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[[File:Aerial_Ladder_Platform_fire_truck_(London,_UK_-_2007).jpg|thumb|A fire engine from London]] 

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 [[firefighter]]s 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. Fire engine trucks are big as [[school bus]]es, They are generally considered [[Emergency vehicle|emergency vehicles]] and as such they are authorized to be [[Emergency vehicle equipment|equipped]] with [[Emergency vehicle lighting|emergency lights]] and [[Siren (alarm)|sirens]], as well as communication equipment including 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 department|fire departments]] they refer to separate and specific types of vehicle.
== Design and construction ==
[[File:Front of a MAN fire engine with winch and shackles.jpg|thumb|Front of a [[MAN Truck & Bus|MAN]] fire engine with built-in [[winch]], e.g. for towing damaged cars. The [[shackle]]s serve a similar purpose.]]

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 [[retroreflector]]s to create designs or display words such as "fire" or "rescue".<ref name="warnings">{{cite web |last1=Dallman |first1=Chris |title=What Type Of Fire Truck Lights Are Most Effective |url=http://www.911signalusa.com/what-type-fire-truck-lights-are-most-effective-a-281.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307222530/http://www.911signalusa.com/what-type-fire-truck-lights-are-most-effective-a-281.html |archive-date=7 March 2016 |access-date=17 March 2015 |website=911 Signal USA}}</ref> European countries commonly use a pattern known as [[Battenburg markings]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 September 2009 |title=Study Highlights Best Practices for Emergency Vehicle Visibility, Conspicuity |url=https://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/vehicles/ambulances/articles/590231-Study-highlights-best-practices-for-emergency-vehicle-visibility-conspicuity/ |access-date=23 February 2018 |website=firerescue1.com |archive-date=24 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224053001/https://www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/vehicles/ambulances/articles/590231-Study-highlights-best-practices-for-emergency-vehicle-visibility-conspicuity/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Along with the passive warnings, are active visual warnings which are usually in the form of flashing colored lights (also known as "[[light bar#beacon anchor|beacons]]" or "[[lightbar]]s"). These flash to attract the attention of other drivers as the fire truck approaches, or to provide warning to drivers approaching a parked fire truck in a dangerous position on the road. While the fire truck is headed towards the scene, the lights are always accompanied by warning sound alarms such as [[Siren (alarm)|sirens]] and [[air horn]]s.<ref name="warnings" /> Some fire engines in the United States are [[Lime (color)|lime yellow]] rather than red due to safety and ergonomics reasons. A 2009 study by the [[U.S. Fire Administration]] concluded that fluorescent colors, including yellow-green and orange, are easiest to spot in daylight.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.apa.org/topics/safety-design/fire-engine-color-safety |title=Why lime-yellow fire trucks are safer than red |publisher=[[American Psychological Association]] |date=2014 |access-date=26 July 2021}}</ref>

In some regions, a fire engine may be used to transport first responder firefighters, [[paramedic]]s or [[Emergency medical technician|EMT]]s to [[medical emergency|medical emergencies]] due to their proximity to the incident.<ref>Walter A, Edgar C, Rutledge M: First Responder Handbook: Fire Service Edition.</ref><ref>Alaspää et al.: Uusi ensihoidon käsikirja. Tammi 2004. (New Handbook on Emergency care) {{in lang|fi}}</ref>
== Types ==

== Conventional fire engine ==
<gallery>
File:Fire Engine 33 (6225707251).jpg|An E-One fire engine used by the [[Boston Fire Department]] in the United States.Fire Engines provide Fire Suppression duties at Fire incidents and they deal with other emergency situations.
File:20230306 HOWO T5G 340 fire engine in Kaifeng.jpg|A [[Howo]] engine used by the [[China Fire and Rescue|Henan Fire Rescue Corps]]
File:MAN TGM 18.330 fire engine, Tom Mboya Fire Station, 2025 (01).jpg|An [[MAN Truck & Bus|MAN]] engine used by the [[Nairobi City County|Nairobi Fire Service]]
File:Brandbil, Huddinge, 20220902.jpg|A [[Scania AB|Scania]] engine used by the [[Södertörn]] fire service
File:Ural Next-based fire engine in Tomsk 01.jpg|An [[Ural Automotive Plant|Ural]] engine used by the [[Russian State Fire Service]]
</gallery>

Fire Engines have a wide variety of Tools and equipment on board for all kinds of situations.Fire Engines have water pumps,water hoses,thermal imaging cameras and other equipment on board for fighting fires.Fire Engines also have Special Equipment on board for Technical Rescue Incidents including the Jaws Of Life Hydraulic Rescue Tool Systems (Spreaders,Cutters,Combi Tools,Rams,Etc),Air Bags,Air Chisels and other Special Equipment.Fire Engines also respond to Hazardous Materials Incidents and have Tarps,Non Sparking Tools and other Equipment.Fire Engines also respond to Medical Emergency Situations and have Cardiac Defibrillators and Monitors,Cardiac Drugs and other Equipment on board for Medical Emergency Situations.  

Some Fire Engines are equipped and configured for Brush Fires.Some Fire Departments use Wildland Engines or other vehicles to fight forest fires and they may be equipped for other situations.

Fire engines may have a [[deluge gun]], also called master streams, which directs a heavy stream of water to wherever the operator points it. Engines may also have a preconnected [[fire hose|hose lines]], known simply as preconnects, which remain attached to an onboard water supply as opposed to [[fire hydrant]]s or [[water tender]]s.<ref name="FEM-pre">{{cite journal |last1=Leihbacher |first1=Doug |date=1 April 2000 |title=Preconnects: The Basics |url=http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-153/issue-4/features/features/preconnects-the-basics.html |journal=[[Fire Engineering Magazine]] |volume=153 |issue=4 |access-date=19 March 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Fire engine, Loveland, Colorado,jpg.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A fire engine in Loveland Colorado 2006 |This is a Specialized Vehicle that functions as an Air/Light and Rescue Unit at some incidents.]]
== Aerial apparatus ==
{{Redirect|Aerial apparatus|other uses|Acrobatics#Aerial}}

An aerial apparatus is a fire truck mounted with an extendable boom that enables firefighters to reach high locations. They can provide a high vantage point for spraying water and creating ventilation, an access route for firefighters and an escape route for firefighters and people they have rescued. In North America, aerial apparatuses are used for fire suppression, whereas in Europe, they are used more for rescue.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/articles/print/volume-21/issue-6/features/fire-apparatus-united-states-vs-europe.html |title=United States vs. Europe |publisher=Fire Apparatus |date=7 June 2016 |access-date=17 July 2019 |archive-date=17 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717103525/https://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/articles/print/volume-21/issue-6/features/fire-apparatus-united-states-vs-europe.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="fe-2008">{{cite web |url=https://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2008/06/fire-commentary-european-firefighting-operations.html |title=Fire Commentary: European Firefighting Operations |publisher=Fire Engineering |date=12 June 2008 |access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref>
== Turntable ladder ==
[[File:Iveco Eurocargo - Magirus turntable ladder - front view.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|An [[Iveco]] turntable ladder used by the [[Romanian General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations]]]]

A turntable ladder (TL) is an aerial apparatus with a large ladder mounted on a pivot which resembles a [[turntable]], giving it its name. The key functions of a turntable ladder are allowing access or egress of firefighters and fire victims at height, providing a high-level water point for firefighting (elevated master stream), and providing a platform from which tasks such as ventilation or overhaul can be executed.

To increase its length and reach, the ladder is often [[telescoping (mechanics)|telescoping]]. Modern telescopic ladders may be [[hydraulic]] or [[pneumatic]]. These mechanical features allow the use of ladders which are longer, sturdier, and more stable. They may also have pre-attached hoses or other equipment.

The pivot can be mounted at the rear of the chassis or in the middle, just behind the cab. The latter is sometimes called a "mid-ship" arrangement, and it allows a lower travel height for the truck.

While the traditional characteristic of a TL was a lack of water pumping or storage, many modern TLs have a water pumping function built in (and some have their own on-board supply reservoir). Some may have piping along the ladder to supply water to firefighters at the top of the ladder, and some of these may also have a [[fire monitor|monitor]] installed at the top. Other appliances may simply have a track-way to securely hold a manually-run hose reel.

{{Anchor|Quint}}In the United States, turntable ladders with additional functions such as an onboard pump, a water tank, [[fire hose]], aerial ladder and multiple ground ladders, are known as quad or [[Quint (fire apparatus)|quint]] engines, indicating the number of functions they perform.<ref name=Glossary>{{cite web |title=Glossary |url=http://www.fireserviceinfo.com/glossary.html |publisher=Fire Service Info |access-date=5 January 2014 |archive-date=6 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106032206/http://www.fireserviceinfo.com/glossary.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The highest TL in the world is the [[Magirus]] M68L, with a range of {{convert|68|m|ft|1|sp=us}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dosięgnąć nieba czyli M68L, najwyższa na świecie drabina hydrauliczna z windą ratowniczą! |trans-title=Reach the Sky or the M68L, the world's tallest hydraulic rescue ladder! |url=https://remiza.com.pl/dosiegnac-nieba-czyli-m68l-najwyzsza-na-%C2%9Cswiecie-drabina-hydrauliczna-z-winda-ratownicza/ |access-date=19 June 2017 |publisher=remiza.com.pl |language=pl |archive-date=16 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116131654/https://remiza.com.pl/dosiegnac-nieba-czyli-m68l-najwyzsza-na-%C2%9Cswiecie-drabina-hydrauliczna-z-winda-ratownicza/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Tiller truck ==
{{Anchor|Hook-and-ladder|tiller ladder|tiller truck}}<!-- When referencing this section from another page, reference the ANCHORS as those will not change -->

[[File:LAFD Truck 3 with tiller.jpg|thumb|This is a Tractor Drawn Aerial (TDA) or Tiller Ladder Apparatus in use with the Los Angeles City Fire Department in the United States.Large Fire Departments in the United States operate Tractor Drawn Aerials (TDA) so that they can reach large buildings during multiple alarm structure fires.]]
In the United States,Large Fire Departments operate Tiller Ladder Trucks.These are known as Tractor Drawn Aerials (TDAs),Tiller Trucks or Hook and Ladder Trucks.This type of Ladder Truck operates a specialized turntable ladder that is mounted on a [[semi-trailer truck]].Unlike a commercial semi,the trailer and tractor are permanently combined and special tools are required to separate them. It has two drivers,with separate [[steering wheel]]s for front and rear wheels.

One of the main features of the tiller-truck is its enhanced maneuverability.The independent steering of the front and back wheels allow the tiller to make much sharper turns, which is particularly helpful on narrow or winding streets.An additional feature of the tiller-truck is that its overall length,over {{convert|50|ft|m}} for most models,allows for additional storage of tools and equipment.The extreme length gives compartments between {{convert|500|and|650|cuft}} of storage in the trailer with an additional {{convert|40|and|60|cuft}} in the cab.<ref name="SLO-tiller">{{cite web |last1=Hines |first1=Charlie |title=Fire Apparatus Utilized on Emergency Responses—Benefits of a Tiller |url=http://www.slocity.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=66 |access-date=16 March 2015 |website=City of San Luis Obispo |publisher=Fire Chief}}</ref><ref name="recruit-TDAs">{{cite news |last1=Avsec |first1=Robert |title=Pros and cons of tractor-drawn aerials |url=https://www.firerecruit.com/articles/1436548-Pros-and-cons-of-tractor-drawn-aerials |access-date=16 March 2015 |agency=Fire Recruit |date=23 April 2013 |archive-date=27 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527184437/https://www.firerecruit.com/articles/1436548-Pros-and-cons-of-tractor-drawn-aerials |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Some departments elect to use tiller-[[Quint (fire apparatus)|quint]]s,which are tiller trucks that have the added feature of being fitted with an on-board water tank.These are particularly useful for smaller departments that do not have enough personnel to staff an engine company and a truck company..<ref name="SLO-tiller"/>
== Platform truck ==
{{Anchor|Snorkel|platform truck|platform ladder|aerial platform}}<!-- [[Snorkel (fire fighting)]] redirects here; various pages reference the other anchors -->
[[File:Roskilde S1.jpg|thumb|An articulating platform truck used by the [[Roskilde]] fire brigade]]

A platform truck carries an [[aerial work platform]], also known as a basket or bucket, on the end of a ladder or boom. These platforms can provide a secure place from which a firefighter can operate. Many platforms also allow for rescues to be performed and are outfitted with tie down clips and [[rappelling]] arms.<ref name="ferrara">{{cite web |title=Platform Features |url=http://www.ferrarafire.com/Apparatus/Aerials/Platforms.html |website=ferrarafire.com |access-date=17 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315144217/http://www.ferrarafire.com/Apparatus/Aerials/Platforms.html |archive-date=15 March 2015}}</ref>

Some booms are capable of [[articulated|articulating]], allowing the arm to bend in one or more places. This allows the platform truck to go "up and over" an obstacle, and is an advantage over the traditional platform ladder, which can only extend in a straight line.
== Wildland fire engine ==
{{Main|Wildland fire engine}}
[[File:Engine33ANF01.jpg|thumb|An [[Navistar|International]] wildland fire engine used by the [[United States Forest Service]]]]

A [[wildland fire engine]] is a specialized fire engine that can negotiate difficult terrain for [[wildfire suppression]]. A wildland fire engine is smaller than standard fire engines and has a higher [[ground clearance]]. They may also respond to emergencies in rough terrain where other vehicles cannot respond. Many wildland engines feature [[four-wheel drive]] capability to improve hill climbing and rough terrain capability.<ref>{{cite web |title=Engine Types |url=http://www.nwcg.gov/general/memos/nwcg-006-2008.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501050059/http://www.nwcg.gov/general/memos/nwcg-006-2008.pdf |archive-date=1 May 2015 |access-date=5 January 2014 |publisher=National Wildfire Coordinating Group}}</ref> Some wildland apparatus can pump water while driving (compared to some traditional engines which must be stationary to pump water), allowing "mobile attacks" on vegetation fires to minimize the rate of spread.<ref>{{cite web |title=Type 3 Engine |url=http://sbcfire.ndic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Type-3-Engine.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231230053/http://sbcfire.ndic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Type-3-Engine.pdf |archive-date=31 December 2013 |access-date=30 December 2013 |publisher=Santa Barbara County Fire}}</ref>

{{anchor|Type 1|Type 2|wildland-urban interface}}

Fire departments that serve areas along the [[wildland–urban interface]] have to be able to tackle traditional urban fires as well as wildland fires.<ref name="FEM-interface">{{cite journal |last1=Wright |first1=Edward |date=1 August 2012 |title=Wildland Urban Interface Fires: Managing A Cascade Of Risk |url=http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-165/issue-8/features/wildland-urban-interface-fires-managing-a-cascade-of-risk.html |journal=[[Fire Engineering Magazine]] |volume=165 |issue=8 |access-date=18 March 2015}}</ref> Departments in these areas often use a wildland–urban interface engine, which combine features of a standard fire engine with that of a wildland fire engine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wildland Type I & Type II |url=http://www.ferrarafire.com/Apparatus/Wildland/TypeII/TypeII.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408001828/http://www.ferrarafire.com/Apparatus/Wildland/TypeII/TypeII.html |archive-date=8 April 2015 |access-date=18 March 2015 |website=ferrarafire.com}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2015}}
== Water tender ==
[[File:JMSDF Water tender(Isuzu Forward, 41-8056) right front view at Kanoya Air Base April 30, 2017.jpg|thumb|An [[Isuzu]] [[water tender]] used by the [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force]]]]

A [[water tender]] is a specialist fire appliance with the primary purpose of transporting large amounts of water to the fire area to make it available for extinguishing operations. These are especially useful in rural areas where fire hydrants are not readily available and natural water resources are insufficient or difficult to exploit.

Most tankers have an on-board pumping system. This pump is often not of sufficient power to fight fires (as it is designed to be attached to a fire engine), but is more often used to draw water into the tender from hydrants or other water sources. Many tankers are equipped with fast-drain valves on the sides and back of the truck. This allows firefighters to empty thousands of gallons of water into a [[portable water tank]] in just a few seconds.

Most water tenders are designed to carry loads of {{convert|5000-12000|L|impgal}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tankbil |url=http://salabrand.se/tankbil-4x2/ |publisher=Sala Brand |access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref>
== Airport crash tender ==
{{Main|Airport crash tender}}
[[File:Whitehorse International Airport ARFF Striker.jpg|thumb|An [[Oshkosh Corporation|Oshkosh]] airport crash tender used by the [[Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport]] fire department]]

An [[airport crash tender]] is a specialized fire engine designed for use at [[aerodrome]]s in [[aircraft]] accidents.<ref name="new-arff">{{cite journal |last1=Petrillo |first1=Alan |date=29 August 2014 |title=Protecting Airports with New ARFF Designs and Equipment |url=http://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/articles/print/volume-19/issue-9/features/protecting-airports-with-new-arff-designs-and-equipment.html |url-status=dead |journal=Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment |volume=19 |issue=9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228185946/http://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/articles/print/volume-19/issue-9/features/protecting-airports-with-new-arff-designs-and-equipment.html |archive-date=December 28, 2014 |access-date=17 March 2015}}</ref> Some of the features that make the airport crash tender unique are its ability to move on rough terrain outside the [[runway]] and airport area, large water capacity as well as a [[firefighting foam|foam]] tank, a high-capacity pump, and water/foam [[Fire monitor|monitors]]. Newer airport crash tenders also incorporate [[Twin agent fire extinguishing system|twin agent]] nozzles/injection systems that add dry chemical [[fire retardant]] (such as [[Purple-K]]) to create a stream of [[firefighting foam]] which is able to stop the fire faster.<ref name="fr-arff">{{cite journal |last1=Vaccaro |first1=Bob |date=31 July 2008 |title=Latest ARFF Apparatus Technology |url=http://www.firefighternation.com/article/apparatus-innovations/latest-arff-apparatus-technology |url-status=dead |journal=Fire Rescue |issue=August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529020848/http://www.firefighternation.com/article/apparatus-innovations/latest-arff-apparatus-technology |archive-date=May 29, 2014 |access-date=17 March 2015}}</ref> Some also have [[gaseous fire suppression]] tanks for electrical fires. These features give the airport crash tenders a capability to reach an airplane rapidly, and rapidly extinguish large fires with [[jet fuel]] involved.
== Other vehicles ==
Other vehicles that are used by fire departments but may not be directly involved in firefighting may include:
{{div col|colwidth=23em}}
* [[Fire car]]
* Fire investigation unit
* [[Fire police]] unit
* [[Hazardous materials apparatus]]
* [[Light and air unit]]
* Marine rescue unit
* [[Mobile communications vehicle]]
* Operational support unit
{{div col end}}

<gallery>
File:Japanese Kei car Fire apparatus.jpg|A [[Mitsubishi Town Box]] [[kei car]] fire truck used by the [[Chichibu, Saitama]] fire department
File:Seattle Fire Department - Battalion 6 command vehicle.jpg|[[Chevrolet Suburban]] command vehicles used by the [[Seattle Fire Department]] in the United States.Large Fire Departments in the United States have Command Vehicles that are assigned to Chief Officers.
File:ACTFB HAZMAT-heo.jpg|A Scania hazardous materials vehicle used by [[ACT Fire and Rescue]]
File:GLOUCESTERSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE. - Flickr - secret coach park.jpg|A [[Dennis Dart]] command post used by the [[Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service]]
File:Hemer-Löschpanzer1-Bubo.JPG|A [[Marder (infantry fighting vehicle)|Marder]] [[infantry fighting vehicle]] converted for use as a firefighting vehicle by the [[German Fire Services]]
</gallery>
== {{anchor|Horse-drawn}}History ==
[[File:Feuerwehrmuseum-Kübelspritze.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|One of the simplest forms of ''hand tub'' type fire engines, engraving from the mid 17th century in Germany]]

An early device used to squirt water onto a fire was known as a ''squirt'' or ''fire syringe''. Hand squirts and hand pumps are noted before [[Ctesibius of Alexandria]] invented the first fire pump around the 2nd century B.C.,<ref>Young, Charles Frederick T., ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=gjoDAAAAQAAJ Fires, fire engines, and fire brigades: with a history of manual and steam fire engines, their construction, use, and management; remarks on fire-proof buildings ... statistics of the fire appliances in English towns; foreign fire systems; hints for the f]''. London: Lockwood & Co., 1866. 335. Print.]</ref> and an example of a force-pump possibly used for a fire-engine is mentioned by [[Heron of Alexandria]].

[[File:Löschmaschine Hans Hautsch 1650.jpg|thumb|Fire engine invented by Hans Hautsch]]
[[File:1853 hand-pump fire engine at the Western Trails Museum at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA.jpg|thumb|1853 hand-pump fire engine at the Western Trails Museum at [[Knott's Berry Farm]], Buena Park, CA]]
[[File:Burning of Pennsylvania Hall.png|thumb|left|Fire engine, Philadelphia, 1838, trying to save adjacent building. One firefighter (with helmet) directs the water; three to his left are manning the pump. Hand-colored. To the right of the engine is a hose truck.]]
[[File:Edinburgh fire engine, 1824.JPG|thumb|Manually drawn fire pump in service in [[Edinburgh]] in 1824]]
[[File:Brockhampton Estate - horse-drawn fire pump.jpg|thumb|Horse-drawn fire pump given to [[Brockhampton Estate]] in 1818]]
[[File:Antique Japanese Fire pump.jpg|thumb|Antique Japanese fire pump]]

In 1650, [[Hans Hautsch]] built a fire engine with a compressed air vessel. On each side 14 men worked a piston rod back and forth in a horizontal direction. The air vessel, a type of pressure tank, issued an even stream despite the backward motion of the piston. This was made possible by a rotating pipe mounted on the hose which allowed the jet to reach heights up to {{cvt|20|m|ft|1}}. Caspar Schott observed Hautsch's fire engine in 1655 and wrote an account of it in his ''Magia Universalis.''<ref>W. Hornung: Die Entwicklung der Feuerlöschpumpe vom ausgehenden Mittelalter bis zum 18. Jahrhundert. Eine technikgeschichtliche Betrachtung (3. Part). (Archive from 13. January 2015) In: VFDB-Zeitschrift. Nr. 4, 1960, S. 133–141.</ref>

Colonial laws in America required each house to have a bucket of water on the front stoop in preparation for fires at night. These buckets were intended for use by the initial [[bucket brigade]] that would supply the water at fires. [[Philadelphia]] obtained a hand-pumped fire engine in 1719, years after [[Boston]]'s 1654 model appeared there, made by [[Joseph Jenckes Sr.]], but before New York's two engines arrived from London.

By 1730, [[Richard Newsham]], in London, had made successful fire engines. He also invented those first used in [[New York City]] in 1731 where the amount of manpower and skill necessary for firefighting prompted [[Benjamin Franklin]] to found an organized fire company in 1737. [[Thomas Lote (inventor)|Thomas Lote]] built the first fire engine made in America in 1743. These earliest engines are called ''hand tubs'' because they are manually (hand) powered and the water was supplied by a bucket brigade dumping it into a tub (cistern) where the pump had a permanent intake pipe.

An important advancement around 1822 was the invention of an engine which could draft water from a water source. This rendered the bucket brigade obsolete. In 1822, a Philadelphia-based manufacturing company called Sellers and Pennock made a model called the "Hydraulion". It is said to be the first suction engine.<ref>Rorer, Beverly, and Barbara Marinelli. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=KeSDR86o4EEC Images of America: Upper Darby]''. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Pub., 2011. 112. Print.</ref> Some models had the hard, suction hose fixed to the intake and curled up over the apparatus known as a squirrel tail engine.

The earliest engines were small, and were either carried by four men or mounted on skids and dragged to a fire. As the engines grew larger they became horse-drawn and later self-propelled by steam engines.<ref>[https://www.bostonfiremuseum.com/PhotoPages/Web_Fitzgerald/Fire%20Chiefs/slides/Amoskeag%20first%20self-propelled%20Steam%20Fire%20Engine.html Manchester Locomotive Works first self-propelled Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine. Sold to Boston Fire Department after use at Great Boston Fire of 1872] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919000429/http://www.bostonfiremuseum.com/PhotoPages/Web_Fitzgerald/Fire%20Chiefs/slides/Amoskeag%20first%20self-propelled%20Steam%20Fire%20Engine.html |date=19 September 2015}} ''www.bostonfiremuseum.com'', accessed 6 August 2020</ref>

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 pumper]] fire engine was built in New York in 1841. Unfortunately for the manufacturers, some firefighters sabotaged the device and its use of the first engine was discontinued. However, the need and the utility of power equipment ensured the success of the steam pumper well into the twentieth century. Many cities and towns around the world bought the steam fire engines.

Motorised fire engines date back to January 1897, when the prefect of police in [[Paris]] applied for funds to purchase "a machine worked by petroleum for the traction of a fire-engine, ladders, and so forth and for the conveyance of the necessary staff of pompiers".<ref>Notes of the Month, The Automotor and Horseless Vehicle Journal, January 1897, p143</ref> With great prescience the report states "If the experiment prove successful, as is anticipated, horses will eventually be entirely replaced by automobiles". This was, indeed, the case and motorised fire engines became commonplace by the early 20th century. By 1905, the idea of combining gas engine motor trucks into fire engines was attracting great attention; according to a ''[[Popular Mechanics]]'' article in that year,<ref name="PopMech1905v7n2p202">{{Citation |author=Editorial staff |date=February 1905 |title=Motor fire engines popular in England |journal=Popular Mechanics |volume=7 |issue=2 |page=202 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wd4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA202 |postscript=.}}</ref> such trucks were rapidly gaining popularity in England. That same year, the [[Knox Automobile Company]] of [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], began selling what some<ref name="Arcadia_on_Knox_Auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=9780738504995&Store_Code=arcadia&search=MA&offset=100&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=%20%26srch_state%3D1 |title=Books about Knox Automobile Company—Historical Photos & Images of Knox Automobile Company |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |access-date=24 October 2011 |archive-date=1 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001013914/http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=9780738504995&Store_Code=arcadia&search=MA&offset=100&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=%20&srch_state=1 |url-status=dead}}</ref> have described as the world's first modern fire engine. A year later, the city of Springfield, Illinois, had filled their fire department with Knox engines. Another early motorized fire engine was developed by [[Peter Pirsch and Sons]] of [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]].<ref name="enc">{{cite book |title=The American Peoples Encyclopedia Yearbook: Events and Personalities |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ud8PAAAAIAAJ |publisher=Spencer Press |page=77 |date=1955}}</ref>

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. This arrangement was 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 seating areas for their crews.
== Hook and ladder ==
[[File:Zephyr quick step as performed by the independent blues band LCCN2003656623.jpg|thumb|left|A hook-and-ladder of the Pioneer, Hook and Lader Co.]]

The "hook and ladder" was an early type of fire units known since late 1700s. It was a horse-drawn carriage which brought ladders and hooks to the fire place. Ladders were used for access to upper floors and the roof. "Hooks" were [[pike pole]]s used for pulling down and apart the burning construction.<ref> Larry Shapiro, "Hook and Ladders", [https://books.google.com/books?id=sG1_lIHoVFQC&pg=PA44 p.44]</ref>
== Early pumpers ==
[[File:Fire truck and firemen, NSW Brigade headquarters 1941.jpg|thumb|A fire engine in [[Sydney]], Australia in 1941]]

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 hydrant]]s, where the pressure was increased when a fire alarm was sounded. This was found to be harmful to the system and unreliable. Today's valved hydrant systems are 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. [[Steam pumper]] came in to use in the 1850s.
== Early aerials ==
In the late 19th century, means of reaching tall structures were devised. At first, manually extendable ladders were used; as these grew in length (and weight), they were put onto two large wheels. When carried by fire engines these ''wheeled escape ladders'' had the wheels suspended behind the rear of the vehicle, making them a distinctive sight. Before long, ''turntable ladders'' — which were even longer, mechanically extendable, and installed directly onto fire trucks—made their appearances.

After [[World War II]], turntable ladders were supplemented by the [[aerial work platform]] (sometimes called "cherry picker"), a platform or bucket attached onto a mechanically bending arm (or "snorkel") installed onto a fire truck. While these could not reach the height of similar turntable ladders, the platforms could extend into previously unreachable "dead corners" of a burning building.
== Modern ==
[[File:Hendiadyoin.jpg|thumb|Aftermath of [[water cannon]] being used on protestors]]
[[File:Nusa-Dua Bali Indonesia ISUZU-Fire-appliance-02.jpg|thumb|Modern designed firetruck]]

During the 20th century motorized [[pump]]s began replacing gasoline pumps, water pumps also became standard. [[Racing suit]]s were also added to firetrucks, which allowed for more individuals to be saved from fires. [[Radio]] allowed for information to be relayed easier between a firetruck and a [[fire department]], useful for coordinating to fires.<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |title=Modernization of Fire Vehicles with New Technologies and Chemicals |first1=Cagri |last1=Un |first2=Kadir |last2=Aydın |date=14 June 2023 |journal=Vehicles |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=682–697 |doi=10.3390/vehicles5020037 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Firetrucks with use of [[water cannon]]s have been at time used to disperse protestors, particularly in [[authoritarian]] countries. During the [[civil rights movement]] in the US,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://lethalindisguise.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LID2-Water-Cannons.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604011446/https://lethalindisguise.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LID2-Water-Cannons.pdf |url-status=live |title=How Crowd-Control Weapons Impact Health and Human Rights - Water Cannons |archive-date=4 June 2023 |website=ethalindisguise.org}}</ref> firetrucks were often used against protests in the South. The use of high pressure water against protestors can lead to severe [[bruising]], [[internal bleeding]], [[hypothermia]] and [[End organ damage|organ damage]]. The use of water hosing protestors is often considered cruel and violating an individuals [[civil rights]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://phr.org/our-work/resources/health-impacts-of-crowd-control-weapons-water-cannons/ |title=Health Impacts of Crowd-Control Weapons: Water Cannons}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://lethalindisguise.org/crowd-control-weapons/water-cannons/ |title=Lethal in Disguise - Water Cannons}}</ref>

Modern firetrucks are designed to aide in various [[humanitarian]] tasks, firetrucks are regularly used as [[ambulance]]s to transport people in case of [[medical emergencies]]. They are also used during extreme [[natural disaster]] and are used for delivering necessities to people. Modern firetrucks are generally made out of high grade material such as [[stainless steel]], [[polypropylene]] and sometimes [[carbon fibre]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.firehouse.com/apparatus/components/article/21084309/when-it-comes-to-fire-apparatus-body-materials-there-are-choices |title=With Apparatus Body Materials, There Are Choices |date=21 June 2019 |website=firehouse.com}}</ref> Most firetrucks house materials for medical treatment, and fire [[burn]]s. Firetrucks designed to fight [[forest fires]] often have [[thermal camera]]s and use water [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|drones]].<ref name="auto"/>
== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=23em}}
* [[Roller container#Containerized firefighting equipment|Containerized firefighting equipment]]
* [[Electric fire engine]]
* [[Fire appliances in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Glossary of firefighting terms]]
* [[Jan van der Heyden]]
* [[NFPA 1901]]
* [[Turntable ladder]]
* [[List of fire stations]]
{{div col end}}

== Fire Engine Media ==
<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>
File:Dublin Fire Brigade Pump Ladder D32.jpg|A [[Scania PRT-range|Scania P270]] fire engine used by [[Dublin Fire Brigade]] in [[Ireland]]

File:Humberside_Fire_&_Rescue_DH03P4_-_YT21_EHF.jpg|A [[Scania PRT-range|Scania P280]] fire engine used by the [[Humberside Fire and Rescue Service]] in [[England]]
</gallery>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== Other websites ==
* {{Commons category inline|Fire engines}}

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