PORTABLE LADDERS AND MORE
RANDOM THOUGHTS
It’s hard to focus on just one thing this month. I do want to “ramble” a little, however, about a few things that come up in this job every so often.
Did you know that you could become trapped inside a fire building with your own portable ladder? A few friends of mine over the years did just that. Escape was another one of those “miracles.” If the ladder tips pass the window and extend into the opening, it means you must ascend higher and higher into the opening serving as a horizontal vent for the fire condition within. Sure, you can get in the building that way; but once inside, why are you there and what will chase you out?
The answer is simple for us firefighters. Either you find someone while conducting a primary search, or the conditions worsen to humanly unbearable and you must escape. If the ladder tips are extending some distance over the sill, what will you do with your unconscious victim? Your best shot is to drape the victim over the sill and then climb over and ease him/her farther and farther down the ladder—while you are waiting for help, that is. If the fire chases you out, you want to slip out of the inferno at the lowest location the building gives you: the sill of the window. But now you must ascend higher and higher into the heat and fire conditions to get over the tips of the ladder!
Regarding the friends 1 mentioned earlier: One collapsed while trying to get over the tip barrier and—as things happen in this job—the flap of his turnout coat hung itself (and him) on the tips of the ladder as the fire condition vented itself through him. Another friend, finding a trapped eight-year-old, was forced to lie over her for protection while he prayed that the engine would put the fire out quickly. He could no longer get to safety—the ladder tips forced him into a heat condition that no longer was bearable.
Speaking of portable ladders, how is your truck set up? Are your ladders stored for parades, or are they stored for quick access? What ladder is needed most in your community? That one and the second choice should be stored on top—for easy access by excited firefighters. Attic ladders and roof hook ladders shouldn’t be stored for easiest access simply because they fit into the top fly sections of the portable 24and 28-f(X)t ladders—and look great in the station.
Greatest safety tip: I also have many friends who hurt a little more texlay because of falls in and around fire buildings. More than one “walked” off a roof that had no parapet to give warning. Others stepped into space while descending stairs that no longer were there. Why? They were on their feet, as if walking to church—the difference being they could not see. (Remember, sight is a luxury we often do not have inside fire buildings.) The message is simple: If you can ’t see, craivl! Very little will surprise you.
Speaking of churches, have you ever saved one? No, I don’t mean a small, smoky incident set to cover the theft of the weekly poor box offerings. The reason we do not save them is the fire load and the collapse factor are in the peak roof support members—the truss assemblies. The strategic factor here is to get a large vertical ventilation opening at the ridge of the roof near the center (if not directly over the fire). Since the bearing walls often are perpendicular to the street, it is almost impossible to get an aerial ladder to the best position from which to operate. The roof is massive and usually at a severe angle, and a 16foot hook ladder simply doesn’t make it. With today’s tower ladders, we may have a better “shot.”
Once defensive firefighting begins with these church structures, you’d like to be as aggressively defensive as possible before collapse indicators move you from the collapse danger zone. Again, the answer is simple: The tactic is to position a tower ladder at the opening left after you have “taken out” the rose window (the colorful, usually round opening in the peak of the facade). You say you have been taught this is the most expensive window in the facility? Remember, it is only the most expensive and beautiful window in the church if the church is still standing!
