AERIAL APPARATUS ARRIVAL AND PLACEMENT
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON…
WHENEVER ROUNDTABLE discussions center on “truck work,” a repeated concern for aerial ladder placement never fails to pop up. While rules and guidelines can be as many and as varied as there are fire departments, I want to share some thoughts that may be common to us all. Basics again.
The first concern begins with planning response. The aerial apparatus should never be the third or later piece of equipment to enter the fire block or other location. As a member of a suburban department, I watched as the aerial apparatus responded after the five pumping engines (the district had sixinch mains), the rescue van, the ambulance, and the light truck (even at daytime fires). If the aerial apparatus is too far from the fire building to be used, you might have saved tax dollars and come by bus.
Another rule for aerial chauffeurs to follow is to slow down – before the fire scene or intersection. Remember, backing out of an incorrect, speedy turn may be next to impossible and certainly adds to the contusion, delay, and our onscene injury records. This is the time you must have to assess the fire location, the life hazard, physical surroundings, hydrant locations, and hoseline locations before placement of the apparatus. This slow-down effort will also reduce the probability of funnel vision that causes us to hit parked automobiles, members, and civilians, or park on advancing hoselines. The extra seconds taken here will reduce the additional minutes needed later to reposition a hastily stopped truck.
You must also have two-way communication, based on preplan, with the responding engine company. They cannot stop, take a hydrant before the fire and block the street with you behind them. The same amount of concern must also be reciprocal on your part. The aerial apparatus must, sometimes, await the stretching pumper to come out of the block or away from the front of the fire building to take a hydrant before blocking them.
This communication and cooperation must be even broader in scope in larger departments. The aerial chauffeur must know where his first-arriving (not assigned first-due) pumper is coming from. Breakdowns, scheduled outdoor activities, or other fires may have readjusted the “routine” response patterns.
Other guidelines depend on the aerial chauffeur knowing where his centerline of the turntable is-from the chauffeur’s seat. (Remember that turntables may be at varied locations on an apparatus.) This can only be done with practice and cooperation. It is an individual, line-of-sight trick that must be learned by each chauffeur personally. You should be able to mentally line up three objects-in the cab, on the apparatus, and in the surrounding background- that will assure proper turntable position the first time. While you are gaining this talent, other firefighters should assist in lining up the turntable at the objective. If in doubt, get help. Haste makes waste, especially in this case.
If problems arise and you are not able to effectively position the first-arriving aerial, this fact should immediately be transmitted over department radio to additional aerials that may be responding. (I know it may be a luxury!) The transmission should include recommended routes so that response patterns may be rapidly and smoothly adjusted.
Position of the aerial is mandated, naturally, by the visible or suspected life hazard and the location of the fire. IP there is only one victim, then the turntah ble should usually be positioned per-‘1 pendicular to him. If there are mon> than one, the position chosen should be^ able to answer for them without moving the apparatus. This position is usually^ central between or among those most severely exposed. If there is no appar^ ent (visible) life hazard, then the centert of the fire structure is the position to take. If the width of the building is* beyond the reach of the aerial, then” choose a temporary location approximately 25 feet beyond the nearest building line. If position needs to b* adjusted later, it’s easier to pull a truck^ forward without assistance than it is to back it up. In this case, advise the next-⅜ in aerial to take position at the opposite end of the structure. To have one aerial come in behind the other in this case ⅝* unprofessional and ineffective. ^ ,
At single-story strip stores (taxpayers), it’s best to position an aerial ladder’ away from in front of the fire occupan-J cy; its only use will hopefully be for roof access. In the case of an aerial platform,take position directly in front of the fire building for possible use of an aggressive, large-caliber stream should initiate interior efforts prove futile.
At private dwellings (more than on6 story), the corner, preferably opposite^ an attached garage, is good, routine placement. This gives external access to” all of the front bedrooms, the side or, rear bedroom, and the roof. The front or rear bedrooms adjacent to the garage1 are readily accessible from its roof biportable ladder.
Again, basic but fun.
