Tom Shand and Michael Wilbur discuss tool and equipment layouts on ladder trucks and how you can set up your rig to be more efficient on the fireground while making your truck safer to operate.
The Waldorf, MD, Fire Department’s Truck 3 carries a wide assortment of fans and power equipment on slide trays. Note the location of the electric cable reel and portable lights at the front portion of the body. The rig also carries five tool boxes for a variety of applications.
In the September installment of the Apparatus Architect, we discussed some of the concepts surrounding quint apparatus and some of the trade-offs involved with fire pump, water tank and ground ladder complements on new rigs. No matter what type of ladder company rig your department may choose
TOM SHAND, who is a Firehouse contributing editor, is a 36-year veteran of the fire service. He works with Michael Wilbur at Emergency Vehicle Response, consulting on a variety of fire apparatus and fire department master-planning issues. Shand is a member of the Firehouse Hall of Fame.
MICHAEL WILBUR, who is a Firehouse contributing editor, retired as a lieutenant in FDNY, where he was last assigned to Ladder Company 27 in the Bronx. He has served on FDNY's Apparatus Purchasing Committee and consults on a variety of apparatus-related issues around the country. Wilbur is a member of the Firehouse Hall of Fame. For further information, access his website at www.emergencyvehicleresponse.com.
