Roles of a Ladder Truck at a House Fire

Firefighters use a wide range of specialized equipment. Perhaps the most iconic piece of equipment is the fire truck. Specialized fire trucks, including tanker, rescue and ladder trucks, exist for a wide variety of tasks.

Features

• Ladder trucks, also known as turntable ladder trucks, usually feature a large telescopic ladder mounted on a turntable at the back of the truck. Some models have the ladder mounted behind the cab.

Types

• Types of ladder trucks include quints and quads (both of which perform multiple tasks), hydraulic platforms and turntable ladder trucks.

Function

• Ladder trucks have three main functions. They allow firefighters to enter and exit upper stories, they create a high-level water point for firefighting and they function as a platform for tasks, such as ventilation.