All of us have seen on applications to the Fire Department the reason people join is because they want to help their community I think this has been on 90% of all applications turned into my fire department. Nobody writes down I like to play with fire or big red trucks driving fast are awesome! In the back of our minds we know what the reasons are, we just arent willing to write them down so they can be used against us later in our career. What is it about those big red trucks that appeals so much to us? One reason could be that Fire Trucks demand respect from every other vehicle on the road! When you are riding in a fire truck the community looks at you in a higher esteem than most other vehicles on the road! But the community isnt just looking at you in that truck they are looking at their investment in that truck as a tax payer. This is a huge incentive to keep those trucks clean and in top condition over a prolonged period!
Proper paint maintenance on most public service vehicles is not economical and seems hard to justify. Most Fire Departments (career and volunteer) will wash their trucks after almost every call and they take pride in a clean fire truck. This constant washing takes its toll on the clear coat of the paint, leaving swirl marks from brushes and removing that protective layer. To maintain a clear coat you must apply something regularly to protect it. I have spoken to over 100 fire departments in the last year and have only found 1 department that wax their trucks and ambulances on a yearly basis. The reason for this is the enormous undertaking it is to wax a larger vehicle. It could take 4 firefighters 8 hours to wax a truck properly with conventional waxing techniques. My department has 8 emergency vehicles, times 8 hours per vehicle, times 4 people is 256 volunteer man hours to take care of our fleet each year! This is a lot to ask of career and volunteer firefighters alike!
With recent advances using polymers in the waterless car wash industry we have discovered an 8 hour job for 4 people has become a 30 minute job for 2 people. These polymers imbed and stay in the microscopic pores in the paint acting as a new clear coat. The protective and cleaning properties of polymers over wax are very numerous and waterless car wash products save an enormous amount of time and money. Another advantage is saving water. One 32 ounce bottle of a waterless car wash product can save over 1,000 gallons of water. Quality waterless car wash products also have anti-static properties and will prevent dirt from sticking because the surface becomes super smooth. That means you can go longer in between washing your fire truck, which saves the time of your members. The shine that these products provide is amazing! They can outshine most any traditional wax and protect in harsher environments.