Last Nights catch

[Fire28]

Ok I'll bite.


1st the region I am in is in the 8% where pumps, tanks, and hose beds are not on ladder trucks although in some cases it maybe a good idea in some areas and cases. To be honest in most cases everyone around here think that any ladder truck with a pump and tank are Quints but that's not always the case and they act like the idea comes with leprosy so not many around here.


Now since the majority of the ladder trucks do not have pumps and tanks so yes the Metro has less compartment space even against a tandem which adds another compartment over the rear wheels. Also if anyone is familiar with EOne's under slung outrigger system compartment there will be compartment space lost I the compartments above the outriggers (12" Depth) and depending on the location hydraulic tank space will be lost as well. I have yet to see the Metro in person but have seen enough pics and videos to know that compartment space is lost by these things and also with the vertical stack. The ladder also has a 250lbs tip load below 40 degrees and 500lbs. above 40 just like the old 110' Stratosphere ladder. Remember the ladder box also drives the compartment depth as well.


With all that said, I am a huge fan of the old EOne SA 110' s and it was the 1st ladder truck I even got behind the wheel of. I could get any one of those trucks any where and there were so many in the area you could tell everyone loved them. The later versions had Rescue style compartments which made them better to lay out vs. the 6 gull-wing doors or checkered board look. The balance of weight, wheelbase, OAL, cab size, and carrying capability is hard to do on a SA truck but it appears that EOne has refined the product that got them in almost every city in the US and I am so glad to see something like this back. It's also good to see other MFGs to develop their own versions of SA ladder trucks.


Now if I can only get my department to get out of the Tower business and get a mighty mite .

 

Id like to photograph that tower before you "try to go out of the business".

[drfeelgood]

Id like to photograph that tower before you "try to go out of the business".

Which one

[Guest]

We were told by an aerial testing company to avoid aluminum ladders. Especially when they operate in a city that does no PM.

[ACPD227]

Jason

 

I cant believe with no PM that one would be better than the other. Id say if you don't take care of either they both could be bad. I have operated both steel and aluminum from brand P and have not noticed a difference in them on both operation and pm. The only thing I can think of is steel has longer track record but does not mean better. 

[drfeelgood]

Well I can say the 23 year old aluminum aerial that my department owns is holding up well. Other department's in my area have been buying them for over 30 years without issue then again we all maintain them. How can an FD no matter how busy not maintain an aerial? That's just crazy.

[FireMedic049]

How can an FD no matter how busy not maintain an aerial? That's just crazy.

Pretty simple.  Worthless Chiefs and/or bean counters.

 

We now have language in the CBA at my department specifying that stuff like pump, hose and ladder testing has to be performed annually because it wasn't being performed at all or just sporadically.

 

And you're right, that's just crazy.