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Good points.

Interesting anecdotal data: here in Italy you have to call the fire department to get a fire truck out, whereas they're part of the standard package described above in the US. Fires aren't that common here because of construction materials, so while you see plenty of ambulances and police cars whizzing around, fire trucks are a far rarer sight than in the US.

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In France, well Paris, it is quite common to see fire trucks. Like the US they are the first responders to most medical emergencies. And since the city is very old the buildings are mix of material, my previous apartment had plaster walls with mud and hay as fill material. And the wiring looked like it existed during WWII.

Since being here, I've observed fires are quite common amongst the disaffected youth who enjoy burning cars and motos when they are bored.

I think the same goes for most of Western Europe. You rarely see fire trucks, but police cars and ambulances are common.

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