Aerial Apparatus Positioning

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Yelrow Ekim on March 22, 2008 at 8:21pm

Here are a few shots from the 3rd in Boston yesterday... 1522 VFW Parkway....
The fire was in a 5 story with light weight truss construction. Fire was in the 2nd, 3rd ,and 4th floors... (in the floors).
The Parkway is also Route 1 so it is a divided Highway. First due companies had to travel out bound then turn around and head back in bound... so until the road could be shut down all companies were coming in the same way..

The placement of Ladder 16 (2nd due truck I believe) on the corner of the build would allow it to hit the whole side and front with there stick.....

Permalink Reply by Yelrow Ekim on March 22, 2008 at 8:28pm

Ladder 25 (1st due ladder) on the left is also on a corner allowing it to hit both the front and side with it's stick

Permalink Reply by Yelrow Ekim on March 22, 2008 at 8:53pm

Here is a shot of Chelsea Ladder 2 operating at a 2nd in Everret.. Chelsea Ladder 2 was on the 2nd... On there arrival the front of the building was blocked by the 1st alarm companies... They went around the block ,found the rear of the building......backed in the drive way of the building to the rear of the fire building. Removed a section of fence and backed into the drive way of the building next to the fire building.... threw the stick and vented the roof.... also being on a corner they would also be able to hit two sides of the building and the roof with there stick..

Permalink Reply by Yelrow Ekim on March 22, 2008 at 9:01pm

Permalink Reply by Yelrow Ekim on March 22, 2008 at 9:22pm

Here is a shot of a 2nd in Quincy on Washington Street... The 1st due ladder company Ladder 1 is a 105' midmount...
Notice the cab is facing away from the fire building... allowing them to have a "larger slice of the pie" of the “Scrub”….
Ladder 5 (running the spare former L1) 110’ rear mount…2nd Alarm ladder.. is a little more forgiving, you don’t have to worry about the cab limiting your area of operation.

Permalink Reply by Yelrow Ekim on March 22, 2008 at 9:50pm

Ladder 2 (75' rearmount) at the rear of the building... backed in to make the most of it's reach....

Permalink Reply by David DeStefano on March 22, 2008 at 10:37pm

Good pics of positioning Michael! To answer the questions posed to begin the discussion, we spend a lot of time in our response district looking at target hazards as well as typical buildings from multiple truck company perspectives. Including forcible entry, vent, and laddering profiles. Using average tenement houses or small apartment buildings located in congested areas, on tight streets keeps us thinking. One of the tactics we regularly practice is "the stealthy approach". In areas we know are difficult to stick the rig crawls up the street as it approaches the fire building. As you know once you establish your position it is very difficult to back up if you have pulled up too far. If the chauffer and officer can't see a spot from the cab ( this happens often at night with the amount of overhead wires we encounter) the officer and 3rd. firefighter dismount and guide the chauffer in , helping to establish his position. We have used this type of approach with much success for many years. I assume many other jobs do the same.

Permalink Reply by Yelrow Ekim on March 23, 2008 at 7:18am

Brockton Tower 2 again on a corner and the cab pulled away from the building.... able to get 2 sides and the roof....

Permalink Reply by Christopher A. Barry, Sr. on March 23, 2008 at 7:56am

We have now hit upon a key point: what considerations do we need to take into account while we are on "short approach?" Here is a photo I took yesterday while on-scene at a second alarm in Weymouth, MA. This is a photo of the second-due ladder entering the block of the fire building (an E-ONE 75' RMA Quint.)

Based upon the photo, what factors weigh into your decision as you spot the aerial? Thoughts, comments.....

Permalink Reply by Christopher A. Barry, Sr. on March 23, 2008 at 8:03am

Here is the photo:

Permalink Reply by Christopher A. Barry, Sr. on March 23, 2008 at 8:19am

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, here is a shot of the fire building revealing the choice of spot of the first-due truck (an E-ONE 100' RMA), and the obstructions they were dealing with upon arrival.

Permalink Reply by Christopher A. Barry, Sr. on March 23, 2008 at 2:20pm

Dave:

You're right about both the overhead wires and the supply line. I have to admit that the supply line and the handline were relocated prior to the arrival of the second-due truck in order to allow the aerial better access to the fire building by two (2) alert off-duty members who correctly identified the potential problem you alluded to in your post. The hydrant line was in the middle of the street, but the hydrant was on the side the line has been moved to in the photo.

Those being identified, I would also offer the approach of the 75' RMA nosing in as being a possible problem....more to follow.

-Chris

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