Hopefully, with the catchy title, we’ll be able to reach out to some of the so-called Generation Xers and seasoned veterans of today’s fire service. Now that you’re reading this article, let me clarify that we’re not going to discuss any type of tattoos. However, we will discuss the value of ladder marking. Like the tattoo, which dates back many centuries, ladder markings have been around the fire service for many years. Unlike the current revival in the popularity of tattoos, ladder marking seems to have fallen by the wayside.
Why this should be is an often-asked question in the fire service, especially since many departments have stressed the importance of returning to the basics. After conducting some behind-the-scenes research and fact finding, it is apparent that many fire departments haven’t been exposed to many of these short-cuts, tricks of the trade, or what some of us thought were the plain basics in portable ladder operations.
 (2) Because of their fixed location and small size, these ID tags are difficult to spot from a distance. (Photo by Mike Fold.) |
Because of our familiarity with many of these techniques, they may seem so basic and trivial. Yet it seems that many fire departments are unaware of them, refuse to accept or practice some of them, or are just plain set in their ways and procedures.
SCENARIO
Let’s look at the following scenario to better understand the importance of a seemingly minor tactic that helps us perform more efficiently on the fireground.
Responding to a dwelling fire with your engine company to a neighboring community, you are assigned to assist with ladder placement at a large Victorian dwelling. On arrival, you spot the aerial apparatus parked up the block, its ladder compartment doors wide open and a full complement of ladders stored inside. Proceeding up the block, you begin your size-up of the structure and fire conditions and then quickly glance back at the ladder truck trying to get a read on which ladder is appropriate for your developing strategy. You continue glancing back and forth, from the apparatus to the building and back again. As you approach the apparatus, your mind goes from focusing on the strategies, tactics, and procedures you want to employ on the fireground to trying to guess which ladder is which size. Should we be guessing at ladder sizes at this critical moment (photo 1)?
Of course, most firefighters can easily distinguish the extension ladders from the straight, hook, or roof ladders, but how can you tell which one is which size from 20 feet away? Maybe this apparatus has one three-section and two two-section extension ladders on it, all of different lengths. Not all three-section ladders are 35 feet long; they are made in a variety of sizes designed to fit on many of today’s dual-role apparatus. Most ladder manufacturers mark the ladder’s size on the rails at the base of each ladder, but this mark is not necessarily visible from 20 feet or even two feet away. Also, the ladders may be stored in a vertical rack, lying on one rail, and the length marking may thus be hidden. Apparatus manufacturers have been kind enough to place a small chrome-plated ladder size identification tag, sticker, or placard somewhere near the ladder storage compartment. Most of these length markers are attached to apparatus with rivets or adhesive. The tag may have fallen off or be obscured by dirt, snow, ice, or road grime (photo 2). As a result, firefighters waste precious seconds pulling ladders out and sliding them back in until they pick the right one.
How can we make ladder sizes more visible from a distance? There are some really basic and inexpensive methods to mark the ladder’s butt, heel, or foot. Some departments use a highly visible paint and mark the base of the butt with the size of the ladder. The most common way is to paint the ladder’s size on both butts so they are visible from different angles of approach. However, a number of departments have been getting away from this idea and are using a different method. For example, a 35-foot extension ladder may be painted by placing a large “3” on the left butt and a large “5” on the right butt, which allows a firefighter to see the size of the ladder from farther away. Although it may cost more, some departments have opted to place fluorescent or glow-in-the-dark stickers on the base of their ladders to assist in nighttime operations (photos 3, 4).
 4 |
Another option is to mark the base of your department’s ladders in a color-code system. For example, all 24-foot extension ladders could have their bases painted red and another size ladder could be painted a different color. Some departments have used this option, and it has proven to be very reliable. It may not work for departments that don’t have a large call volume or the same personnel on the apparatus day in and day out; it also may be difficult for a firefighter to remember the color-code system at 3:00 a.m. If you use this method, remember to also place the ladder size on the butt to take the guesswork out of the job.
Marking the base of a ladder is by no means rocket science, but it’s a common-sense thing to do to assist firefighters and fire operations. Having a ladder marked properly and visible from a distance can assist us as we approach the apparatus. We can focus on a size-up of the building and its changing fire conditions instead of staring at the apparatus and wondering which ladder is which. It also benefits incoming companies or a firefighter detailed to your unit who may be unfamiliar with your ladder complement.
Another benefit is that, since many apparatus are outfitted with different types of ladders, storage systems, and layouts, marking the ladders will eliminate the guesswork. Also, if ladders have already been removed from the apparatus and are in use on the fireground, a quick glance at the storage rack from a distance tells a firefighter that he has to go elsewhere to locate the proper size of ladder he needs for his task.
Maybe you’ve been that guy approaching an unmarked apparatus, needing a ladder in a hurry, and you forgot which is which or you couldn’t tell which is which. There’s nothing more embarrassing than looking unprofessional in front of other firefighters or spectators than pulling one out, pushing one in, pulling one out, and hoping this time it’s the right ladder. It’s not the position many of us want to be in at all, especially when someone is in the window awaiting the ladder. ■
■ MICHAEL N. CIAMPO is a 19-year veteran of the fire service and a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. He previously served with the District of Columbia Fire Department. Ciampo has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He is the lead instructor for the FDIC Hands-On Training Laddering program and an editorial advisory board member of Fire Engineering.
