Aerial Ladder Deployment

[x635 4,066]

Just curious, does anyone track the stats of aerial ladder deployment vs. structural responses?

Say, for example, your Truck company responded to 300 structural alarms in the past 12 months. Of those responses, how many times was the aerial ladder set up and deployed?

Do you feel that it's important, even on smoke investigations, etc, to set up the aerial ladder, not only to be proactive, but to keep operators proficient in placing and setting up the aerial at actual incidents, not just drills?

I think it would be really interesting to see how many times a truck company actually deploys the aerial for an incident each year.

[firemoose827 324]

I would believe it would be a good thing for depts with dedicated truck companies to keep track of that statistic. We have a 95' Tower ladder but no "Truck Company". The tower is second due to structures in the village and special called for town fires if needed and accesible.

The practice of deploying the ladder at every response would definately be pratical and a continual learning experience. After a while of not using a certain skill you tend to loose profficiency, laddering the roof every time regardless would help that...and just in case the doo doo hits the fan you are already prepared.

Is there any volunteer depts that have companies set up? If so, could you PM me, I have a few questions about them and how to go about setting them up...its a possible solution to a problem I see in my dept. Sorry, didnt mean to go off topic!!

Moose

[Monty 35]

I used to run with a department that ran a 102' ft tower. We didn't ahve assigned companies, but we did have qualified drivers and truck operators. We never kept track of the stats of when it was deployed.

On a few occasions as the officer, I would have the driver fly the ladder - mostly if I felt the driver was rusty. We did have a policy there that every driver had to requalify on each piece every two years. Even with that it could be 2 years in between pumping or flynig the ladder for some drivers!

[Engfire 0]

In my dept we don't track the deployment stats, but our run cards are designed to get one of our 2 ladders on every call, I can't ever recall us rasining the ladder on a residental call, but it is frequently trown on commercial buildings even if its just smoke in the building.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Good idea bro. I think to add onto that another good thing to have a stat on would be why wasn't it deployed. Was it power/service lines IFO the building? Beyond the elevation range for safe deployment, etc.

Engfire...any reason as to why you don't utilize your aerial at residential fires?

[CPAGE 2]

In my dept. the ladder co sets up the stick on all call to any building above 2 story. We may not always put the ladder to the roof on all calls but the jacks are set and the stick is out of the bed and ready to go.

[Guest]

One other thought that hasn't been touched on yet as far as aerial deployment. When doing Truck checks don't just pull it out of the bay and fly the stick or Tower. And don't use empty parking lots. Go to actual structures and practice setting the Ladder/Tower to buildings. Practice setting it up on uneven surfaces and learn the capability of it. Too many guys have only had exeprience setting up the Truck under the most ideal of circumstances....0 grade with no obstructions. If you know you have to check the functionality of the Ladder/Tower, take a ride and learn some new structures and which places you will or will not be able to get it. And learn at what grade you need to decide to either come up or down the hill in your district. ....Just a thought to throw out there.

[Engfire 0]

ALSfirefighter, we have a very large amount of ranch homes plus our chiefs don't subscribe to opening up the roof unless its absolutly necessary. It the fire would happen to go defensive and there were no hazards prohibiting the ladder from deployment it would get used on residental jobs.

Edited September 12, 2007 by Engfire

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Thanks for answering brother. I can relate to that tactical thinking in regard to vertical ventilation in residential structures. In many areas it is falling down the incident tactical objective priorities. It does take some time and I have had the experience many times that with an aggressive engine company, horizontal ventilation assisted them enough and by the time the vertical vent was made the main body of fire was knocked down or complete extinguishment was completed.

I can say however I still would have no quarm in venting off the device, ranch or no ranch. I take no chances with crews on roofs and I subscribe to the theory of all roofs are truss roofs until proven otherwise.

[firemoose827 324]

One other thought that hasn't been touched on yet as far as aerial deployment. When doing Truck checks don't just pull it out of the bay and fly the stick or Tower. And don't use empty parking lots. Go to actual structures and practice setting the Ladder/Tower to buildings. Practice setting it up on uneven surfaces and learn the capability of it. Too many guys have only had exeprience setting up the Truck under the most ideal of circumstances....0 grade with no obstructions. If you know you have to check the functionality of the Ladder/Tower, take a ride and learn some new structures and which places you will or will not be able to get it. And learn at what grade you need to decide to either come up or down the hill in your district. ....Just a thought to throw out there.

Excellent points Rescue...I see it all the time with our drills. We have a large parking lot in front of our Station where we do our training and this is the only spot they practice on realy. I have only seen it done at one other place, the fairgrounds. We sometimes take the tower there and ladder the grandstand, but thats it. Good points, something every good training officer should think about...or rather....think outside the norm. No fire scene is controlled and easily accessible, so training for positioning in challenging situations should definately be part of every driver training program.

[Guest]

Excellent points Rescue...I see it all the time with our drills. We have a large parking lot in front of our Station where we do our training and this is the only spot they practice on realy. I have only seen it done at one other place, the fairgrounds. We sometimes take the tower there and ladder the grandstand, but thats it. Good points, something every good training officer should think about...or rather....think outside the norm. No fire scene is controlled and easily accessible, so training for positioning in challenging situations should definately be part of every driver training program.

Thanks, Jonesy368 but should be a thought for everyone who operates on a Truck. Guys get complacent all the time....ugh truck check again......Take a ride see the sights pick a building set it up... Who knows you may be back there at "Dark o'clock a.m." in the pouring rain for an actual job. And you may have a leg up on the fire by knowing where you can set it up to get to the roof.

[x129K 1,393]

Good posts - some good tips...getting into a department with a stick and enoyed the pointers. Thanks.

[RDUNC67 1]

Good posts - some good tips...getting into a department with a stick and enoyed the pointers. Thanks.

Nice Picture....

[x129K 1,393]

Nice Picture....

Can ya tell I'm just a little excited!