What's on Your Stick?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bricault (ret) on November 4, 2010 at 1:09pm

-Jason, strictly speaking about aerial ladders and not towers or platforms, my department has wisely chosen not to mount anything to the aerial ladder itself. Tools, attic ladders, axes; any type of equipment... these are items that do not belong mounted to the aerial.
-The top fly section of the aerial ladder is narrow enough without being needlessly encumbered with tools mounted within the ladder way. Additionally, anything mounted within the ladder access way will create an unnecessary and potentially disastrous snag hazard for a fully geared firefighter. Moreover, consider the huge potential for snags when bringing victims down the aerial.
-Something else firefighters do not take into consideration with tools mounted to the top fly section is that these tools will have to be deployed while the aerial is "flying".
-It is an undeniable fact that it will be safer and easier to carry equipment up the ladder as apposed to trying to pull tools out of clips or harnesses at the top of an elevated aerial ladder. These clips/mounting brackets tend to be rusted, excessively dirty and poorly maintained as they are constantly exposed. Remember, gravity works every time and pulling tools out of brackets at the top of an elevated aerial is not safe or smart.
-My department has come to regard mounting tools, ladders or equipment to the top fly section of an aerial as sloppy/lazy and unnecessarily dangerous firefighting tactics. Simply put, we require firefighters to think ahead and if they need equipment it will have to be retrieved from apparatus compartments where it is properly and safely stored.
-Moreover, a firefighter operating on the fire ground should have tools with him. This is one of the hallmarks of professional firefighting. A firefighter without tools is nothing more than a well dressed spectator.
-Neither should anything be mounted to the outside of the aerial ladder. Mounting or permanently attaching tools or a Stokes basket to the outside of the ladder will impede the performance characteristics of the aerial device. Mounting tools or equipment to the top of the apparatus will also reduce the full movement of the aerial and will negatively effect and reduce the maximum scrub area. Mounting stuff to the outside of the ladder is an afterthought that is a band-aid for poor design planning of an apparatus.
-Our aerials and towers are not unique in that they are designed and equipped to supply breathing air for firefighters. The design includes apparatus mounted low pressure lines and regulators. However, most firefighters do not use this apparatus mounted air as it tethers/anchors the firefighter to the aerial device and reduces the firefighter's mobility. The fire ground is a very dynamic place that may require the firefighter to move up/ down or off the ladder very quickly.
-Additionally, our policy for aerial ladders, not towers, is that all of the master streams have the ability to control the nozzle from the turn table and it is therefore unnecessary to needlessly endanger a firefighter by having them at the tip of the ladder for master stream operations. A firefighter may periodically climb the ladder to ascertain/confirm proper water delivery but, having the firefighter continuously at the tip of an elevated aerial during master stream operations is unnecessary.

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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on November 16, 2010 at 11:18am

Michael Bricault,

I respect you and your department's views on why you choose to not mount tools and/or equipment on your aerial's top fly. I can also so your point about "snag hazards" and "narrowing" an already narrow work area. Yet, I disagree. On my Truck we carry a 6 ft hook, a pick head axe, and a 16 ft roof ladder all mounted to the top fly.
we do this for ease and speed of operation. Also, we have found that the less equipment a member has to carry while climbing a wet or icy aerial, the safer it is for all involved. Our members all "love" having the tools mounted at the tip of our aerial and it has proven to be very advantageous for us. Perhaps with your department, it is more of a hinderance, but for us it works.

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