Fire truckColombia

An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of Colombia. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.

For informational purposes only. Always follow official regulations. Some content and images were created with AI assistance.


38. Fire truck

A fire truck is an emergency vehicle used by the fire and rescue services to transport firefighters, firefighting equipment, rescue equipment or water to fires, collisions and other emergencies. Different types of fire trucks may be designed for firefighting, rescue operations, aerial access or other specialised tasks.

During an emergency response, a fire truck may use warning lights and a siren and may receive priority or exemptions from certain traffic rules. Other road users must follow the local rules for emergency vehicles, make sufficient space and avoid obstructing their passage.

Fire truck
A fire truck (Ciudad Salitre, Colombia)
Wikimedia.org • Felipe Restrepo Acosta • CC BY-SA
What is a fire truck?

A fire truck is an emergency vehicle used by firefighters to respond to fires, collisions, rescues and other emergencies. It may carry firefighters, water, ladders and specialised rescue equipment.

🔗 bucksfire.gov.uk • Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue, standard fire engine equipment

🔗 cambsfire.gov.uk • Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, fire-engine rescue equipment

What should you do when a fire truck approaches?

Make space safely for a fire truck responding to an emergency, following the local rules and lawful directions. Slow down or stop where necessary, but do not make a dangerous manoeuvre or assume that you may disregard a red light to clear its path.

🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, Article 34, priority vehicles and national exemptions; international framework subject to national law

🔗 gov.uk • Great Britain Highway Code, Rule 219, emergency and incident support vehicles; national guidance example

Can a fire truck exceed the speed limit?

Many countries allow emergency vehicles to depart from certain speed restrictions while carrying out an urgent mission. Emergency drivers must nevertheless take appropriate precautions and comply with the applicable emergency-driving rules.

🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, Article 34, priority vehicles and national exemptions; international framework subject to national law

🔗 gov.uk • Great Britain Highway Code, Rule 219, emergency and incident support vehicles; national guidance example

1 Colombia 2 Speed limit 3 Pedestrian warning 4 Slope 5 Bus stop 6 Stop sign 7 School area 8 Crossing animals 9 Traffic lights 10 Reversing 11 Cyclist 12 Bus 13 Police 14 Ambulance 15 Pothole 16 Path 17 Particulates 18 Air pollution 19 Rush hour 20 Road code 21 Street gutter 22 Cargo bike 23 Forestry vehicle 24 Construction vehicle 25 Semi-trailer truck 26 Trolleybus 27 Speed pedelec 28 Delivery vehicle 29 Idling 30 Tow truck 31 Four-wheel drive 32 Bicycle 33 Motorcycle equipment 34 Rail track 35 Caravan 36 Trailer 37 Tow hitch 38 Fire truck 39 Siren 40 Convoy 41 Emergency vehicle lighting 42 Agricultural machinery 43 Electric bicycle 44 Electric vehicle 45 Pedelec 46 Quadricycle 47 Microcar 48 All-terrain vehicle 49 Van 50 Recreational vehicle 51 Scooter 52 Trikke 53 Personal mobility device 54 Skateboard 55 Segway 56 Kick scooter 57 Roller skates 58 Mailman 59 Hitchhiker 60 Toddler 61 Child 62 Disability 63 Motorail 64 km/h 65 mph 66 Speedometer 67 Ride height 68 Dirt road 69 Driving 70 Start-stop system 71 Manual transmission 72 Automatic transmission 73 Throttle 74 Tachometer 75 Steering wheel 76 Power steering 77 Visual scanning 78 Mirror 79 Fuel 80 Fuel gauge 81 Petrol 82 Diesel 83 Diesel exhaust fluid 84 Car insurance 85 First aid kit 86 Fire extinguisher 87 High-visibility clothing 88 First aid 89 Concrete step barrier 90 Barriers 91 Vehicle lights 92 Street lights 93 Dipped beam 94 High beam 95 Fog lights 96 Front fog lights 97 Rear fog lights 98 Side lights 99 Turn signals 100 Hazard lights ...