New Boston Ladder 17

[SOlsonBFDL14]

<strong>I had read a few years ago that the BFD had wanted to purchase a few Tillered Aerial Ladders  however it was based on purchasing them with grant money which didn't come through so the plans were cancelled. Considering that Tower Ladder 17 is supposed to be "too large" for parts of it's district it probably would make more sense to purchase a few Tillered Aerial Ladders as  Tillered Aerial Ladders are good for narrow streets with tight clearances. New York City runs with 13 of them and Philadelphia runs with them in addition to Balfimore and Washington DC. I know that Boston did run with them until sometime in the late 70s and early 80s. It seems that of the major fire departments on the east coast that I just mentioned , only Boston isn't running with any Tillered Aerial Ladders at all.</strong>

 

We started replacing our TDA's with E\-One Rearmounts in 1984 when we purchased 6 of them (Ladders 2, 6, 14, 16, 17 & 19). We DID get a grant to purchase a single TDA, which was going to be assigned to Ladder 24 (Beacon Hill). There was talk of it going to Ladder 1 in the North End, but it was too large for their house. The cost of a new TDA proved to be too much, especially in light of our needs at the time (our aerial fleet badly needed updating!) We were allowed to use the money to purchase a new E\-One rearmount, provided it went to Ladder 24. Their rig was not due to be replaced for a couple of years, but they got the new one in 2009. Their previous piece, a 1997 model, was refurbished & reassigned to Ladder 25 in West Roxbury. I agree that TDA's would be a welcome addition in certain parts of the city, certainly Ladders 1, 11, 14, 17 & 24 would be better served with them, but with the administration currently in place I think the chances of it happening are remote.