What is a rooftop cellular base station? You have more than likely seen the cellular antennas attached to some rooftops in your district. You may have even seen the tall stand-alone cell towers in commercial areas. Although you see them every day everywhere you go, you probably never thought you would have to come in contact with them or that they might affect your decision making at a structure fire. Unfortunately, the minute you have to make the roof at a fire in a three- or four-story multiple dwelling to open the bulkhead door, you may have to deal with the antennas or other components of a base station. As the bucket of your tower ladder approaches the parapet, you start to wonder if it is dangerous. Can you place the ladder near it? Is it electrified? Could you use it to help gain access to the roof? This article will help you attain an increased awareness while operating in or around rooftop cellular base stations on two- or three-story multiple dwellings.
Today, you can find cell antennas on virtually any type of building and any type of occupancy in your district. The area you live in may be an indicator of the type of antenna setup you will encounter. For instance, in rural areas, you may see tall stand-alone towers with antennas on the top, called monopoles, in the countryside or on the side of a highway. In more densely populated areas, you may find them on rooftops of three- and four-story multiple dwellings in strategic areas. But, you may also find them on top of schools, hospitals, public buildings, water towers, church steeples, andbelieve it or notfire stations.
To keep up with the increased call volume of cellular phones, the cellular phone industry must increase the number of base stations. The cellular companies are identifying buildings that will provide wireless signal coverage to critical gaps in their service and leasing space on their rooftops. Unfortunately for the fire service, operating in and around base station equipment presents many hazards.
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