Funny, all the Firemen I see here where I live in California, and there are four Fire Stations close to my home so I see a lot of Fire Fighters on their rigs, wear hearing protection while riding in or on the trucks. Sounds more like they need to suing their Fire departments and cities for negligence! Some call OSHA pronto!
The National Fire Protection Association (“NFPA”) has a regulation that states: “Hearing protection shall be provided for and used by all members operating or riding on fire apparatus when subject to noise in excess of 90 dBA.” NFPA 1500(7.18.1)