A bright red fire truck racing through traffic is a familiar sight in many parts of the world. The color is so closely associated with firefighting that it's easy to assume red was chosen because it makes emergency vehicles easier to see. But the real story is more complicated, and the explanation is not quite as clear-cut as you might expect.
There are several theories about how fire engines became red, including competition between early volunteer fire brigades and the desire to stand out from ordinary traffic. Today, some departments have switched to yellow or fluorescent lime-green vehicles because research suggests these colors can be more visible in certain conditions.
