Larger or newer apparatus have what type of brakes?

• A. Air brakes
• B. Hydraulic brakes
• C. Disc brakes
• D. Drum brakes

Answer: (A)

Air brakes are used on larger or newer emergency apparatus. This braking system relies on a compressor to fill onboard air tanks, and the stored compressed air powers brake actuators at each wheel (and on any attached trailer). The result is strong, reliable stopping power suitable for heavy loads and long vehicles, with consistent performance even under heavy use and with the ability to modulate braking across multiple axles. Hydraulic brakes, by contrast, are more common on smaller vehicles and don’t handle the demands of large emergency rigs as well. Disc and drum describe brake components, not the overall system, and many big vehicles use air-operated drum-style wheel brakes.