The title is actually a misnomer. This book isn't all about fire pumpers and ladder trucks but also contains great information about Rescue, Support (lighting, air resupply, generators), Airport crash trucks, Tankers, and Command and Control trucks. The last section talks about the colors and "decorative appearance" of trucks in different cities.
I find this book a wonderful all-around reference to the above vehicles. The book contains photos and info on the best of the breed of tankers, support, rescue, etc. The author went to the large cities and basically "peeked into the firehouse" to see what they have and what they used it for.
Methods and procedures are discussed such as how to hook up hoses to hydrants, drive to the scene, and conduct firefighting or rescue operations to name a few.
The author was also there for many major fires and rescue work in several cities so the photos are taken at great "frontline" angles and not behind some crowd. Also, the captions are specific and describes what the photo shows and is about. It's not "Four rescue trucks at a downtown accident," BUT "This is a pretty rare scene where four out of five NYFD rescue trucks show up for the construction accident. You can see the debris lying on the street in the background. One person was killed in this accident."
The best part I find is the explanations. As I read, I have questions which the author seems to predict and answer. Do tankers run to the water source with lights and sirens? Why does some cities run ladders and others towers? Do cities paint their trucks orange? Why don't firemen ride standing on the rear bumper? Why do rural towns have better vehicles than large cities? All these questions the author answered.
Highly recommend for the fire vehicle and modeler fan. A great book to learn both from text, photos, and quotes.
