Fire trucks are some of the most popular vehicles in the country. Kids of all ages love the look of fire trucks and the roar of their sirens. Come Christmas time, Santa Claus usually rides around on a fire truck through everyone's development handing out candy canes. Fire trucks have been around for hundreds of years and have gone through massive technological upgrades and design upgrades through the years. Fire trucks are used to transport fire fighters and equipment to the scene of a fire, a traffic accident or a any other form of accident or tragedy.

Fire trucks come in all different shapes, sizes and even colors. Most fire trucks are known for their bright red color but some counties employ the use of yellow and even green fire trucks. Most yellow fire trucks can be seen operating at an airport or aiding in putting out a forest fire. There are different models of fire trucks. They can be a normal truck, a ladder truck, a hook and ladder truck and a rescue truck. Some of the trucks even store water in them. Fire trucks have hundreds of feet of hose on them as well as ladders and different types of tools for operating a fire hydrant and for breaking down doors and walls in a burning building.

All fire trucks come equipped with seating for at least five firefighters, a two-way radio, sirens and emergency lights. The sirens are load and blaring so drivers can hear the truck coming down the street. The lights are also used to move traffic out of the way and help the truck navigate at night or in smoke filled areas. The two-way radio is connected to the firehouse and sometimes even the dispatch base.

Even though they are not fire trucks; there are fire vehicles used on the water. They can be operated by the Coast Guard and local fire stations to aid in fires on boats and barges as well as spraying water onto a fire on a dock or other building close to water.

The early fire trucks were just a water pumping apparatus on wheels that were brought to the fire location by a horse. Some of the first extendable ladder trucks were used in the early 1930's because many rescue workers found it hard to reach extremely tall buildings. The first couple of extendable ladders reached up to 150 feet and now they reach even further.

Most times when there is a fire that cannot be brought under control and the firefighters run out of water from their pumping trucks or from the hydrants the trucks have the capability to pump water from local lakes and streams. The trucks hook up hoses to a boat in the water which pumps the water into the truck and out the other end of the hose onto the fire.

Fire trucks are key to keeping the world safe from fire devastation. Their quick response and special equipment help to put out fires in buildings, homes, planes, cars, forests and in brush along the highway.