No source necessarily. Just anecdotal discussions I’ve had.

Regardless of the building materials issue, our trucks are more versatile than theirs are. This is probably because they have been restricted (by their narrow roads) to smaller trucks that therefore have less capabilities. If they had room for our trucks, I’m sure they’d be using them.

Other than the safety issue you mention, there is no reason for us to go backwards and start using less capable, smaller trucks.

And in terms of that “methodology,” I don’t think European departments are more focused on rescues, just that they can only use their ladder trucks for rescue and not for fighting fire. They are restricted to using the trucks only for rescue—it’s not a choice.

As for the safety issue on the streets, there are plenty of options to make them safer other than making them smaller. The city can add speed bumps; they can use roundabouts; they can add speed cameras. Reducing the size of fire trucks is not the only option.

Yes size of the building does matter. I was trying to explain that my point was that we have differently built buildings, not taller buildings

In the departments that require you to have training beforehand, they don’t give you any training (other than orientation, etc, that you’d get in any job). I think the OP’s “no special training” just meant no training in firefighting or having to know anything about the job.

The CPAT can be tough but if you’re physically fit, anyone can pass it. You don’t need to know firefighting stuff. They tell you what to do.

The size of the buildings isn’t the problem (in fact once they’re over ~100’ ladders are just about worthless). The problem is what the buildings are made of. European buildings are typically made of non combustible materials like concrete and steel, which means firefighters can rely on the building to protect them while they are inside and fight the fire. The building isn’t on fire, just the contents inside.

NYC also has a ton of very tall noncombustible buildings, but that’s not why it needs large ladder trucks. NYC needs larger ladder trucks because it also has an enormous stock of combustible buildings that don’t offer the same protection. Once the fire gets to a certain size and the structure itself is burning (and the fire is burning in concealed combustible spaces), it can become unsafe for firefighters to stay in the building to fight it. You can let the building burn down at that point or attack it with large-volume streams. Nothing does that better than a tower ladder. European trucks simply can’t do this (and they don’t often have to!).

DC has a similar building stock to NYC, so I’ll believe that they’re switching to smaller trucks when I see it. What they may do is switch to electric vehicles, but I doubt they are ever going to give up large order trucks. The truck in that link is a fire engine, which is different than a ladder truck.

And I would like to see a source on the departments that are starting to use modified pick up trucks. They may be using them for non-structural fire responses like brush fires, medical calls, etc, to save on fuel, while leaving the bigger trucks back at the station. But when a structure fire hits, I’d bet they still roll out the bigger trucks.

NYC may start using smaller trucks for non-fire responses as well, but the streets will still have to accommodate the bigger trucks because they will still be needed for fires.

Lastly, fire trucks are not originally based on military vehicles. You can trace their origins all the way back to the mid-1800s and see them slowly evolve, getting bigger and bigger as capabilities and available tools expanded.

That training comes after you get hired. You need no special training to get hired, at which point you will be given the special training.

Many departments in other parts of the country require you to be fully trained before they even consider you for employment.

Can’t speak specifically about Japanese fire trucks, but European fire trucks are similarly small. They are small because they were restricted to fit their pre-existing tighter streets.

European ladder trucks are much smaller than American trucks, but they don’t have the same ability to flow water that American trucks do.

American streets, including most of New York City’s, are typically at least a little wider, which is why our trucks have been able to grow to the sizes they have. Our trucks have grown and gained certain capabilities as a result.

The ability to flow water from aerial and tower ladders, due to their reach and capabilities, has saved countless buildings throughout the city and the country. These ladders can put a significant volume of water where humans can’t reach and when it’s not safe to put humans in the building.

So Japan and Europe may have smaller fire trucks, but they do not have the same capabilities American fire trucks do.

Bigger fire trucks therefore offer superior fire protection. Furthermore, European buildings are typically made of more non combustible materials (possibly why they get by without ladders designed to flow water), while combustible buildings are prolific throughout New York City and the rest of the country.