By Bill Adams
It feels good to be exonerated for having a traditional belief. It doesn’t happen often. Over the years, topics at the raisin squad’s morning coffee included ladder trucks and ground ladders. A conversation’s depth and scope depended on the age, memory span, and whether the white hairs that morning took their meds. We’ve criticized the young guys who never heard of pompier ladders or 50-foot bangors and castigated manufacturers who put roofs on ladder trucks. We argued whether wood or fiberglass ground ladders were better and ridiculed anyone believing ladder towers are better than straight sticks. Blood was nearly drawn during a midmount vs. rear-mount aerial debate. Pros and cons have been given for quads, quints, snorkels, squrts, and city service ladders. We just can’t remember half of them.
Recently, some geezers and actives were discussing ground ladders on quints. It wasn’t about the type or what they’re made of but how many to carry and throw at fires. I believe it’s irrelevant if you are forced to or want to operate a quint. My biased opinion is that it should carry enough ladders on it to accomplish its primary mission when functioning as a ladder truck. I don’t care if it has a pump or not—just make sure there are enough ladders. My opinion is based on experience in several departments with sizeable numbers of large two- and 2½-story wood frame houses, congested streets, trees, and overhead wires. The old-timers always preached to have a second means of egress from a roof and to throw a ladder to the second floor on all four sides of the structure—if physically possible.
A couple of us saw a new quint (again—not my favorite type of ladder truck) at a local equipment show. It was a 100-foot rear-mount. Ground ladders included a 10-foot folding; two 35-foot two-section extensions; two 28-foot two-section extensions; a 24-foot two-section extension and 18-, 16-, and 14-foot roof ladders for a total of 208 feet. Regardless of having engine company stuff on it, it was a kick-butt ladder (truck) company. The ground ladder debate was reignited the next morning. Wrinkle squad comments are italicized.
The center compartment holds two 35-ft and two 28-ft two-section extension ladders, a folding ladder, and pike poles. A 24-ft two-section extension and a 16-foot roof ladder slide out the right rear. A hose chute is on the left side. The 14-and 18-foot roof ladders are mounted on the outside of the aerial’s base section.
I said that a quint replacing a rig that carries a certain amount of ground ladders to meet specific hazards in its district should also carry the same number of ladders. “You don’t need lots of ground ladders on a quint.” A heated conversation resulted for those who could still hear and remembered how to throw ground ladders. I said that the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) only requires a folding ladder and a single extension and roof ladder on a quint but real ladder trucks require two extension ladders and two roof ladders. “You only have to follow the NFPA minimum.” I said to screw the NFPA’s minimum if it isn’t enough to do the job. “