Fire engine

A fire engine is one of many specialized fire suppression apparatuses. 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. Engines are also known as pumpers as they are used to pump water onto fires. Their primary purpose is for direct fire suppression, and may carry many tools including ladders, pike poles, axes, fire extinguishers, and ventilating equipment. Engines are normally staffed with at least three people (a captain, an engineer, and a firefighter, and preferably with a second firefighter), to be able to effectively and safely attack a fire.

Related Topics:
Fire - Water - Engine - Fire hydrant - Water tender - Suction - Ladder - Pike pole - Axe - Fire extinguisher

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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".

Related Topics:
Oxford English Dictionary - 17th century

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Modern-day firefighters can be assigned to engine companies or ladder companies, reflecting very different professional practices. There are also rescue/medical companies with their own distinctive vehicles, including ambulances and heavy rescue or support trucks.

Related Topics:
Firefighter - Ambulance

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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. The hook-and-ladder is the best-known form of fire truck, but there are also snorkel, or cherry-picker, rigs, floodlight trucks and other specialized units. A "Tiller Truck" requires two drivers, as it has separate steering wheels for front and rear wheels. Trucks often operate in a support role to the Engine in Fire Attack. They are used for rooftop ventilation, to let hot smoke and gases out so firefighters may enter. Other Truck operations include Search and Rescue. Larger departments may have truck crews of 4 or 5 persons, while others may cross-staff an Engine and Truck, or assign one driver to deliver the Truck to the fire scene. 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. 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.

Related Topics:
Paramedic - EMT - Medical emergencies

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On occasion, fire engines have also been used as water cannons for crowd control.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~