Reevaluating Truck Operations

BY JOHN MITTENDORF

In its infancy, fire suppression efforts con-sisted of bucket brigades that had a minimal effect on structural fires but did illuminate the need for more effective solutions for the mitigation of fires. For this reason, early volunteer fire brigades were formed. Ben Franklin is well-known for his early efforts is this area. As these initial volunteer brigades became more organized and experienced in the various stages of fire suppression operations, it soon became evident that buildings were being built larger and higher than single-story residential structures and, as a result, fires in multistory buildings were becoming more difficult to reach and extinguish. Along with the increasing organization and developing professionalism of the fire service came the knowledge that fire suppression often consisted of two basic components—the ability to reach a fire and the capability to then put it out. This realization led to the use of ladders to reach fires above the first floor in buildings and ultimately to the use of specific companies that carried ladders and tools instead of carrying hose and pumping water. This diversity of fire apparatus led to terms such as pumper, hose companies (which are still used by some modern fire departments), and ladder companies.

第一次尝试使用专用梯那么nies resulted in human-drawn wagons with wood ladders up to 20 feet in length. With the advent of horse-drawn apparatus, more ladders were carried, and lengths increased to 35 feet. The introduction of gasoline-powered apparatus saw ladder length further increase to 50 feet. During this time, pompier-type ladders were used; they enabled fireground personnel to ascend the exterior of multistory buildings by attaching the ladder to exterior windows. This operation was instrumental in using the nomenclature ofhook and laddercompanies that denoted apparatus that carried ladders.