Most fire departments, if they are even lucky enough to staff a truck company, often struggle with how to maximize the tasks that the truck can accomplish on the fireground. Since times are tough and budgets are tougher, increasing staffing is unlikely. Below are some ideas to consider when trying to get the most from your truckies.
Over the next couple of weeks we’re going to talk about good ol’ fashioned truck work, but with realistic staffing for today’s fire service. Our truck company will be staffed with three: an officer, driver and one firefighter. We’re going to talk about fundamental truck functions like gaining entry, search and rescue and ventilation. We’re going to start with one of the most fundamental, but overlooked, of all truck functions…ladders.
Ironically, ladders are one of the most technical and time-consuming skills learned during initial training. On the fireground, however, they are routinely overlooked. Because of modern building construction, fire loads and subsequent fire behavior, both aerial and ground ladders may be more important now than they have been in recent history. Rapidly changing fire conditions and truss construction have made our ability to get out just as important as getting in. That being said, the more ladders you can get on a building the better.
- The strategy for ground ladders should be every window of every floor.
- Setting up the aerial is the driver’s job (and only the driver)
- All windows should be laddered for rescue (tip at the sill
- Ground ladders 28’ and shorter can and should be carried and raised by one firefighter
- 35’ ground ladders may need to be helped off the rig, but can be dragged and raised by one firefighter
- Either 2 roof ladders or 1 roof and a 24’ can be carried (or dragged), bedded together, by one firefighter and raised.
- Start laddering the fire floor (or floor above for first floor fires) and closest to the fire room. The higher the hazard, the higher the priority.
- Break windows with the tips of the ladders (even the stick if need be). It will save you time and effort.
- The officer and firefighter, if assigned to the interior, can each throw at least one ladder on their way to the front door. The added safety is worth the added time.
If you go by the helpful hints above, a crew of 3 can throw a at least 5 ladders at a 2 story single-family dwelling (one for the officer, one for the firefighter, two for the driver plus the aerial) and that’s a pretty good start.
On the Internet, countless videos of civilian rescues and firefighter close calls can be found that better demonstrate the importance of ladders on the fireground. I hope you found this information to be helpful, but nothing will help more than hands on training.
FTM-PTB and Be Safe
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