Ground Ladders The Forgotten Art Lieutenant Todd Wernet

What do we need to know • Ladder Uses • Ladder Construction • Ladder

Ladder Uses • Rescue • Access to upper floors • Ventilation • Bridging •

Wooden Ladders DISPELL THE URBAN MYTHS ABOUT WOODEN LADDERS DISCUSS DIFFRENCES IN: – –

Electrical Safety • FEMA statistics indicate that metal ladders cost the U. S. fire

Aluminum Ladders Metal ladders can suddenly fail if exposed to heat or flame over

Weight The common perception is that aluminum ladders are lighter weight than comparable wood

Maintenance NFPA 1932 requires ground ladders to be visually inspected at least monthly, and

Design • Truss beam • Solid beam • Straight • Extension

Cost Wooden ladders are more expensive up front -24’ Extension Ladder Material • Wood

Ladder Tactics • Positional Assignments • Complement • Selection • Carries • Approaches •

Positional Assignments • Roles & responsibilities of crew members • Two, three, or four

Ladder Complement NFPA 1904 (1991 edition) requires a minimum complement of 115 feet of

Ladder Selection • When in doubt, go with the larger ladder • Your application

Ladder Placement • Type of Structure • Weather Conditions • Operation • Staffing •

Footing the Ladder Old School & New School

Roof Package • Extension Ladder • Roof Ladder • Chainsaw • 6’ Roof Hook

Safety • Everyone’s Responsibility • Proper PPE • Adequate Personnel • Training • Placement

Proper PPE • For drilling this includes a helmet, gloves, and steel toe boots.

Adequate Personnel Staffing is part of your initial size-up in the morning. Pre -assign

Training Make it real: The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed

Visual Acuity At night you lose 50% of your ability to see hazards

What to take with you • We are all professionals, volunteer or career •

What to take with you • When we do our job right, people live

Incident Commanders • Always be aware of what is going on around you •

Slides: 42

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Ground Ladders: The Forgotten Art Lieutenant Todd Wernet Seattle Fire Department

What do we need to know • Ladder Uses • Ladder Construction • Ladder Tactics • Ladder Safety

Ladder Uses • Rescue • Access to upper floors • Ventilation • Bridging • Make-shift structures

Rescue & Access

Ventilation & Bridging

Make-Shift Structures

Ladder Construction Aluminum or Wood

Wooden Ladders DISPELL THE URBAN MYTHS ABOUT WOODEN LADDERS DISCUSS DIFFRENCES IN: – – – SAFETY WEIGHT MAINTENANCE DESIGN COST

Electrical Safety • FEMA statistics indicate that metal ladders cost the U. S. fire service approximately one firefighter fatality a year. • These totals do not reflect non-fatal injuries attributed to these ladders

Aluminum Ladders Metal ladders can suddenly fail if exposed to heat or flame over 200° F (annealing)

Weight The common perception is that aluminum ladders are lighter weight than comparable wood or fiberglass ladders Example: 24’ extension – Wood – Metal – Fiberglass 110# 75 -142# 99 -133#

Maintenance NFPA 1932 requires ground ladders to be visually inspected at least monthly, and after every use – Aluminum & fiberglass require waxing of beams – Wooden ladders require spot finishing – All ladders require minor bolt, rivet and halyard checks

Design • Truss beam • Solid beam • Straight • Extension

Cost Wooden ladders are more expensive up front -24’ Extension Ladder Material • Wood • Fiberglass • Aluminum Cost $1, 600 $ 750 $ 680 Life Indefinite Unknown 15 years

Ladder Tactics • Positional Assignments • Complement • Selection • Carries • Approaches • Raises • Placement

Positional Assignments • Roles & responsibilities of crew members • Two, three, or four person operations • Tools & equipment • PPPN: Company discipline

Ladder Complement NFPA 1904 (1991 edition) requires a minimum complement of 115 feet of ground ladders Multiple configurations are acceptable

Ladder Selection • When in doubt, go with the larger ladder • Your application may change • 5 rung rule

Ladder Placement • Type of Structure • Weather Conditions • Operation • Staffing • Fire Forecast

West Coast & East Coast Loads

Carries Low Shoulder & High Shoulder

Carries Flat & Beam

Approach Diagonal or Perpendicular

Raises Beam & Flat

Raises

Footing the Ladder Old School & New School

Roof Package • Extension Ladder • Roof Ladder • Chainsaw • 6’ Roof Hook

Roof Package

Safety • Everyone’s Responsibility • Proper PPE • Adequate Personnel • Training • Placement

Proper PPE • For drilling this includes a helmet, gloves, and steel toe boots. • For all responses it includes all protective equipment

Adequate Personnel Staffing is part of your initial size-up in the morning. Pre -assign positions (tool assignments) to maximize your effectiveness

Training Make it real: The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in war

Securing your Fly

Visual Acuity At night you lose 50% of your ability to see hazards

What to take with you • We are all professionals, volunteer or career • Its not enough to just get a ladder vertical • Safety should always be your main concern • We all deserve a round trip ticket

What to take with you • When we do our job right, people live to see another day • We need to pass the importance of the “not-soglamorous” jobs to the next generation

Incident Commanders • Always be aware of what is going on around you • Your people will thank you