The color of fire trucks (part 2)
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June 20 05:11:56, 2025
Last week’s post here about the various colors of fire trucks mentioned several departments that don’t stick strictly to the traditional red. Some departments have transitioned away from other hues toward the classic red, while others still sport older color schemes on certain vehicles. This is the beginning of a series exploring these unique color choices and the departments that embraced them.
**Division 1:**
Back in the day, Arlington Heights acquired a Mack CF engine that was originally a demo unit, painted in a striking white-over-lime green scheme.
This particular engine, from 1975, boasted a powerful 1,500-GPM pump and held 500 gallons of water. The image below shows just how distinctive it looked compared to the typical red trucks we see today.
Elk Grove Village also experimented with lime green during its early days, featuring a Mack CF engine in this unusual shade.
The 1977 Mack CF600 engine carried 700 gallons of water and was equipped with a 1,250-GPM pump. Its lime green body made it quite memorable.
Moving further west, Mount Prospect had an interesting color scheme in the 1970s, painting their fleet in a white-over-yellow pattern. At least five engines and two mid-ship mounted aerials wore this unique look.
Palatine once had a white-over-lime green Seagrave engine in their lineup, adding a splash of color to their otherwise standard fleet.
Rolling Meadows took things a step further with two vehicles in this color scheme, including a Pierce engine and a medium-duty squad with a PTO pump built on a GMC chassis.
Finally, Wheeling's fire apparatus underwent a colorful transformation over the decades. From the late 1960s, when Ward LaFrance popularized lime green trucks, through the introduction of their current Sutphen tower ladder in 1994, Wheeling's units were consistently white-over-lime green.
Their 1969 Ward LaFrance P80 Ambassador model was a standout, featuring a mid-ship elevating platform with a pre-piped deluge gun, a 1,250-GPM pump, and 500 gallons of water.
And to round out this section, here's a glimpse of the "Palm Beach Gardens green" mentioned in the Wall Street Journal piece.
This 1999 Pierce Arrow engine was originally built in 1990 on a Javelin chassis, equipped with a 1,250-GPM pump and holding 750 gallons of water. It’s a testament to how diverse fire truck designs can be across different regions.
These examples highlight the creativity and individuality departments sometimes bring to their firefighting fleets, making each one unique in its own way. Stay tuned for more stories in this series!