Last week's post here about fire trucks in non-traditional colors sparked quite a bit of interest. Many departments have transitioned away from colors like white, lime green, or even yellow, opting instead for the more classic red. However, some of these departments still maintain older vehicles in their original hues. This is the first installment in a series exploring those departments that have made the switch or once featured unique color schemes.
Let’s start with Division 1:
Arlington Heights once acquired a Mack CF engine as a demo unit, painted in a striking white-over-lime green combination. This engine stood out among the predominantly red fleet and remains an interesting piece of local firefighting history.
Moving westward, Elk Grove Village also experimented with lime green apparatus, including a 1977 Mack CF600 model. This engine carried 700 gallons of water and boasted a powerful 1,250-GPM pump, making it a formidable firefighting tool despite its unusual color.
To the north, Mount Prospect embraced a unique white-over-yellow scheme for much of its fleet, including at least five engines and two mid-ship mounted aerials. One notable example was a 1975 Pierce engine with a Hendrickson 1871-S cab, equipped with a 1,000-GPM pump and a 500-gallon water tank.
Further south, Palatine introduced a lime green Seagrave engine back in 1973. This Model PB engine featured a 1,500-GPM pump and held 500 gallons of water, marking a departure from the usual red-dominated aesthetic.
In Rolling Meadows, two distinct units stood out due to their white-over-lime green paint jobs. Among them was a Pierce Suburban engine from 1979, mounted on a Ford L9000 chassis. Engine 612 carried 500 gallons of water and delivered 1,250 gallons per minute, proving its worth on countless calls.
Finally, Wheeling embraced a lime green scheme for nearly three decades, from the late 1960s until the arrival of their current Sutphen tower ladder in 1994. Their early apparatus, such as the Ward LaFrance P80 Ambassadors from 1969 and 1971, featured 1,250-GPM pumps, 500 gallons of water, and mid-ship elevating platforms with pre-piped deluge guns.
For comparison, here’s an example of another distinctive color scheme: the “Palm Beach Gardens green†referenced in the Wall Street Journal article. Shown here is a 1999 Pierce Arrow rescue engine, originally built in 1990 on a Javelin chassis. This vehicle carried 750 gallons of water and delivered 1,250 gallons per minute, offering both functionality and a unique visual identity.
This exploration of non-red fire apparatus highlights how departments adapt their equipment to suit changing needs and preferences. While red remains the dominant color, these examples showcase the diversity and innovation within the firefighting community. Stay tuned for future installments in this series!
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