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May-June 2009 |
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Laddering Challenges: A View from San Francisco
Laddering a building is one of the most critical functions performed on the fireground. It is done for a variety of reasons: effect a rescue, provide entry for firefighters, provide a means of egress for occupants as well as firefighters, provide access for ventilation, the list goes on. It is rarely done under ideal conditions, whatever that may be, and can be very stressful. The Paxton Hotel fire in Chicago, March 1993, was a testament to laddering under the most extreme conditions while performing with unparalleled courage. Faced with heavy fire conditions in a multi-story, single-room occupancy, a large number of people trapped, hanging and jumping from windows, Chicago firefighters were able to effect numerous rescues in winter conditions.
Throwing ladders successfully under adverse conditions takes practice. The city of San Francisco offers some of the most adverse conditions anywhere. The steep hills, overhead wires, building construction and exposure problems make everyday laddering a considerable challenge. Throw in a multiple rescue situation and the task may seem overwhelming.
It is fine to drill on flat ground, no obstructions and in a stress-free environment but what about those challenges? The ones which are sure to occur when least expected. Are you prepared? The solution begins with a survey of your district.
Getting out during the day for what some call “area orientation” and others characterize as “cruising” has its advantages. We all like to take in the “eye candy,” but remember you are a professional and have a duty to the citizens you protect. The time should be spent looking at the myriad of problems presented by specific conditions within your district or surrounding districts. Are you ready for them? Whatever they are PLAN for them. DRILL for them.
The following series of photos illustrate several laddering problems encountered in San Francisco. More laddering problems will be presented in future articles.
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Photos above. The steep hill, obstructions and overhead wires do not make for an easy ladder raise.
Photo above. A four-story multiple dwelling is set behind two other multiple dwellings. The only access is by ground ladders through this narrow alley.
Photo above. The aerial sits in its bed at this fire involving two, type 5 multiple dwellings. Overhead wires rendered the aerial useless. Raising ground ladders, including these two 50-foot ladders, was no easy task.
Photo above. A four alarm fire that raced through this 5 story multiple dwelling presented firefighters with very limited laddering options. Aerial ladders were of no use. Only the front and rear fire escapes and several lower floor windows could be laddered. See photo below.
These photos represent a handful of varying situations San Francisco Firefighters face each day. There are cities all over the country with equally daunting circumstances. Over the years, through experience and practice, the San Francisco Fire Department has developed ladder-raising techniques which successfully address the problems they encounter. Many of these innovative techniques are published in department manuals. Some are not and are the creation of the more progressive and experienced officers. They are safely stored in their cerebral hard drives.
The 50-foot bangor ladder is a staple of the San Francisco Fire Department. At times there are circumstances where aerial ladders simply cannot hit the intended target leaving the 50 as the only alternative. While the need for this type of ladder is generally uncommon in most jurisdictions, it is precisely for this reason that companies carrying the bangor ladder need to PRACTICE!
Bangor ladders are usually either 50 feet or 40 feet in length or sometimes a length close to this. San Francisco’s 50-foot ladder is a two section, wooden ladder, weighing just under 400 pounds. It takes six people to raise this ladder. Because it is “labor intensive,” you may have to either alter your procedures or request additional resources to get the job done. It does not preclude the company from having to “muscle” a ladder up using fewer people. The worst situation I was involved with required raising the 50-foot ladder on a hill, without poles, with obstructions on two sides, overhead wires, multiple hoselines on the ground, and with only five people! It is amazing what adrenaline can do. Absent that sense of urgency, I can assure you that it was much more difficult taking it down than putting it up.
The very size and weight of these ladders, whether they are wood or metal, makes them cumbersome and potentially unstable. Raising them takes strength, skill, and coordination. The officer gives specific commands which in most cases are answered. The possibility for injury makes it crucial that firefighters pay attention to the officer and their surroundings.
During the process of raising and extending the ladder, firefighters positioned at the poles should not move at the same time, except when lowering the ladder into the building or lowing to the ground when taking the ladder down. This will provide for greater stability of the ladder.
In the standard raise, the ladder will initially be raised parallel to the building, rotated so it faces the building, extended, and then lowered into place. The poles are placed into proper position and the halyard is tied correctly. Two firefighters are positioned at the spurs and are designated inside spur (IS) and outside spur (OS). Two firefighters are positioned at the beams and are designated inside beam (IB) and outside beam (OB). Finally, two firefighters are positioned at the poles and are designated inside pole (IP) and outside pole (OP). The ideal situation has the officer (O) off to the side giving commands. It also allows the officer to assist in raising and stabilizing the ladder as it is either raised or lowered. Reality usually has the officer at the spur position assisting with the raising of the ladder and giving commands.
Once the poles are secured and firefighters are in their proper place, the officer’s commands and firefighter answers would be as follows:
Officer: “Prepare to Raise.”
Officer: “Raise.” (the ladder is raised to the vertical position)
Officer: “Prepare to pivot.” (At this point, the Outside Pole firefighter pivots at about 90 degrees from the inside pole firefighter.)
Outside Pole Firefighter: “Set.” (This response is given once he/she reaches the proper position.)
Officer: “Pivot.” (At this point the Outside Pole firefighter pushes slightly putting more weight on the inside spur, taking weight off the outside spur. Both Spur firefighters and Beam firefighters pivot the ladder with the fly facing the building. The Outside Pole firefighter takes a step to compensate for the very short distance the pole travels as the ladder pivots towards the building.)
Officer: “Prepare to extend.” (At this point the Outside Pole firefighter moves to a position closer to the building and at a 30-degree angle from the beam towards the building. A Spur firefighter unties the halyard to prepare for extending the fly.)
Outside Pole Firefighter: “Set.” (This response is given once he/she reaches the proper position.)
Inside Pole Firefighter: Upon hearing the Outside Pole firefighter say “set”, moves to a position closer to the building and at 30-degree angle from the beam towards the building.
Officer: “Extend.”
Spur Firefighter extends the fly pulling the halyard down.
Officer: “Lock” is the command once the desired height is reached.
Officer: “Place ladder” is the command to lower the ladder to the objective.
Pole Firefighters walk backward towards the building and in an arc as the ladder comes closer to the building. They may have to push or pull the poles to place the ladder into the desired position. Once in position the Pole Firefighters set the poles as near to vertical as possible. The pole is placed as near vertical as possible. See photo below.
Spur Firefighter ties the halyard.
This is a simplified version of what is contained in the Drill Manual and is the standard technique of raising the 50-foot ladder on flat ground with no obstructions. Minor details were excluded. San Francisco uses exclusively wooden ground ladders. See Ground Ladders, Part 2, by John Mittendorf, in the October-November 2002 issue of Fire Nuggets. Keep in mind that when raising wooden ladders the fly section is in towards the building while it is the opposite with metal ladders. For most raises using the 50-foot ladder, the bed section will be on the ground just prior to raising the ladder. There are exceptions which will be discussed in later issues of Fire Nuggets.
The following 50-foot ladder raise is one option for the circumstance for which it was designed. Future issues of Fire Nuggets will present alternative ladder raises for a range of situations.
Hill Raise Evolution
Once the ladder is in place, flat on the ground with beam side down, and all firefighters in position, the officer will begin the commands to get the ladder in the designated place. Raise the ladder from uphill to downhill. DO NOT try to raise the ladder going uphill. The commands and answers are as follows:
Officer: “Prepare to raise.” (Refer to diagram 1, hill raise evolution.)
Spur firefighters take position with their outside foot on the spur and the inside foot approximately two feet back. Because there will be a tendency for the ladder to slide downhill, Spur firefighters must concentrate on applying considerable pressure on the spurs as the raise begins. See photo below.
Beam firefighters take positions at the beam, knees bent, back straight, hands outside of knees, grasping the truss.
Pole firefighters take positions with the inside hand grasping the end of the pole and the outside hand grasping the pole with the arm extended. Pole firefighters maintain a position of approximately four feet apart.
Officer: “Raise.”
Spur firefighters force the spurs down while the Beam firefighters lift the ladder from the ground. The Beam firefighters will be doing all of the lifting for a split second to get the ladder approximately four feet off of the ground. At this point the Pole firefighters can begin to push the poles to raise the ladder. If the Pole firefighters began pushing before the ladder reached the four foot height there is a good chance the ladder would slide down the hill regardless of the force being applied by the spur firefighters.
Beam firefighters while lifting, turn under the beam facing the spurs. They move under the beam towards the spurs in a hand under hand movement.
Pole firefighters keep pushing on the poles evenly and upward until the ladder is vertical. They need to maintain the four foot distance and WATCH the top of the ladder to insure it is vertical and not falling over.
With the ladder in vertical position, the Spur and Beam firefighter foot positions should look like the photo below.
Officer: “Prepare to pivot.” (Refer to diagram 2, hill raise evolution, below.)
Outside Pole firefighter moves 180 degrees, downhill from the starting point, and calls out, “Set,” when in position.
Inside Pole Firefighter walks to a position 45 degrees from the starting point towards the building and calls out, “Set.”
Officer: “Pivot.”
Outside Pole Firefighter holds the downhill spur off of the ground while taking a step towards the building to compensate for the travel of the ladder as it pivots. Spur Firefighters move backward as the Beam Firefighters move forward completing the pivot. All eyes should be focused at the top of the ladder while the pivot is made. The fly is facing the building.
The firefighter at the downhill spur position should place a wedge under the downhill spur with the thick end towards the building at a 45-degree angle. See photo below. For more information on ladder blocks refer to Ground Ladder Chocks, by Mat Rush, in the April-May 2006 issue of Fire Nuggets. In the second photo below note the use of a ladder heeler which is attached to the downhill spur of the ladder after it has been raised. A metal rod is housed in a notched metal tube which permits setting the extension of the rod in graduations of 1½ inches.
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Officer: “Prepare to extend.” (Refer to diagram 3, hill raise evolution, below.)
Outside Pole Firefighter moves in an arc with the pole approximately 60 degrees taking a position 30 degrees from the beam of the ladder toward the building. Once in position, he announces “set”.
Inside Pole Firefighter moves to a position 30 degrees from the beam of the ladder towards the building and announces “set” when in position.
Both Pole Firefighters adjust the top of the ladder to slightly off vertical toward the building.
A Spur firefighter unties the halyard in preparation for extension of the fly.
Officer: “Extend.”
Beam Firefighter grasps the halyard with arms extended above the head and pulls the halyard down to extend the fly to the desired position.
Officer: “Lock,” when the fly is in the desired position.
Beam Firefighter with the halyard engages the pawls on the rungs and releases the halyard.
Officer: “Place ladder.” (See diagram 4, hill raise evolution, below.)
Pole Firefighters walk backwards towards the building moving outward to 45 degrees as they reach the building. The Pole Firefighters also push and or pull the poles as needed to place the ladder to the desired location.
Beam Firefighters assist in guiding the ladder into position.
Spur Firefighters assist in placing the ladder into position.
Once the tip of the ladder has contacted the target and firefighters no longer have to contend with the weight of the ladder, the halyard should be tied and a wedge block placed under the downhill pole or a ladder pole extension used. See photo below.
In most cases, it is San Francisco Fire Department SOP to brace the 50-foot ladder with a 24-foot straight ladder. The straight ladder is raised with its truss facing the truss of the 50. The straight ladder is tied from the top rung DOWN to the bed ladder (and fly if possible) of the 50. See photo below.
Other options for a hill include raising the ladder with the fly section facing down on the ground prior to raising, while another option allows for lowering one beam into the designated spot then rotating the ladder in order to place both beams onto the building. There are a number of options and combinations of options that can be considered. A thorough understanding of the various raises and continued practice is the only way to become proficient. Look for more laddering tips in future issues of Fire Nuggets.
The San Francisco Fire Department Truck and Ladder Manual and Drill Manual were used as references for this article. Diagrams have been modified.
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