Aerials you prefer

[NY911Bowhunter]

I like the E-Ones. If the doors open, the jacks can go down.

Same here.

[LaFireEducator]

Personnally, based on my experience in other departments, Stuphen and Aerialscope.

And based on repuation in this area, though I have never worked with one, you can add Ferrera to the list.

My combo department does not operate a truck and has no experience with them as a department. My volunteer department will likely never operate a truck.

It's unlikely that my combo department willl purchase an aerial in the forseeable future, even though it wouldn't surprise me to see the rating folks require that we purchase one to get maximum apparatus points within the next 5 years. I do however see us not taking the recommendation and sacrifing the points as it would simply be almost impossible for us to justify it on an operational level.

[Rescue101]

You DO realize the Ferrera is a SMEAL........Right? T.C.

[LaFireEducator]

You DO realize the Ferrera is a SMEAL........Right? T.C.

Yes, but I thought we were talking about chassis.

[Rescue101]

Yes, but I thought we were talking about chassis.

Silly me. I thought we were talking about AERIALS. T.C.

[RFDACM02]

Silly me. I thought we were talking about AERIALS. T.C.

Heat gettin' to ya?

[LaFireEducator]

Silly me. I thought we were talking about AERIALS. T.C.

Well, to me the aerial icludes the chassis.

I guess I read more into the question .......

[LaFireEducator]

Heat gettin' to ya?

And speaking of the heat, what the hell is this chit???

I come up here (NY/VT) from LA to see my parents and kids, and to cool off for a few days, and it's a damn heat wave.

I go back to LA tommarrow, where it's still hot as an oven, until Sunday when I fly out to Vegas for the Radiological class for 6 days, where the expected high today was 108 degrees.

Enough with the dang heat!

P.S .. I got the sunburn the last couple of days to prove how fricken hot it iss up here.

[Nozzle nut 22]

You DO realize the Ferrera is a SMEAL........Right? T.C.

I always wondered, does FFA use the stick only, and build their own torque boxes and stabilizers, or does Smeal build the whole aerial package on/for the Ferrara chassis'?

I noticed Smeal's "regular" 100' 500# tip load stick is a 105' er, while Ferrara's is a 107'. I wonder, are these spec built just for FFA, or is it just due to chassis or measuring differences?

Either way, I'd say it was a wise choice- I've heard nothing but good things about Smeal's aerials.

I don't know of any Smeal or FFA ladders in my area. Smeal has a few pumpers around, and Ferrara is selling more and more rigs in NYS, but none that I know of near me. Pierce and E-one are the big sellers here, followed by ALF ( LTI) and RD Murray ( aerial Innovations). There have been a lot of Seagraves too- both regular and FDNY surplus. Don't see any new ones, though.

FWIW, Rochester uses all E-one trucks, and just ordered a bunch of Rosenbauer engines. The inner ring suburbs love the E-Ones, too. Syracuse is, of course, all Sutphen.

We own an RD Murray. We looked hard at Smeal, KME, and Pierce as well as E-one. The RDM/AI was the best fit in our low door firehouse, and gave us the most for our money. The fact that the factory was an hour and a half away was a huge selling point, too. ( our last two before that were both from Wisconsin. Factory visits could be a challenge, not to mention expensive and time consuming.)

[Rescue101]

Chassis is Ferrera,Torque box Etc is SMEAL. Smeal reserves a few "niceities" that they don't offer FFA. And FFA plays a few of their own with length. BOTH are a GOOD product and both have some perks to themselves. We tested a FFA here and I found it to be a nice rig to drive and operate. T.C.

[Rescue101]

Heat gettin' to ya?

Nope,ripped a page off the Brunicini play book. Climate controlled,quiet command space. How SWEET it is! When you coming to visit? T.C.

[npfd801]

I noticed Smeal's "regular" 100' 500# tip load stick is a 105' er, while Ferrara's is a 107'. I wonder, are these spec built just for FFA, or is it just due to chassis or measuring differences?

I think its a mix of a play on numbers and a little longer bolt on egress. Our Smeal is a 75' but its actually a 76' if you look at the charts at maximum allowed elevation (pitch) and max extension. My guess is if Ferrara's egress is a bit longer, their allowed equipment at the tip is lowered to compensate.

[Chenzo]

You don't have to make it's computer happy before you can go to work, and it doesn't think it is smarter than you. Simple and effective. Always ready to go to work. You can fly around the straight sticks from the bucket and give them the finger

That's gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful.

[GTRider245]

At my previous department we had a 75' E-One stick. Liked it just fine for what it was. At my current department I drive a 95' E-One platform every third day. We also have a 100' Pierce platform on the other end of the county. Most prefer the E-One. Like someone mentioned, if the doors will open you can set the jacks. E-One's reputation preceeds them in the aerial category. Plus there is just something that rubs me wrong about pinning jacks.

That being said, with unlimited funds, I would be looking at a Sutphen.

[Rescue101]

At my previous department we had a 75' E-One stick. Liked it just fine for what it was. At my current department I drive a 95' E-One platform every third day. We also have a 100' Pierce platform on the other end of the county. Most prefer the E-One. Like someone mentioned, if the doors will open you can set the jacks. E-One's reputation preceeds them in the aerial category. Plus there is just something that rubs me wrong about pinning jacks.

That being said, with unlimited funds, I would be looking at a Sutphen.

You don't HAVE to pin the ones with pins. They use the same type(self locking)of hydraulics that E-one does. The pins are a REDUNDANT safety. I'll take my pins for an extra 11' of horizontal reach. T.C.

[lrpott]

Crimson Builds Probably The Toughest + Strongest Ladder In The Industry. Not only having the knowledge of Jim Salmi the COO of Crimson Fire (Ladder Facility) along with their engineers he brought along with him from LTI. He wanted to make his ladders different than those built by LTI. He did this with Crimson Fire and their ladders. This was building the ladders tougher, with the ladder cradle assembly along with the grease-less ladder. If you ever get a chance take a look close look at a Crimson Ladder!! Trust me you won't be disappointed!!

[Rescue101]

I LIKE the Crimson product. Strongest ladder? Interpretive by user. The Smeal ladder size for size has the longest HORIZONTAL reach of any ladder built in the US. With a 100'MM platform reaching 99' horizontal and 1000# load factor,I'd rate that personally as a STRONG ladder. You are correct that Crimson has taken the Best of LTI and improved it. I've flown a Crimson and it is even nicer than the Lti product which has been a measuring stick in ladders for years. The Crimson roller system is a novel idea and servicing one is well thought out. Early version of some of the Ladders had Torque box issues;as far as I know these have all been resolved.Look for them to be a contender in the coming years. T.C.

[RFDACM02]

TC, maybe we've had this discussion before, and I in no way am doubting the Smeal's measuring tape, but how is it that they measure compared to the way other builders measure? I know our LTI 93' tower has an 88' side reach due basically to the body. Or maybe owing to the difference between the height of the turntable vs the radius from the center of the base section to the edge of the body? The height of 93' I believe is inclusive of the turntable starting point. So if measured the same way, the Smeal product either must actually reach higher than it's stated 100' length or not account for the loss of 4-5 feet from the center of the TT to the side of the body? Again, not trying to stir anything, but just wondering if we all could line up these trucks and measure the exact same way if we'd find the rated length vs. side reach to be far closer to each other? Of course I may have how this is measured mixed up in my head too?

[Rescue101]

TC, maybe we've had this discussion before, and I in no way am doubting the Smeal's measuring tape, but how is it that they measure compared to the way other builders measure? I know our LTI 93' tower has an 88' side reach due basically to the body. Or maybe owing to the difference between the height of the turntable vs the radius from the center of the base section to the edge of the body? The height of 93' I believe is inclusive of the turntable starting point. So if measured the same way, the Smeal product either must actually reach higher than it's stated 100' length or not account for the loss of 4-5 feet from the center of the TT to the side of the body? Again, not trying to stir anything, but just wondering if we all could line up these trucks and measure the exact same way if we'd find the rated length vs. side reach to be far closer to each other? Of course I may have how this is measured mixed up in my head too?

Get yer azz down here and measure. Give you a good excuse for you to leave the mainland. Longer sections I presume.Never did drop a tape over the side,If I get BORED I will. Right NOW,SLEEP is a priority. T.C.

[firepundit]

TC, maybe we've had this discussion before, and I in no way am doubting the Smeal's measuring tape, but how is it that they measure compared to the way other builders measure? I know our LTI 93' tower has an 88' side reach due basically to the body. Or maybe owing to the difference between the height of the turntable vs the radius from the center of the base section to the edge of the body? The height of 93' I believe is inclusive of the turntable starting point. So if measured the same way, the Smeal product either must actually reach higher than it's stated 100' length or not account for the loss of 4-5 feet from the center of the TT to the side of the body? Again, not trying to stir anything, but just wondering if we all could line up these trucks and measure the exact same way if we'd find the rated length vs. side reach to be far closer to each other? Of course I may have how this is measured mixed up in my head too?

Smeal reaches full height at a different angle than the others. To reach 100' at a lower degree elevation requires a longer ladder. That means it is farther over the jacks at full height for greater setback reach.