Fire trucks come in a variety of bright red shades, depending on the manufacturer. While the exact red color may vary, fire truck red is specifically designed to be highly visible, which helps warn other drivers and pedestrians when a fire truck is approaching. Quick answer: Fire truck red is a type of safety or “blaze” red that aims to maximize visibility.
Common Fire Truck Red Shades
There are a few common shades of red used on fire trucks today:
Scarlet Red
Scarlet red is a warm, bright red color that leans slightly towards orange. It provides high contrast against other colors and is eye-catching from a distance. Many American LaFrance and E-One fire trucks feature scarlet red paint.
Fire Engine Red
Fire engine red is a deeper, more blue-based red. It has strong blue undertones that give it a bold, intense look. This is a very common fire truck color and can be seen on Seagrave and Pierce apparatus.
Vermillion Red
Vermillion is a warm, orangey red that almost appears fluorescent in bright light. It has less blue than fire engine red and appears slightly lighter. Vermillion is a common factory color for many Spartan fire trucks.
Cherry Red
Cherry red has a slightly darker, more muted tone compared to the other reds. It is rich and bold while still providing good visibility. Custom fire trucks are often painted this shade of red.
Purpose of Bright Red Fire Trucks
The distinct, bright red used on fire trucks serves an important purpose. Here are some of the key reasons fire trucks are painted such a visible color:
Safety
The bright red coloring helps nearby drivers notice the fire truck more quickly as it responds to emergencies with flashing lights and sirens. This allows other motorists to pull over and get out of the way, enabling the fire truck to pass through traffic safely at higher speeds. Increased visibility leads to fewer collisions.
Identification
In addition to warning drivers, the standard fire truck red helps quickly identify the vehicle as a fire truck rather than an ambulance or other emergency vehicle. Red is universally associated with fire departments and firefighting equipment, so the color aids recognition.
Tradition
Red fire trucks have been standard in the United States since around the 1920s and 1930s. While some experimented with other colors like lime green in the 1990s, red remains the most popular and recognizable choice. Bright red is a fire service tradition that continues today.
Longevity
Compared to other bright colors like white, yellow, or lime green, studies have found red retains its brightness and noticeability longer as the paint fades and wears over time. It maintains contrast and chromaticity well as it ages. This is essential for maintaining safety.
Fire Truck Red Color Specifications
While there are some general guidelines, fire truck red colors don’t have one exact specification. Here are some common details:
High Visibility Regulations
To promote safety, fire trucks must meet high visibility standards for emergency vehicles in the United States. These are regulated by organizations like the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Chromaticity and Luminance
NFPA 1901 regulations state that the red must have a certain level of chromaticity (colorfulness) and luminance (brightness). This ensures it stands out appropriately.
Retroreflectivity
Fire truck reds also must meet retroreflectivity standards, meaning a minimum amount of light is reflected back towards the source. This further improves visibility at night when illuminated by headlights.
Manufacturer Specifications
Most fire engine manufacturers use their own custom red paint formulations but ensure they meet the general criteria. For example, Pierce manufactures a proprietary color called Pompeii Red.
How Fire Truck Reds Compare to Other Reds
While intended to be eye-catching, fire truck reds differ from other bright reds in some key ways:
Emergency Vehicle Red
Fire truck reds are brighter and richer than standard emergency vehicle reds used on ambulances, police cars, etc. They aim to provide even greater visibility than other emergency vehicles.
| Fire Truck Red | Emergency Vehicle Red |
|---|---|
| Brighter, more chromatic | Slightly more muted |
| Deeper, more blue undertones | More neutral undertones |
Fire Engine vs Fire Red
While their names are often used interchangeably, fire engine red is slightly different from fire red:
| Fire Engine Red | Fire Red |
|---|---|
| Blue undertones | Orange undertones |
| Cooler in tone | Warmer in tone |
Coca-Cola Red
Coca-Cola’s signature red is darker, less bright, and has more black added compared to fire truck reds. It is noticeable but doesn’t stand out as much from a distance.
How Different Manufacturers Use Fire Truck Red
Major fire apparatus manufacturers each put their own spin on the classic fire truck red:
Pierce Manufacturing
Many Pierce trucks feature a rich scarlet red factory color. However, they offer several different red formulation options customers can choose from.
Oshkosh Corporation
Oshkosh trucks like Pierce, Smeal, and others often use a more orangey fire engine red with yellow undertones straight from the factory.
Rosenbauer
Rosenbauer apparatus features a fire red that has more of a neutral balance between orange and blue undertones. This provides good visibility both day and night.
REV Group
REV Group brands like E-One utilize a deeper, more vibrant vermillion red on many of their trucks. This shade leans slightly more towards orange.
Spartan Fire Apparatus
Spartan commonly coats their trucks in a strong, bright vermillion red right from the production line. Many departments then choose to repaint them.
How Departments Customize the Red
While manufacturers apply a standard red, many fire departments choose to repaint the trucks in their own custom shades:
Matching Existing Fleet
Departments often repaint new trucks to match the red on the rest of their apparatus. This provides a consistent look across the whole fleet.
Brighter Colors
Some departments opt for an even brighter, more neon red to maximize visibility. These are sometimes called “lime reds.”
Darker Colors
In contrast, other departments may prefer a deeper, darker red to give their trucks a bolder appearance.
Color Shift
There are also different hues of red like scarlet, vermillion, cherry, ruby, crimson, rust, and more that departments can select. The red can be shifted warmer or cooler.
Two-Tone Paint
Custom two-tone paint jobs are also popular, with the top half of the truck painted one shade of red and the bottom painted another.
Popular Fire Truck Red Paint Brands
There are many paint manufacturers that produce bright reds suitable for fire trucks:
PPG Industries
PPG manufactures a variety of commercial transportation paints used for refinishing fire apparatus. Their brands include Delfleet and Variquest.
Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams produces fleet and heavy duty coatings used by body shops and paint contractors to repaint fire trucks.
Matrix System
Matrix System brand paint from PPG is used by manufacturers like Pierce and Rosenbauer for their factory coatings.
AkzoNobel
AkzoNobel supplies commercial vehicle OEM coatings under the Sikkens brand, including red formulations for fire apparatus.
BASF
BASF manufactures a line of auto paint called Glasurit which offers a selection of red shades ideal for fire trucks.
Valspar
Valspar’s industrial and fleet paints are also popular choices for use on fire engines. They provide the required color, durability, and reflectivity.
How Pigments Create Fire Truck Red
Pigments are used in paint to provide color. The specific pigments blended create the different hues of fire truck red:
Carmine Red
Carmine red is a bright crimson pigment made from crushed cochineal insects. Carmine produces very vibrant reds.
Cadmium Red
Cadmium red is a warm, orangey-red inorganic pigment that provides high chroma and opacity. It is toxic, so some manufacturers are moving away from it.
Naphthol Reds
Organic naphthol reds like PR3 and PR4 create bluish-reds with good weather resistance. They offer an alternative to toxic cadmium pigments.
Quinacridone Red
Quinacridone red delivers vibrant magenta-red tones. It has excellent lightfastness and durability. A popular fire truck pigment.
Permanent Red 2B
This organic red has more neutral undertones, balancing the orange and blue. It allows formulating both warm and cool fire truck reds.
How Red Fire Truck Paint Has Evolved
While red fire trucks have been around for over a century, paint technology has changed and improved the shades of red over time:
Early Red Lead Paint
Early fire wagons were often painted with red lead primer, which provided a bright orange-red color. Red lead is toxic, so it was eventually phased out.
Oil-Based Enamel
From the 1920s-1950s, fire trucks transitioned to using glossy, oil-based enamel paints. These provided richer reds but yellowed over time.
Synthetic Enamels
In the 1960s-70s, enamel paint evolved to use new synthetic binders. This further improved color consistency and durability.
Two-Part Polyurethane
Modern two-component polyurethane paint systems were introduced in the 1980s-90s. This provides superior gloss and durability over enamel.
New Pigment Options
New organic red and nano pigments have also been developed, expanding red color possibilities and improving lightfastness.
Conclusion
In summary, while there are many different shades, fire truck red aims to be as bright and noticeable as possible. The exact red color varies across apparatus manufacturers and individual fire departments. But ultimately, the highly visible red finish provides a crucial safety benefit for firefighters and the public. So the next time you see a fire truck race by, take a second to appreciate just how eye-catching that color red can be.
