"Beaching" An Aerialscope

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I'm seeing this being picked apart on other sites. First, let me give you some context.

 

Check out the video:

http://www.fox5dc.com/news/102497228-story

 

Next, Kentland Fire, in something the "Salty" people seem to have dubbed "beaching" that they displayed on their Facebook page. Now, maybe some more experience Aerialscope operator can enlighten me.

First off, is taking your truck across, what I can only assume is soft soil, and then set it up very close to the building, safe?  I get they had to have been rescuing occupants from the apartment across the hall.

 

But my question to y'all......and I'm on the fence here.......can you maintain stability in the jacks and outriggers in this type of surface?

 

I mean, it looks OK, like they got the truck where it needed to be. I can't decide, do I say good job on this one? I want my fellow members to make up my mind please.

 

Photos from Kentland FD's Facebook Page

 

 

 

[dwcfireman 656]

Back home we used to "beach" our quint ALL the time (1999 RD Murray pictured below).  I cannot speak for AerialScope, but if you need to place a ladder in a specific spot, go for it.  You can always call for a wrecker to pull the rig out of the mud (and our quint got stuck quite a few times).  From what I've witnessed, soft terrain was never an issue for stabilizing the truck.  The outriggers just compact the ground below with the use of 3X3' steel pads.

 

With that said let me explain why we always "beached" this truck.  The village has wide streets, and every house is 50' or more from the roadway centerline.  By "beaching" the quint we always guaranteed the ladder in the front (the quint was first due any way), and also got the turntable underneath or past the power lines above.  The village is well hydranted, so water supply was never an issue as the first due.  But the front yards of burning homes was the quint's spot.

 

I don't remember who took the photo.  And I apologize, I don't have any in-service shots.

[SECTMB 612]

The video and the still shots don't really give enough information regarding the placement of the truck in relation to the active fire.  Generally speaking I was taught never to take my apparatus off hard

pavement (specialized vehicles notwithstanding).  

 

Although they have their outriggers extended, they do not appear to be on anything other than the grass surface.  If they were extending the bucket any further than what appears in the still photo they

could be risking the stability of their working platform. Did they really need a bucket to effect these evacuations or could ground ladders not have accomplished the same in maybe shorter time.

 

As always, its a judgement call made in a matter of seconds.  Since rescues were accomplished and the apparatus was not damaged, its a win, this time.

 

I remember a grass fire I responded to.  Kept my CF Mack on the hard road. Our new mini-pumper came in, left the road to cross the field and promptly sank up to its axles.  You take your chances when you leave the road.

 

 

[antiquefirelt 994]

My Monday morning QB instinct says I'd do it but prefer the truck back in, in case it got stuck you could use the aerial without going over the cab. Pretty common to see pics from PG county with truck off the pavement, not seen any that had poor results? It's always tough to argue against a positive outcome, easier to cast stones when it's a negative.

Edited March 9, 2016 by antiquefirelt

[mstrang1 213]

Another concern about driving on soil would be any underground "obstructions", i.e. Septic tanks, oil tanks (abandoned or in use), underground electrical vaults, etc. dropping an outrigger over one of these could result in a big OOPS. 

[vodoly 535]

I have seen Newark here in NJ Do beaching tactic  Years ago Englewood Cliffs sank thier mid  ship ladder trucks  front wheels in a court yard in Fort Lee during a fire in an apartment house fire

[dwcfireman 656]

4 hours ago, antiquefirelt said:

My Monday morning QB instinct says I'd do it but prefer the truck back in, in case it got stuck you could use the aerial without going over the cab.

 

Of course backing in a midmount will get you better reach an maneuverability, but I think in most cases, since the truck is already moving forward, a little bit of tunnel vision keeps the truck moving forward into the grass.

 

3 hours ago, mstrang1 said:

Another concern about driving on soil would be any underground "obstructions", i.e. Septic tanks, oil tanks (abandoned or in use), underground electrical vaults, etc. dropping an outrigger over one of these could result in a big OOPS. 

 

This definitely always overlooked when "beaching."  Thankfully, there aren't too many of these concerns in residential neighborhood front yards, but then again, you never know.  Also, septic tanks and oil tanks tend to be closer to the building (I'm not saying they always are, there are some weird set ups when you start talking about terrain and access issues).  But, when you get into housing developments and apartments buildings (or even commercial and industrial developments), it truly is no man's land underground.  We have no idea what is beneath are feet.

[S1720G 62]

Since it is Kent33land Friday, just thank them for their service.  That set up is fine. Never a problem when HIHFTY. 

[provfd 49]

Based on their proximity to the building they took some measures to reduce the side loading on the outriggers by keeping the ladder retracted.  Best option would have been backing in, this is probably the second best assuming they had good distance from the active fire. 

[COH Bulldog 82]

Beaching could be risky especially with an aerial. They obviously weigh a lot. The operator would definitely need to keep checking outrigger & Jack support. I would say the spring and wet part of the summer being very risky times to do this kind of operation. I wouldn't want to be the guy that puts the ff's in the bucket at a higher risk that the aerial could tip over. Especially with a tower ladder because chances are somebody would be in it. This would be far more easily accepted/understood with an engine since getting stuck is about the worst that could happen.

 

My opinion.