FDNY Engine 23's New Use- Ropes Training Unit

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I found this during a recent visit to the FDNY website. Seems like a neat vehicle with a cool purpose, anyone have any more photos of it?

http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/events/2006/052506a.shtml

For several months, the Ropes Training Unit at the Fire Academy has been taking a new ropes training apparatus from firehouse to firehouse in New York City, helping firefighters retain their skills and practice using the new personal safety system.

This refurbished vehicle was once used as the primary apparatus for the members of Engine 23 in midtown Manhattan. And was last used by these firefighters when they responded to the World Trade Center attacks in 2001.

And on May 25, firefighters and fire officers from Engine 23 got a chance to view the redesigned apparatus when it stopped by their firehouse for training.

“It’s a real honor to see our old rig used for training and educating all members of the FDNY,” said Captain David Morkal of Engine 23.

And as the old adage states, “Let no man’s ghost return to say my training let me down.”

The members of Engine 23 also got to see a special tribute to the five members of Engine 23 that perished on September 11, 2001.

The names of Lieutenant Charles Garbarini, and Firefighters Robert McPadden, James Pappageorge, Hector Tirado, Jr., and Mark Whitford are listed on a plaque mounted on the side of the rig.

Captain Richard Kirschner of the Ropes Unit noted that the plaque was placed on the right side of the vehicle, “so that when members are waiting to train, they will be able to read those names. And when the apparatus is parked, it will be visible to anyone passing by.”

The ropes training vehicle has a platform built in the hose bed, and has a hinged wall that lifts up 10 feet high, simulating a window.

Firefighters practice hooking their personal safety system onto the windowsill, and repelling down the side of the wall – as they would in a real fire.

The apparatus travels to roughly three firehouses per day, six days a week, acting as a means for firefighters to reinforce the skills they learned in training. To date, more than 77,000 firefighters have been trained in the new ropes system.

“We’re grateful to have that rig as part of our unit now,” said Captain Kirschner.