Fire Engine Yellow?
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ATER extensive research into the uses to which a fire appliance is put, Dennis Bros Ltd. of Guildford, in conjunction with the City of Coventry Fire Brigade, have produced a unique appliance capable of dealing with almost any emergency situation.
The requirements for the design were that it would efficiently deal with fire, have a built-in capacity for driving power tools, provide adequate lighting in emergency situations and, not the least important, stick out like the proverbial "sore thumb" while in transit to such a situation.
Mechanical requirements called for a review of general design, particularly to the coachwork where accommodation had to be provided for the equipment carried. The need to be seen in present-day traffic conditions prompted a study by Coventry Fire Brigade assisted by the Lanchester College of Technology of Coventry to decide the best and most prominent colour in which the appliance should be painted.
The colour which proved to be the most instantly recognizable under all conditions of artificial lighting and the one which was found to impart the greatest sense of urgency was yellow. So when the appliance is delivered shortly to Coventry it will be painted Fire Engine Yellow instead of the traditional red.