Did you know that fire apparatus tires must be replaced at least every seven years to remain safe? The rubber in tires loses its strength over time and can fail without warning, potentially causing accidents, injuries or deaths.

NFPA 1911, Inspection, Maintenance, Testing, and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus, 2007 edition, requires that apparatus tires “shall be replaced at least every 7 years or more frequently when the tread wear exceeds state or federal standards as determined by measuring with a tread depth gauge” (Section 7.3.4). This requirement recognizes the fact that the rubber compounds in truck tires are designed to last only a few years based on an average industry usage of 25,000 to 100,000 miles per year — that is, the tires are expected to wear out long before they rot out. Tire replacement on low-usage vehicles such as fire apparatus needs to be based on age as well as tread wear to be safe.