Ground ladders play an integral role in truck company operations; we use them on nearly every fire call and on many other emergency calls. Unfortunately, the number and length of ground ladders carried on apparatus and the ease with which they can be removed from the apparatus is limited by the number and size of existing racks and storage areas. For many of you, this is something you had no say in, as you weren’t around when the apparatus was designed and purchased. But for those of you in the enviable position of being involved in the design-making process, you must make some very important decisions about ground ladders and their storage areas. Don’t take these decisions lightly; the apparatus on which ladders are stored will be around for years.
Ground Ladder Requirements
When I peruse the new deliveries and apparatus sections found in most fire service periodicals, it dismays me when manufacturers boast, “This ladder truck meets NFPA minimum standards for ground ladders.” Since when is reaching the minimum standard a great achievement?
NFPA 1901: Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus provides some guidance on ground ladders, primarily specifying the minimum number of ladders recommended for various types of apparatus. The minimums are as follows: 115 feet of ground ladders for a ladder truck; 85 feet of ladders for quints; and for engines, an extension ladder, a roof ladder and an attic ladder of unspecified lengths. A ladder truck that carries 35′ and 24′ extension ladders; 14′, 16′ and 20′ roof ladders; and a 10′ attic ladder meets the minimum requirements. However, this is not a great showing. The minimum required assortment could easily be exhausted at a small residential home fire.
Insurance Services Office? (ISO) requires ladder trucks to carry at least 163 feet of ground ladders of certain lengths and types. Specifically, a ladder truck must carry a 14′ extension ladder or 14′ combination ladder, a 24′ or 28′ extension ladder, a 35′ extension ladder, a 35′ or 40′ extension ladder, a 16′ roof ladder, a 16′ or 20′ roof ladder and a 10′ collapsible ladder or 10′ folding ladder. Additionally, ISO? requires that quints carry approximately 186 feet of ground ladders.
The next time you attend a fire service tradeshow like the FireRescue Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, check out the ground ladders on the apparatus. Open up the compartments and inspect the types and sizes of ladders carried on the apparatus. Although some apparatus show a massive assortment of ground ladders, there are many others that meet only the minimum requirement.
At a recent fire service conference I?attended, an apparatus manufacturer told me he thought a ground ladder requirement should not exist, because modern aerials make ground ladders unnecessary. Although this person is well-respected in the industry, he obviously doesn’t understand how we work at fires. After all, we use ground ladders at a majority of fire incidents. We don’t always have access to an aerial ladder, and even if we do get one to the scene, we might not be able to physically position it how we want.
Horizontal vs. Vertical Storage
Ground ladder storage is usually built into the apparatus at the factory as either horizontal or vertical storage. Ladders stored inside the apparatus body with rear access are often positioned horizontally, which isn’t favorable. Think about it: Most ladders are pulled out and placed on firefighters’ shoulders for transport vertically (the shoulder carry). With horizontal storage, once the ladder clears the storage area, it must be rotated vertically so firefighters can put their arms through it and set the ladder’s weight on their shoulders.
Carrying ladders horizontally (the flat carry) is an accepted method; however, it is not used as much as the shoulder carry and may require more firefighters. Generally, the only ladders better carried horizontally are larger ladders, like a 50′ banger ladder, which requires up to six firefighters (three on each rail) to carry and raise. Therefore, I advise vertical inside storage for most ladders 35 feet long or shorter.
When returning ladders to the rear of a rig with horizontal storage, we must rotate the ladders from a vertical position on our shoulder to an awkward horizontal position before sliding them onto the rig. Both butts almost never hit the rack at the same time, and we must shimmy the end of the ladder to slide it back in.
On the other hand, when returning ladders to a rig with vertical storage, we must fit only one butt in the slot while aiming the tip slightly downward. After one butt is in, we can lift up slightly on the tip, aligning the rest of the ladder with the ladder slides, and push.
Internal vs. External Storage
Internal ladder storage is usually found on ladder trucks but is available for other types of apparatus as well, including engines and tankers. Many departments falsely believe that internal ladder storage is especially costly. I recently asked a representative from a local apparatus manufacturer how much it would cost to build ground ladder storage into the body of an engine. His reply: Internal ladder storage would not significantly increase the price of the rig, as long as it was engineered that way before construction.
The last engine to which I was assigned had internal ladder storage, and it was great. The ladders were out of the elements, yet convenient and simple to remove. Some complained that it caused our hose bed to be higher, but a few simple adjustments to our method of packing hose made this a non-issue.
As for external ladder storage, some mountings make it easy to remove the ladders; some complicate it. Two common externally mounted ladders include a 24′ extension ladder and a 14′ roof ladder. Standard mounting configurations feature two rungs at both ends of the ladders slid onto brackets; the bracket’s handle is then pivoted to latch onto the rungs. Exercise and lubricate these latching devices on a regular basis to prevent the brackets from corroding or freezing in place.
A big plus for external mounting: It’s quick and simple. A downside: You must decide which ladder takes the outside position and which takes the inside position. Historically, the roof ladder takes the outside position; however, in recent years, more and more departments give the extension ladder the outside position. Personally, I think the roof ladder should stay outside, which is probably a function of where I live. Many homes in my district have front porches, and it’s standard practice to automatically throw a roof ladder to the front porch of a burning home. Aside from the front-porch scenario, it’s common to use a roof ladder to quickly break out a second-floor window-something one firefighter can do while others access an extension ladder.
Another consideration when deciding which ladder gets the outside position: It’s easier to remove and toss aside a roof ladder when accessing an extension ladder than to toss aside an extension ladder when accessing a roof ladder. Either way, this decision must be based on what’s better for the district where the apparatus will be used.
Externally mounted ladders are often out of reach for many firefighters. As such, manufacturers have developed different manual or hydraulic ladder racks that lower the ladders to the firefighter below. But there’s a price to pay for these mechanical racks besides additional costs: They take too long to descend. The 30 seconds it may take to lower the ladders may not seem that long, but imagine your impatience if you were trapped in a fire-engulfed second-floor bedroom waiting for someone to throw up a ladder and rescue you.
Another factor to consider with external storage is ladder care. These ladders can become deformed when improperly supported, so try to store them with their weight evenly distributed along their length. In other words, position them to rest on more than just two brackets. Brackets that come in contact with the ladder at only two points can be lowered enough to allow the entire length of the ladder to lightly touch the rig to which it’s mounted. This helps reduce the chance of deformity.
Aerial Mounting
Ground ladders are often mounted directly to the aerial ladder. This spot is handy for firefighters when they need to venture out from the aerial tip or bucket. These ladders are usually mounted to the inside of the top fly, reducing the aerial ladder’s width, but usually not enough to interfere with the firefighters’ movement up or down the aerial.
At a recent fire conference, I saw an aerial ladder with a ground ladder mounted to its exterior. Initially, I thought this was a good idea, because it didn’t compromise the space on the inside of the aerial ladder. However, I learned that if the aerial was extended, firefighters would need to climb down to the first section of the aerial ladder to retrieve the ladder. This might not be the best placement, unless your department rarely uses this ground ladder or rarely works with the aerial ladder extended.
Summary
This article certainly doesn’t cover every aspect of ground ladder access, but I hope it gets you thinking about the various issues related to the topic. The bottom line: There are many different ways to store ground ladders, and we must be able to access them in a safe and convenient manner. So, if you have the opportunity to be involved in the design and purchase of an apparatus, consider the importance of ground ladder storage. After all, we use ground ladders at almost every fire call, making them an integral part of our day-to-day work.
