Emergency Vehicles: Can You Identify More Than 30?

By: Jonnathan Chadwick
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Emergency Vehicles: Can You Identify More Than 30?
Image: Marco_Piunti / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

A minor injury can turn into a dire emergency simply based on location. If you're sitting on your couch with a swollen ankle, you'll probably be fine. Just elevate it, ice it, heat it and do whatever you need to relax. If you're in the middle of a remote hike with a swollen ankle, however, you're not going to be fine. There's nothing like having to hop down a rocky, three-mile hike to really appreciate the ingenuity of emergency vehicles around the world.

If you live a life of travel and adventure, you've undoubtedly found yourself in a location where you thought to yourself, "If I get hurt here, nobody will reach me." The good news is, that's not true. If you've seen some of the emergency response vehicles in this world, you'd know that no place is out of reach. Whether you're snowbound in the Swiss Alps or lost in an underwater cave system, there is an emergency vehicle that can reach you.

It's almost impossible to go a day without seeing at least one police car, ambulance or fire truck, but after that, how many emergency vehicles do you usually see? Do you even know how many different types of police cars, fire trucks and ambulances exist? There's a lot, and old police cars, ambulances and fire trucks get converted into other emergency vehicles. Let's see if you've seen them all. Can you name more than 30 of these emergency vehicles?

1 Police car
mathieukor / E+ / Getty Images
In America, these cars are usually made by Ford. In Dubai, they're made by Lamborghini. What are they?
Traffic control
Fire truck
Police car
Ambulance
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

UAB officials have done a great job marketing Dubai as one of the richest cities in the world, and to really drive the point home, the police force is equipped with Lamborghini squad cars. Most police forces use domestic car manufacturers.

Ambulance
By Ibagli, from Wikimedia Commons
It's usually faster to call one of these roaming hospitals than driving to the hospital yourself. What vehicle is this?
Fire truck
Rescue truck
Ambulance
Police car
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ambulances roam the streets or are stationed at neighborhood fire stations. They don't sit at the hospital waiting for a 911 call. That's why it's faster to call an ambulance than to drive to the hospital. There might be an ambulance patrolling your street. Also, ambulances are loaded with equipment needed for most emergencies.

3 Fire truck
Vladimir Pcholkin / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images
Do you know this red truck equipped with ladder and hose?
Police car
Fire truck
Rescue truck
Ambulance
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are three main emergency vehicles: police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. They all have different sirens and perform different functions, and the fire truck is the largest of the three vehicles. Unlike ambulances, these things aren't roaming the streets. They're on-call at firehouses.

Advertisement

Police motorcycle
By Livioandronico2013, from Wikimedia Commons
This is the perfect vehicle for weaving through traffic in an emergency. What is it?
Traffic control bike
Police motorcycle
Fire bike
Riot control vehicle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Police officers patrol the streets using a variety of vehicles, and the motorcycle is ideal for getting to accidents or crime scenes in tight locations. Every time you see a police funeral procession or motorcade, you'll likely see a few officers up front riding motorcycles.

5 Kaman K-MAX
Wiki Commons by George Melendez
Do you know this helicopter that can lift more than it weighs?
Bell UH-1 Iroquois
Kaman K-MAX
Sikorsky R-4
Bell 212
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Kaman K-MAX has been in use for decades and this is the chopper you want to see if you're trapped behind a heavy object in the middle of nowhere. It is used for rescue efforts around the world, but is also used as an aerial crane. A wrecking ball can be attached to the vehicle to use in demolitions.

6 Park ranger SUV
Wiki Commons by Daniel Schwen
You might see this truck patrolling your local state park. What is it called?
Rescue vehicle
Oil cleanup truck
Park ranger SUV
Rehab truck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

All parks have rangers (even golf courses) and they all have different job functions. Golf course rangers might drive around in a golf cart, and state park rangers will likely use an SUV like this. Ranger vehicles usually feature a design unique to the park or area.

Advertisement

7 Air ambulance
imaginewithme / E+ / Getty Images
What do you call a helicopter outfitted with emergency medical supplies, equipment and personnel?
Air tanker
Air ambulance
Helitanker
Air rescue plane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An air ambulance is used for emergencies in remote areas (e.x. Australian outback, Swiss Alps). It is equipped with everything needed and is usually the only hopes of survival in some situations. Australia and Switzerland run two of the world's most efficient air rescue services.

8 747 Supertanker
Wiki Commons by Alan Wilson
Can you name the largest aerial firefighter in the world?
747 Supertanker
CH-47 Chinook
DC-10 Airtanker
Sikorsky Blackhawk
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Boeing 747 Supertanker can carry close to 19,000 gallons of water or flame retardant, but there is only one of these things in active use. The DC-10 is also well-known around the world and can carry 12,000 gallons of water and release it in under eight seconds.

9 ATV
FogStock/Dave Schelske / FogStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
What's the name of this vehicle that emergency personnel might use when conducting a mountain rescue?
Snowcat
BearCat G3
Snowmobile
ATV
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An ATV is an all-terrain vehicle and officers and rangers frequently use them to patrol all-terrain areas like mountains and parks. Sometimes they are the only vehicle capable of reaching someone for rescue or medical services.

Advertisement

32 Snowmobile
Thinkstock / Stockbyte / Getty Images
Do you know this vehicle that is used for snowy emergency services?
ATV
Snowmobile
Ambulance
Snowcat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you're familiar with snow activities like snowshoeing, skiing or even snowmobiling, you should be used to seeing safety personnel patrolling the area on snowmobiles. Safety officers and medical personnel at ski resorts rely heavily on these vehicles for getting around.

12 Titusville_Police_K9_Unit
Wiki Commons by Blackspooky
What's the name of this truck used to transport police dogs?
Prisoner transport bus
Police K-9 Vehicle
Oshkosh Striker
Canine bus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A police K-9 vehicle is a normal police SUV equipped with a kennel or partition to keep the dog safe and comfortable. Not all police officers ride around with police dogs. There are about a dozen dog breeds used as police dogs, and the most famous is the German shepherd.

SWAT vehicle
By srd515 (Flickr: LAPD funeral), via Wikimedia Commons
Do you know the name of this heavy duty police vehicle?
SWAT truck
IAV Stryker
Riot control truck
Oshkosh Striker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A SWAT truck is a military-grade armored vehicle used for non-military operations. The Cadillac-Gage V150, M113 APC and Lenco BearCat are some of the most popular SWAT vehicles in use in America. Almost any van, SUV, ambulance or truck can be converted to a SWAT vehicle.

Advertisement

14 Heavy rescue vehicle
Wiki Commons by Vehext at English Wikipedia
What's the name of this specialty emergency vehicle equipped with things like electrical generators and the Jaws of Life?
Heavy rescue vehicle
CH-47 Chinook
MH-65 Dolphin
Oshkosh Striker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Jaws of Life is essentially a hydraulic-powered pair of scissors that can cut a car in half. It's used to cut people out of cars, and you won't find these in your normal police car, ambulance or fire truck. The heavy rescue vehicle is usually a converted fire truck equipped with specialty equipment.

15 Snowcat
Wiki Commons by Xnatedawgx
Can you name this truck equipped with snowmobile tracks?
Snow sled
Snowcat
Snow rescue vehicle
ATV snowmobile
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you've seen the movie "The Shining," you're familiar with the Snowcat and its rescue capabilities in blizzard conditions. The Snowcat is simply the only vehicle that can travel on some roads in certain conditions. If you were trapped in the middle of a blizzard, this might be the only vehicle able to rescue you.

16 Hazmat truck
Wiki Commons by Angelo Tsirekas
What's the name of this vehicle used to clean up hazardous materials?
Hazmat truck
Heavy rescue truck
Oshkosh Striker
Oil cleanup truck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are no special requirements for a vehicle to be considered a hazmat truck, but it does have to be equipped with certain tools, most notably radiation detectors and pH meters. The vehicle is used to assess hazardous areas before personnel enter the region.

Advertisement

17 Mil MI-26
Wiki Commons by Dmitry Terekhov from Odintsovo, Russian Federation
This is the largest helicopter in the world. What is it called?
Mil MI-26
HC-130 Hercules
Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk
CH-47 Chinook
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This chopper is a beast and has been used for the biggest emergency operations in the world. In 1999 it was used to transport a 25-ton block of dirt containing the remains of a 23,000-year-old woolly mammoth. In 1986 it was used to control the Chernobyl disaster.

18 Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk
Wiki Commons by FotoSleuth
If you were trapped in the middle of a storm in the ocean, this is the vehicle you'd want to see coming to the rescue. What is it?
Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk
Kazan Ansat
Bell 212
Boeing CH-47 Chinook
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you take the U.S. Army's Blackhawk and modify it for the sea, you get the SH-60 Seahawk. This thing can land and take off from almost any ship and can handle any type of naval warfare. Most importantly, this is the chopper the U.S. Navy uses to conduct medical evacuations, search and rescue missions and deliver supplies.

19 JERRV
ziarul unirea / YouTube
Can you name this Army vehicle that is used for bomb disposal?
JERRV
Lenco BearCat
Oshkosh Striker
IAV Stryker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

JERRV stands for Joint EOD Rapid Response Vehicle, and it's an armored vehicle that can withstand bomb blasts. It is used to transport bomb disposal experts to bomb sites and it can deflect bomb blasts. Not all EOD vehicles look like this. This is the best of the best in EOD vehicles. Civilian versions aren't as armored.

Advertisement

20 Sled stretcher
Spectrum Healthcare (UK) Ltd / YouTube
If you get into a ski accident, you might travel down the mountain in this vehicle. What is it?
ATV sled
Snowmobile
Snowcat
Sled stretcher
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A typical stretcher only works when the wheels can roll on the ground. If you break your leg on a ski slope for example (knock on wood), you'd be put on a sled and carefully guided down the mountain. You'll also likely be zipped up (like in a sleeping bag) or curled up (like a taco) as you're transported.

21 Riot control vehicle
Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images
What's the name of this armored truck used to manage rowdy crowds?
JERRV
Oshkosh Striker
Riot control vehicle
IAV Stryker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A riot control vehicle is a fairly intimidating vehicle and it can be equipped with shields and water hoses to impose even more intimidation. It's used to control large crowds, and is usually used in conjunction with military formations to move and shape crowds.

22 prisoner transport vehicle
Acepilot2k7 / YouTube
Do you know this police vehicle that looks like a school bus for criminals?
IAV Stryker
Prisoner transport vehicle
Heavy rescue vehicle
JERRV
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The textbook prisoner transport vehicle looks like an old school bus painted black and reinforced with extra security measures like locked windows and stronger doors, but they come in all shapes and sizes. Some prisoners are even transported via air travel.

Advertisement

23 Conair
Wiki Commons by Bryan
Can you name the largest prison transportation service in the world?
Australian Flying Convicts
American Convict Service
Con Air
Royal Criminal Transport
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The official name for Con Air is the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System, and JPATS planes are used to fly convicts all over the country. JPATS planes are allowed to operate during almost any emergency. When all planes were grounded during 9/11, for example, JPATS planes were allowed to fly.

24 NYPD traffic cop car
Code3Paris / YouTube
The officer driving this car might give you a parking ticket when you're not looking. What vehicle is this?
Ambulance
Decoy car
Traffic control car
Unmarked cop car
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you just entered the police force, you might expect to get stuck doing traffic duty. Traffic officers patrol the streets in these cars and they only deal with traffic violations. Traffic cops don't pursue criminals who are on foot. They pursue violators in motor vehicles.

25 neighborhood patrol car
PasadenaChannel / YouTube
You may see this vehicle patrolling a gated community. What is it?
Segway
Heavy rescue truck
University campus police
Neighborhood patrol car
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some neighborhoods employ security guards and neighborhood watch units to protect the area and they look different everywhere. You may have even seen Shomrim in some locations, which are volunteer civilian patrols protecting Jewish communities.

Advertisement

26 Vacuum truck
Andyqwe / E+ / Getty Images
What's the name of this truck used to suck up sewage?
Vacuum truck
Oshkosh Striker
Heavy rescue truck
Fire truck
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You may not think of a sewage vacuum truck as a typical emergency vehicle, but if your plumbing backs up and sewage spews into your home, this will be the most important emergency vehicle you've ever seen. It is designed to suck up sewage from a location and store it in a tank.

27 Bloodmobile_in_Fortuna
Wiki Commons by Ellin Beltz
Can you name this donation vehicle commonly found in busy public places?
Bloodmobile
IAV Stryker
Prisoner transport bus
Heavy rescue vehicle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bloodmobiles are used in emergency situations to collect blood from eligible donors. Blood is one of the most precious things one can donate on Earth, and during catastrophes, the need for blood skyrockets.

28 EMS vehicle
FastLane Emergency Vehicles / YouTube
Do you know the name of this vehicle sometimes known as a "sprinter ambulance"?
Oshkosh Stryker
EMS vehicle
Campus ambulance
JERRV
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An EMS vehicle is smaller than an ambulance and can usually speed through busy streets faster than an ambulance. It is equipped with emergency equipment but isn't ideal for transportation. An ambulance is usually needed to transport a patient to the hospital.

Advertisement

29 Unmarked police car
Wiki Commons by Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK
What's the name of this car that an undercover officer might drive around in?
Unmarked police car
Mall security car
Patrol car
Decoy car
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Police can ride around in unmarked cars as a disguise and they can also pull you over in an unmarked car. You should always lock your doors and remain in your car when pulled over by an unmarked car until you can verify it's the police. At least one officer must be in uniform for an unmarked car to pull you over. That's how you will know they're cops.

30 Lifeboat
Andrew Merry / Moment / Getty Images
What's the name of these boats that are usually stocked on larger boats?
Dinghy
Submarine
Lifeboat
Life jacket
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lifeboats come in all shapes and sizes and they are always used for rescue situations. They can be wooden boats strapped to the side of the Titanic, or they can be inflatable rafts dropped by helicopter.

31 Defender-class boat
Wiki Commons by Coast Guard
What's the name of this boat used for search and rescue missions at sea?
Defender-class boat
MH-65 Dolphin
MH-60T Jayhawk
Zodiac boat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The U.S. Coast Guard has close to 1,000 of these boats that are also known as response boats and are used for everything from search and rescue missions to law enforcement seizures. The boat can hold up to 10 people and can reach speeds faster than 50 mph.

Advertisement

32 Rehab unit vehicle
Wiki Commons by Thomas R Machnitzki (thomas@machnitzki.com)
If you emerge from a radioactive site, you will likely hose down at one of these vehicles. What are they called?
IAV Stryker
Oshkosh Striker
Rehab unit vehicles
Heavy rescue vehicle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rehab unit vehicles are associated with firefighters, but anyone exposed to smoke or hazardous materials should rehab at one of the units. Firefighters returning from a blaze are at risk of smoke inhalation and dehydration, among other things, and the rehab truck helps them recover.

33 Paddywagon
Wiki Commons by Micov
If a dozen people are arrested all at the same time, they might get transported to jail in one of these vehicles, known as what?
Prisoner transport bus
Con Air
Unmarked car
Paddywagon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A paddywagon is a police van equipped to transport a large number of passengers at the same time. In the early 20th century, prisoners were transported in actual wagons, hence the name paddywagon. Today, the name stuck, but the wagon got upgraded to a van or bus.

34 Police_cart_vatican
Wiki Commons by Malcolm Murdoch
What's the name of this security vehicle seen on college campuses around the country?
Campus Segway
Unmarked cop car
Public safety cart
Campus squad car
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Every university in the country has its own safety force, and they're usually former police officers. It's easier for them to get around a college campus in a golf cart, so they equip these things to their needs and patrol the campus.

Advertisement

35 Chicago_surveillance_vehicle
Wiki Commons by Seth Anderson
If a bunch of FBI agents are sitting in an electrician's van, it's likely being used as what type of vehicle?
Heavy rescue vehicle
Unmarked police car
Patrol vehicle
Surveillance vehicle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Officers, detectives and investigators of all types consistently conduct stakeouts in a multitude of surveillance vehicles. A surveillance vehicle should be as nondescript as possible, and is usually equipped with proper surveillance equipment.

36 Motor Lifeboat
Wiki Commons by Mike Baird
This rescue boat is made for hurricane weather and can right itself in 10 seconds if it capsizes. What's it called?
Bell 212
Motor lifeboat
MH-60T Jayhawk
MH-65 Dolphin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 47-foot motor lifeboat is the Coast Guard's lifeboat on steroids. The boat can capsize in the middle of the ocean in the middle of 70 mph winds without getting destroyed. Its equipment is designed to never malfunction under any conditions.

37 Emergency Response Vehicle
Wiki Commons by Nilfanion
What's the name of this Red Cross vehicle?
Emergency Response Vehicle
Heavy rescue truck
Bloodmobile
Oshkosh Striker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The American National Red Cross is known for carrying out rescue missions all over the world, and one vehicle they use to do so is this emergency response vehicle equipped with everything they need. They also use helicopters to drop supplies in problem areas.

Advertisement

38 EADS HC-144 Ocean Sentry
Wiki Commons by U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Bill Mesta
Do you know the name of this search and rescue aircraft used by the U.S. Coast Guard?
USCGC Polar Star
EADS HC-144 Ocean Sentry
USCGC Eagle
HC-130 Hercules
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Coast Guard gets a lazy rap across the country, but that's only because most people have never been lost at sea. If you were lost, you'd be ecstatic to see this thing homing in on you. It's also been used for rescue missions during the 2010 Haiti earthquake and cleanup during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

39 Firefighting helicopter
Wiki Commons by U.S. Department of Agriculture
What do you call a chopper equipped with foam cannons and water buckets?
Airtanker
Firefighting helicopter
Heavy rescue vehicle
IAV Stryker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some of the most expensive rescue vehicles in the world are firefighting planes and helicopters known as helitankers or airtankers. One of the most famous aerial emergency vehicles is Boeing's CH-47 Chinook, which costs about $40 million per unit.

40 SE-3 Patroller
Wiki Commons by Poudou99
What's the name of this battery-powered patrol vehicle?
HC-130 Hercules
SE-3 Patroller
Bloodmobile
Kaman K-MAX
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is probably the nicest Segway you can buy and it's used by police officers to patrol small areas like gated communities and indoor shopping malls. Outdoors, there are other vehicles better equipped for emergency response, but indoors this vehicle is ideal. It maxes out at 15 mph, but you'll be surprised how fast that is when traveling through a packed airport.

Advertisement

Folding Stretcher
Shutterstock
What's the name of this bed you could find yourself lying on after a major accident?
Snowmobile
Stretcher
Walker
Sled
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Whenever you're in an accident, whether it feels painful or not, it's best to stay flat on your back. If you suffer an accident and need to be transported to a hospital, you'll likely travel on a stretcher as a precaution.

You Got:
/40
Marco_Piunti / E+ / Getty Images