Fire engine

A fire engine (or fire truck, also spelled firetruck) is a vehicle, usually a specially designed or modified truck, that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an incident as well as carrying equipment for firefighting operations in a fire drill. Some fire engines have specialized functions, such as wildfire suppression and aircraft rescue and firefighting, and may also carry equipment for technical rescue.

Many fire engines are based on a commercial vehicle chassis that is further upgraded and customized for firefighting requirements. They are generally considered emergency vehicles authorized to be equipped with emergency lights and sirens, as well as communication equipment such as two-way radios and mobile computer technology.

The terms fire engine and fire truck depend primarily on geography and dialect - 'fire engine' in British and Irish English and in Commonwealth countries, and 'fire truck' in North America), but can used interchangeably depending on the choice of a broad range of vehicles involved in firefighting; however, in some fire departments they refer to separate and specific types of vehicle.

Design and construction

The design and construction of fire engines focuses greatly on the use of both active and passive warnings. Passive visual warnings involve the use of high contrast patterns to increase the noticeability of the vehicle. They are more common on older vehicles or those in developing countries. Modern vehicles in developed countries use retroreflectors to create designs or display words such as "fire" or "rescue".