Over the years, fire departments long have recognized the importance of carrying portable ground ladders on their apparatus. Engine company units typically have been equipped with a minimum of three ladders, including a 24-foot extension, a 14-foot roof and a 10-foot folding ladder. Back in the day, communities that didn’t require an aerial device would...Read More

When buying aerial apparatus, fire departments strive to purchase a vehicle that will at least serve 90 percent of the first- due response area, knowing that because of the size of aerial equipment today, it is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Therefore, it becomes vitally important to determine the aerial apparatus operational footprint. What is the operational...Read More

Aerial and Elevating Platform apparatus of all kinds represent some of the most expensive pieces of equipment that we operate in the fire service. Yet, at the same time it tends to be the most under utilized and misunderstood piece of equipment in our firefighting arsenal. Training and education are the keys to reversing this...Read More