Ladder staffing and ISO

[LeatherHed4Life]

the ISO awards credit for having an aerial ladder, but does it stipulate that it must be staffed in order to be awarded?

[Dickey]

I believe the minimum staffing per ISO is 3....but don't quote me.

[BoxAlarm187]

I was under the impression that it had to be dispatched on structural calls to count, and that staffing was counted completely seperately. This is based on the information given to us by an ISO consultant.

[FFFRED]

I was under the impression that it had to be dispatched on structural calls to count, and that staffing was counted completely seperately. This is based on the information given to us by an ISO consultant.

That is true. An old Dept of mine...had a Ladder with 1 man assigned to drive it...but it never responded...even to alarms it was assigned to according to procedure as the Chiefs didn't want to spend the money to repair it..plus fuel...etc.

ISO review said if it doesn't move it isn't going to be counted. So they promptly changed policy.

FTM-PTB

[ehs7554]

That's kinda funny FFRED. I worked in a similar dept. that had an aerial supposedly for ISO but rarely used it. Whoever would drive it, would be responsible for 3 or 4 rigs and just drove whatever was sent on the alarm, ie truck, rescue, brush rigs, etc etc.. Anyway, that same dept has 4 stations. 3 of them run quints while the one with the truck runs a regular engine. I just don't understand why they would buy all those quints, when they have a perfectly good truck sitting there. And to date I haven't heard if they are going to ever staff it with more than one guy.

[LaFireEducator]

The rating service in LA requires 4 man staffing for a truck, however, they do allow the staffing to be filled out at the scene.

Both Shreveport and Bossier City run the ladder/tower with a driver and a Captain. At the scene, an ambulance crew will fill out the staffing for the truck. The rescue is also allowed to fill out the staffing under the rating service if an ambulance is not available or is required to commit to patient care.

[FireMedic049]

I was under the impression that it had to be dispatched on structural calls to count, and that staffing was counted completely seperately. This is based on the information given to us by an ISO consultant.

That's my understanding too. The apparatus and staffing are scored independent of each other.

[BryanLoader]

Here, engine staffing is 5, aerial is 4, rescue is 4 ambulance is 2. There are times that one may run under the limit but its not too often.