Colorado Town Loves Its' Green Firetrucks; Plans To Switch To Red Ignites Controversy

Red or green? No not chile on huevos - fire trucks.

Ever since the Evergreen Fire Protection District Board purchased five new trucks and ordered them in red, then announced plans to slowly convert the entire fleet from green to red, grumbling has been heard.

Green is traditional for Evergreen, say green advocates. It's been that way for more than 20 years. Ever green, get it?

District board president Phil Shanley laughed.

He means no disrespect, he said, but is surprised the change caused a local stir. "I'd love to hear directly from the parties concerned about this."

Residents who see green as emblematic of Evergreen might be surprised to learn that the community's fire trucks were white until the late 1970s.

A former chief convinced the board to change to green, having read a study that said it was the most visible color, Shanley said.

Lights, sirens, the reflective strips on the trucks, not color, are what make people notice a fire truck, in his opinion.

The board has wanted to change the color of its trucks from fluorescent green to old-fashioned red for a long time, he said.

Although the volunteers weren't part of the vote on the color change, they agreed with the switch, Chief Joel Janov said.

Purchase of the new trucks provided a good opportunity to begin the change, district administrator Tom Hayden said.

From now on, if a truck is replaced or sustains damage that requires repainting, it will be red. In the meantime, budget permitting, the district will repaint one or two of its remaining 20 vehicles each year, he said.

A paint job for a relatively small vehicle like an ambulance costs about $2,600, for a large vehicle, the price is about $4,000. These are just estimates, and no bond money will be used, Hayden emphasized. The money will come from the general budget.

"The management of the district recognizes the color of the vehicle that shows up at your emergency is of little importance to the person who calls 911," Hayden said.

Other public service departments - Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Colorado State Patrol, county Road and Bridge Department - have changed logo or colors without a word from residents, he noted.

"I'm pleased with the concern that people have voiced concern over the color; (it means) they take pride in the fire department."