Quint Driving Expectations

[kbarnes660]

Our department has just acquired a 75ft. quint. We already have a 100ft. ladder truck and we are not allowed to drive it by ourselves unless it is going for maintenance. Our department is looking at changing it so that we can drive the quint it by ourselves to and from calls but keeping the ladder truck the same. Is there an NFPA standard that DOES NOTallow us to drive the quint to and from calls and general driving around? We are trying to keep it the same for both the 100ft. ladder and the 75ft. quint.

[nmfire]

Not allowed to drive it alone??

[kbarnes660]

we are not allowed to drive the 100ft. ladder alone but they say it is ok for us to drive the 75ft. quint alone. I do not see the difference between the 2 since they are both considered an aerial ladder. Looking for any NFPA documentation to back us up

[FWDbuff]

The only rational explanation I can think of for this truly idiotic rule is perhaps your Leadership wants for you to have a second man on board to be a ground guide if you have to back up??????? In that case, I don't know if there is an NFPA standard requiring a ground guide or not, but I guarantee that if there is, it is for all types of apparatus- not just aerials. Which makes sense- a backing accident can happen in an engine just as fast as it could in an aerial.

"They say" this. Who is "they?" Do "they" have this rule in writing, such as an SOP or SOG, or in a directive of some sort? Is it backed up with a reason?

[FIREMECH1]

What is the OAL of both rigs?? This could be the reason why, as the 100'er is a tandem axle and longer, and the 75' quint is a single axle and shorter.

Otherwise, FWD nailed it.

FM1

[chiefengineer11]

Learned this from many years in safety and compliance in the motor carrier industry: Most accidents happen while backing. Wow, what a surprise! But we also learned that more backing accidents happened with help than without. Moral of the story as told by another FF/safety man - if you want to avoid accidents, never back up.

[Reliance]

Sorry if I was abrupt.

Up until 20 years ago our Paid staff reponded on most calls with just one in the Engine and the volunteers would run lots of times with the second truck alone.

In 1989 the Town hired 3 dispatchers so there would be two firefighters in the first out engine at all times while the volunteers could still run alone with the second out unit. Including the aerial ladder.

About 8-10 years ago the Province reclassified licenses and in order to drive you had to have a class 3 with air brake endorsement (Paid Staff) and the fire department implemented it for the volunteers as well with an SOP that there would be two in the second unit on all responses.

As well as the secod person being a spotter for backing up on scene and at the station.

[FWDbuff]

Learned this from many years in safety and compliance in the motor carrier industry: Most accidents happen while backing. Wow, what a surprise! But we also learned that more backing accidents happened with help than without. Moral of the story as told by another FF/safety man - if you want to avoid accidents, never back up.

Could this be due to the fact that the person being the ground guide is not a qualified driver/operator? You want to be MY ground guide? You need to know what it is that I am trying to accomplish, and know my equipment......This is one of the reasons why I am so adamant that any Volunteer Fire Officer needs to be a qualified D/O (among the other obvious reasons) if they want to sit in that right seat.

Ground Guides who are not D/O's are about as worthless as teats on a bull.