Ground Ladders and Ariels Operations

3/24/11- Last night in class we learned about using ladders in firefighting. There are actually all different types of ladders and each one has a different use. There are 3 main materials most ladder are made out of. They are Metal, Wood and Fiberglass. Believe it or not many fire companies still use wooden ladders. Our company mostly uses metal. We have to learn all the different types of ladders (single, roof,  folding, extension, combination, and pompier), parts of the ladder, how to inspect the ladders for damage, how to clean the ladders after use, which ladders are best used for each job and how to carry ladders on the fire ground. It is important to inspect the ladders after use to make sure they are still in a good working condition. If not then they need to be serviced. We didn't get a chance to do any hands on with ladders last night. Sunday we will be at school from 8-4pm and we are going to do all kinds of training exercises with ladders. We are going to learn how to carry and lift ladders, how to place them depending on how we need to use them and I will even get to carry someone down a ladder in case of an emergency. The best part of the class is going to be climbing the ariel ladder. An ariel ladder is the kind you see driving down the road to a fire call. They can extend all the way to the roof of a building so firefighters can gain access to the roof. We are going to be climbing a 100 foot ariel ladder. Sunday should be a lot of fun but I know it is going to be tiring. We don't climb ladders in street clothes. We climb ladders with all of our gear which adds an extra 30 pounds to our bodies. Plus it restricts our movement. Its going to be interesting to say the very least. I cant wait to write about it! 

Here are some pictures of different types of ladders and their different parts.