ABSTRACT
For this report, the Safety Board examined 8 separate fire apparatus accidents and conducted an informal survey of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine their requirements for inspecting fire apparatus.  The safety issues discussed in the report are fire department vehicle maintenance programs and State inspection programs, fire department operating procedures concerning manual brake limiting valves and engine retarders, and fire apparatus occupant seatbelt use.  Recommendations concerning these issues were made to the U.S. Fire Administration of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Fire Protection Association, and those States which do not have existing programs in place to periodically inspect fire apparatus.