Events March 25 - Saturns largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens. ...

Colonial laws in America required each house to have a bucket of water on the front stoop (especially at night) in case of fire, for the initial "bucket brigade" that would throw the water at fires.

Historical fire engine

Philadelphia obtained a hand-pumped fire engine in 1719, years after Boston's 1654 model appeared there, made by Joseph Jencks, but before New York's two engines arrived from London. Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 353 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 353 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... Boston is a town and small port c. ... Events April 5 - Signing of the Treaty of Westminster, ending the First Anglo-Dutch War. ...

Old-fashioned fire engine

By 1730, Newham, in London, had made successful fire engines; the first used in New York City (in 1731) were of his make (six years before formation of the NYC volunteer fire department). The amount of manpower and skill necessary for firefighting prompted the institution of an organized fire company by Benjamin Franklin in 1737. Thomas Lote built the first fire engine made in America in 1743. This is a very old-fashioned fire engine picture. ... This is a very old-fashioned fire engine picture. ... Events Pope Clement XII elected September 17 - Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed III (1703-1730) to Mahmud I (1730-1754) Anna Ivanova (Anna I of Russia) became czarina Births April 16 - Henry Clinton, British general (d. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Big Apple Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ... Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Greuze 1777 Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most well known Founding Fathers of the United States. ...

Steam fire engine

The first fire engine in which steam was used was that of John Braithwaite in 1829; Ericsson made a similar one in New York in 1840. John Ericsson is credited with building the first American steam-powered fire engine. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... John Ericsson (1803-1889) John Ericsson (July 31, 1803 – March 8, 1889) was a Swedish inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother, Nils Ericson. ...

Until the mid-19th Century most fire engines were maneuvered by men, but the introduction of horse-drawn fire engines considerably improved the response time to incidents. The first self-propelled steam engine was built in New York in 1841. It was the target of sabotage by firefighters and its use was discontinued, and motorized fire engines did not become commonplace until the early 20th Century. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

For many years firefighters sat on the sides of the fire engines, or even stood on the rear of the vehicles, exposed to the elements. While this arrangement enhanced response time, it proved to be both uncomfortable and dangerous (some firefighters were thrown to their deaths when their fire engines made sharp turns on the road), and today nearly all fire engines have fully enclosed seatings for their crews.

Fire engine from World War II-era Germany.

Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 541 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 541 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Pumpers

Early pumpers used cisterns as a source of water. Water was later put into wooden pipes under the streets and a "fire plug" was pulled out of the top of the pipe when a suction hose was to be inserted. Later systems incorporated pressurized fire hydrants, where the pressure was increased when a fire alarm was sounded. This was found to be harmful to the system, and unreliable, and today's valved hydrant systems are typically kept under pressure at all times, although additional pressure may be added when needed. Pressurized hydrants eliminate much of the work in obtaining water for pumping through the engine and into the attack hoses. Many rural fire engines still rely upon cisterns or other sources for drafting water into the pumps.

Aerials

As buildings grew in height since the late 19th Century, various means of reaching burning tall structures have been devised. At first, manually-extendable ladders were used; as these grew in length (and weight) these were put onto two large, old-fashioned wheels. When carried by fire engines these ladders had the wheels suspended behind the rear of the vehicle, making it a very distinctive sight which disappeared from some Commonwealth countries only in recent years. The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom. ...

Before long, the turntable ladder - which was even longer, mechanically-extendable, and installed directly onto a fire truck - made its appearance. Since the late 1930s, the longest turntable ladders have reached a height of 150 feet (45 metres), requiring the aforementioned "tiller trucks" to carry such ladders. This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ...

After the Second World War turntable ladders were supplemented by the aerial platform (or the "Cherry Picker") attached onto a mechanically-bending arm (or "snorkel") installed onto a fire truck; while these could not reach the height of the turntable ladder, these platforms could extend into previously unreachable "dead corners" of a burning building. Combatants Allies: Soviet Union United Kingdom United States and others Axis Powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Franklin Roosevelt Joseph Stalin Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military dead: 8,000...

Gallery of fire engines and trucks

Paris fire brigade (here shown parading) Download high resolution version (2376x1320, 615 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...	Fire truck in Lausanne Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 2445 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Lausanne is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman), and facing Évian-les-Bains (France) and with the Jura hills to its north. ...	FDNY in New York City, New York. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2580x1104, 828 KB)Fire truck of the New York City Fire Department. ... The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) has the responsibility of protecting citizens and property in New York Citys five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, as well as first response to biological, chemical and radioactive hazards. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ...	Truck 2 in Berkeley, California Took photo myself (Sept. ... Berkeley is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay in northern California, in the United States. ...
Truck 5 in Chico, California Download high resolution version (806x404, 81 KB)Truck 5 - City of Chico, California File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Chico is a city in Butte County, California, United States. ...	Swedish standardized "BAS" firetruck Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1225 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Fire engine ...	Wheeling, Illinois FD Engine 24 Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (900x394, 369 KB) Summary From: http://en. ... Wheeling is a village located in Cook County, Illinois. ...	Aerial platform in Helsinki, Finland Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1198, 283 KB) Summary One of the aerial platform units of Helsinki City Fire Department in Finland. ...
Combination Ladder in Melbourne, Australia Image File history File linksMetadata MFB_Com_Ladder. ... Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia, with a population of approximately 3. ...	"Mark 5" Pumper in Melbourne, Australia Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x658, 178 KB) Summary A Mark 5 Pumper, the current Metropolitan Fire Brigade frontline appliance. ...	Fire engine of Lausanne fire department. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 2155 KB) Work by Rama File links The following pages link to this file: Fire engine Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ...	A mobile command center truck in Helsinki, Finland. Click the picture for more information. Download high resolution version (900x633, 102 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Support 42 - Butte County, California, USA Butte County Fire (California) Support 42 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Butte County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, north of state capital Sacramento. ...	During the 1970s and 80s, lime green, sometimes referred to as safety yellow, became a common color for American fire fighting apparatus. Pictured here is a Port Townsend, WA engine. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 633 KB) Summary I took this myself at a county fair in Port Townsend, WA, USA. Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Lime is a combination of the colors yellow and green, so named because it is the color of limes. ... Port Townsend is a city located in Jefferson County, Washington. ...

See also

• Fire Chief's Vehicle
• Heavy rescue vehicle
• Airport Crash Tender
• Water tender
• Fireboat
• Firefighter
• List of historic fires
• Glossary of firefighting terms
• Fire Helicopter

A Fire Chiefs Vehicle, or a Chief Unit or a Fire Chiefs Car or a Fire Car is a Car, Truck, or SUV that is driven by a fire chief when reporting to fire scenes. ... A heavy rescue vehicle, often referred to as a rescue company, rescue squad, or simply heavy rescue, is a type of specialty firefighting apparatus. ... An airport crash tender at the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Finland (click the picture for more information). ... A Water Tender is a specialized piece of firefighting apparatus designed for the sole purpose of transporting water from a water source to a fire scene. ... The fireboat Guardian was a gift of survivors of the Loma Prieta earthquake to supplement San Franciscos fireboat Phoenix. ... It has been suggested that Firefighter Assist and Search Team be merged into this article or section. ... This is a list of historic fires. ... Note: This list is incomplete. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Fire engine

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• History of the development of US fire engines
• Detailed examination of two fire trucks
• Scale Models Of Fire Trucks