With its latest acquisition – a 1995 95-foot Seagrave Tower Ladder – the Exeter Township Fire Department has prepared itself for the expected growth of the township over the next 15 years.
The multi-function apparatus is capable of tackling both fire and rescue operations with improved efficiency and safety, said Brian Rhein, captain of the fire department.
The tower ladder, which has a spacious bucket mounted at the top, is particularly valuable when it comes to rescuing trapped victims in a high-rise fire, he explained. “People feel more comfortable climbing into an enclosed bucket as opposed to descending to the ground on a straight ladder,” he added.
Weight is also a factor in rescuing people, Rhein continued. A tower ladder is capable of handling a weight of up to 750 pounds, which means as many as three people, including the firefighter, can be accommodated in the bucket, he said. A straight ladder can only handle 500 pounds, which limits it to two people at a time: the firefighter and the trapped victim.
When it comes to fighting the fire itself, the tower ladder also is superior, said Rhein. The bucket provides a stationery base of operations for the firefighter when uncertainty exists as to the state of the building or roof. Dousing the blaze is done by the tower ladder’s deck gun, which is mounted firmly in front of the bucket. A firefighter in the bucket controls the deck gun which shoots water directly onto the fire.
Another advantage of the bucket is its capacity for holding important fire-fighting and rescue tools. With a straight ladder, the firefighter has to carry the tools with him as he ascends the ladder – which limits what he can carry and, to some extent, jeopardizes his safety. With a tower ladder, the firefighter simply places the tools in the bucket which makes them readily available during a fire or rescue operation.