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Post by Box_2565 on Mar 20, 2002 2:45:33 GMT -5
My personal preference is tillers, but I don't have to work on these rigs. Most of the CFD's ladder companies operated with city service ladder trucks in the old days (CST's have ground ladders and the other truck company equipment but do not have an aerial). A few towns still use them.
So, what does everyone else think!
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Post by wefr15 on Mar 24, 2002 17:58:02 GMT -5
I have allways wondered why CFD ran straight stick tillers and midmounts? I don't think that all companies need towers but about four tower ladders spread through out the city would be a good idea. I know the CFD truckies are fast at getting ladder pipes set up but with the tower you have have it prepiped and it is a heck of lot safer working out of a basket to direct master streams then off the tip of a straight stick. Plus with a tower you have piped in air and electric. just my 2 cents worth.
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Post by George Bredestege on Mar 26, 2002 11:15:06 GMT -5
Since I do work on one of these, I think I am qualified to comment. Tillers are a neat idea, for nostalgia, but the rearmount straight stick has more than proved itself. The E-One currently assigned to us can turn a full circle inside the smallest circle turned by the Seagrave pumper we share quarters with. It is manuverable, fast, spacious (compartmentwise), and the hydraulics respond promptly. With only one driver, the margin of error is greatly reduced. What it lacks in room for the crew it makes up for in function. As far as tower ladders, I haven't seen a situation yet where I felt it would have made a difference. In our last ladderpipe drill three weeks ago, we (a crew of three overseen by the officer) put the pipe up in just over two minutes. From a cost benefit standpoint, the more expensive tower would not be worth the time saved. We just don't use them that often. Besides, the equipment that is the ladder pipe has been around a long time and has been paid for. It just moves on to the next truck. Since we mostly use the ladder to get to a window or to the roof, and the large bucket would seem more an obstacle than an advantage. Rarely do we have perpendicular placement that would give the bucket the advantage. In addition, the increased cost for the heavier rig needed to carry the thing would put it out of reach. The ladders we have now are light duty ladders, on a platform that weighs only 49,000 lbs. For perspective, an E-one pumper weighs 40,000. With the hills we have to contend with, heavier equipment would mean higher maitenance costs. I have personnally been on board twice when we started the brakes on fire on the equipment we have (Rosemont Hill caused one, White Street the other). Another difficulty is that we move frontline equipment to spare status and the spare equipment must be usable by all companies of kind. Having only two types of companies (52's excluded) simplifies this greatly. There is already some difficulty getting the old tillers into one house I know of since remodeling, and I am certain this will soon involve others as remodeling continues across the department. I don't know if a tower could breach the door at the 24's, with only 11'6" of clearance now (the truck we have is 11'1"). That's enough for now.
Just my two cents!!
George
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Post by Box_2565 on Mar 27, 2002 23:51:01 GMT -5
Hi George,
Your view point echoes what I've heard from the other ATO's assigned to the ladder companies. They are pretty happy with not having to worry about what's going on with the tillerman. My view point on tillers is purely nostalgic coupled with the fact that they look neat!
I always wondered though if there might be a need for just one ladder company to operate some type of tower for situations that might come up where it would be handy.
The other question about aerials is size. Is it necesary for all ladder companies to operate a 100' or 110' aerial? Several towns have gone back to buying 75' aerials for some companies. They are built on a much smaller chassis and can fit into some rather tight spots.
Later.....
Steve
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Post by tony66@fuse.net on May 13, 2002 21:00:52 GMT -5
After reading George's comments, I agree that the straight trucks meet the CFD's needs. As far as the Baker buckets go,these are not for CFD's needs, they get along great in NYC, because it's flat up there. My dad worked on several of these after FDNY sold them to a couple of KY. depts. He thought they were !@#$. A huge waste of taxpayers dough (same as Paul Brown stadium) Seagrave makes a straight stick aerial w/ single or tandems If Seagrave apparatus fits best in our houses ,why don't they go back to buying them?
Tony
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