Vehicle Graphics / By Lori Shridhare //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Sounding the
Alarm onveying just the right message or emergency access numbers in the clearest way possible can make all the difference between life and death. Companies that specialize in emergency vehicle graphics must not only keep up with best practices but also follow changes in federal regulations. One major change that has affected the industry in recent years—and specifically, those who work on fire vehicles—is the 2009 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus. In Section 15.9.3.2, all new fire vehicles are required to have at least 50 percent of the rear-facing vertical surfaces covered with retro-reflective striping in a chevron pattern (inverted v-shape) sloping downward and away from the center line of the vehicle at a 45-degree angle. Each sixinch-wide stripe is to be a single color, alternating between red and either yellow, fluorescent yellow, or fluorescent yellow-green.
54
Sign Builder Illustrated // December 2012
photos (this page) courtesy of rj marx custom graphics.
Maximizing emergency vehicle graphics.
signshop.com