Playing with the New Truck

This is the first time in twenty years on the job that I have been assigned to a Brand Spankin' New Firetruck. So yesterday, being an absolutely beautiful day, we drove it to the top of the highest hill in town, raised the stick, climbed to the top and checked out all of the pretty fall foliage....on Long Island.

Congratulations!!

Just wondering, how tall is the ladder on this rig?

Nice pics

Donebrokeit said:

Just wondering, how tall is the ladder on this rig?

 

 

Nice pics

It's a *Quint, so it has a fairly short ladder, only 75 feet. We currently have two other aerials that are 100 feet.

 *Five functions: pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device, and ground ladders.

We just went to Pierce Manufacturing's open house today. Of course we didnt get to climb on any ladder trucks but we did ride on a 1940 Mack chassis fire truck.

I grew up in L.A.  The first time I ever saw it snow was when I was on an oil tanker right about there in Long Island Sound.

I always figured you had to prop those ladders up against something. How much does it wobble at that length?

ssswitch said:

I always figured you had to prop those ladders up against something. How much does it wobble at that length?

There's a little bit of bounce, but not much. You get more movement when it's at a lower angle and fully extended. The ladder is fully supported by the truck and you never want  it touching anything.

I will admit though, that climbing without a building in front of you takes a little getting used to. It's kind of an odd feeling to be staring out into nothingness.

You da man, Woody!  There ain't enough Tangueray in north america to get me up there.

I got a touch of vertigo just looking at the pics. Do regulations require you to be clipped in somehow?

If you look at his pics, you'll notice the water way pipe ends one section from the end of the ladder. When I'm climbing one and get to the end of the water way, it changes since you're looking through the rungs at nothing. It's a phychological thing, but I always focused on it as I climb and then you're suddenly staring out into the distance.

Signed Cousin Eddie, 16 years driving an engine and happy to leave truck duties to other guys.

In reply to ZOO :

We’re not clipped in as we climb, but we wear a ladder belt and can clip in at the top. You are not clipped in if you are climbing off into a window or onto a roof. 

At the academy, we had to climb the 100 foot ladder, clip in and then let go with both hands and lay back against the ladder belt with both hands over your head and your eyes pointing skyward. 

That's awesome. 

Id take that over a ride in a 60' all terrain boom truck any day! (You don't do anything without being strapped into those, cause it's really easy to be catapulted out of the basket, even at ground level)

I approve of firefighters!

Woody said:

At the academy, we had to climb the 100 foot ladder, clip in and then let go with both hands and lay back against the ladder belt with both hands over your head and your eyes pointing skyward. 

Same here.

That's one of the evolutions for new hires taking our entrance physical agility. Pretty often one of the guys will have to climb up and talk a candidate down when they get vapor locked up there. That and the Kaiser sled are the two that wash most of them out.

Now, the wobbly legs when they climb off the tailboard are funny....Climbing those things takes a lot out of nervous legs.

Can you see the Strippers tearin the shad up from there???? over towards Block island???

I get puckered up just thinking about that climb.