Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Think About It!










Aerial ladders and tower ladders make up our compliment of truck companies with a 50-50 split between the two. Both have unique characteristics. We should treat these units as another tool, just as much as a halligan, some sort of hook, Hurst tool, saw, etc. The aerial device is certainly not a hand tool, but a tool just the same. When considering tactical options, the aerial ladder is more suited to stationary functions, while the tower ladder is best suited for tactics requiring mobility of the device. Discuss the different kinds of situations where you would more likely use an aerial, and those where the tower would be best. An example of this is the issue of strip shopping center operations. It is preferable for an aerial to take the rear and a tower takes the front when that is an option. Consider not only the use of the master streams from these units but rather all the different tactical operations for which they might be engaged.
Courtesy of Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Coffman

2 comments:

Unknown said...

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Vic Fichman
Partner/Founder
http://www.firetraining.net

Anonymous said...

I agree with the use of the bucket truck for its single best asset in fighting fire,,its use as a manueverable master stream that can be placed specifically above grade. The issue I have with todays fire truck makers is bigger is not always better. I stress in my Dept. to not treat your truck as a personnel carrier, placement is everything and we only have one good chance to set the scene up right so we can use these tools to our best advantage. Day or night the first alarm or the 12th we have to treat is as the real deal. Great stuff, keep up the good work.

Tom Gherman
Lt. Lad.1 Roanoke City