Question about the Poughkeepsie Post Office Fire

[Ex-2114 7]

I am posting this ONLY as a question... I am not making comments (good or bad), chastizing the operations, or anything else.... it's just a question. I think it was an excellent save -- if the bell's hanger broke, a lot more could have happened including FF injuries or worse.

All of my ladder training (and the training I gave based on it) was to never, under any circumstances, use existing ladders or scaffolding at a fire scene. The geneeral rule was only use what you brought with you - you can guarantee your equipment's stability but not theirs.

Why was so much trust placed on the scaffolding, stairs, and bridge plank at the bell tower???

I can see that access to the fire was awkward, but was it bad enough not to be able to use a stick or platform???

Again - I am NOT Monday-Morning-Quarterbacking here.... I am asking only for my own knowledge (and anyone else who thought the same thing but was afraid to ask).

[Guest DFC278]

I am posting this ONLY as a question... I am not making comments (good or bad), chastizing the operations, or anything else.... it's just a question. I think it was an excellent save -- if the bell's hanger broke, a lot more could have happened including FF injuries or worse.

All of my ladder training (and the training I gave based on it) was to never, under any circumstances, use existing ladders or scaffolding at a fire scene. The geneeral rule was only use what you brought with you - you can guarantee your equipment's stability but not theirs.

Why was so much trust placed on the scaffolding, stairs, and bridge plank at the bell tower???

I can see that access to the fire was awkward, but was it bad enough not to be able to use a stick or platform???

Again - I am NOT Monday-Morning-Quarterbacking here.... I am asking only for my own knowledge (and anyone else who thought the same thing but was afraid to ask).

The simple answer is that neither aerial could reach the tower. Nobody was happy having to use the scaffolding but sometimes in the real world you have play the cards that are dealt to you in order to get the job done as long as you do it using common sense and extreme caution.

[Ex-2114 7]

The simple answer is that neither aerial could reach the tower. Nobody was happy having to use the scaffolding but sometimes in the real world you have play the cards that are dealt to you in order to get the job done as long as you do it using common sense and extreme caution.

Thanks Chief.... That's kind of what I was thinking, but wanted to ensure that I was on the right path.

Jeff.