ARE YOU A REAL COMPANY?

[LANSING T 107]

I was just wondering if the mid & small departments who have trucks feel that they are properly trained in truck co operations?

Is this a common problem? Do mid size dept's run a true truck company, or is it just another piece of equipment to ride on?

Mike

[res7cue]

I hear what your sayin'. Out of the 7 truck houses in my area, we have 3 that are actually proficient in their jobs. The others range from doing a decent job to just having the label and the unit in orider to justify the #'s.

[1261Truckie]

LANSING T 107,

I'm currently a member of a volunteer FD north and east Houston, Texas (it is an "uncorporated community"). The area is suburban to rural with a cluster of large commercial properties (i.e. Home Depot, Wal-mart, supermarkets and "taxpayers") in "downtown". We also have several garden apartment complexes and schools. We run out of three firehouses (stations), have about 30 to 35 active members and cover 90 square miles.

Our "ladder truck" is a 65 ft telesqurt. There are about half a dozen members who are 1) profficient in and 2) enthusiastic about TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS. We all have truck company backgrounds from previous departments.

Our chief looks upon the truck as a "parade and funeral" vehicle and as a result does not utilize the truck to its fullest extent. Part of the problem is he is not well versed in truck ops and the local belief that "when the stick goes up, the building comes down" (in other words a ladder truck is strictly a defensive tool not an offensive tool). He has the truck on an initial alarm for a commercial fire but NOT on the initial alarm for a residential fire (he says "wait for the 1-11, then roll the ladder")

Even more fundamental, there are several members who believe routine truck ops (such as venting windows, cutting roofs, opening up and thorough overhaul) inflict un-necessary damage to the burned structure. We (the truckies) are slowly showing the importance of good truck work. There are even a few chiefs in neighboring communities who will special-call our truck (if only for additional manpower. At least that's a start).

While frustrating, we are waiting for the day when the truck (and the truckies) will be recognized for the roll truck companies play in every day operations.

Like the man said "LET'S BE CAREFUL OUT THERE"

Regards to all,

Jim Boyle (aka 1261Truckie)
Captain - Porter Vol. Fire Dept.

[jizumper-5]

Too many . Just because one has a ladder/truck/tower does not mean they are a "truck company." The truck is just one part of the whole equation. The hard part is training and desire to do things right.

[ggtruckie]

well we are located in a pretty good size town but surronded by rural areas. We end up going out to rural areas and rural fire stations end up coming to us. We run the only ladder truck in the whole county most of the time we go to rural areas they do not even make use of the truck.

Most companies only have the truck on an intial alarm in thier first due if the buiding is commercial, they are so focused with putting water on the fire they dont do anything else. We hear stuff all the time saying hey the building is only one floor what do you need the truck for.

So I see two differant style out here the rural focus on water, and the more urbanized veiw of using the truck and squad, neither are wrong just differant. rural ares have to pay more attention to getting water because it is more difficult for them to do with out hydrants.

[ 12-13-2001: Message edited by: ggtruckie ]

[R1SAlum]

I don't think it's a reach to say that most of the Trucks in America either arrive with not enough people, arrive too late in the initial minutes of a fire to perform the most important Truck functions, or don't arrive at all.

[LANSING T 107]

I must add to my topic....

I must ask, when your first due engine arrive one scene, do they pull right in front of the blgd, or do they leave room for the ladder?

2nd question? Mid mount or rear? I vote rear, due to its reach and you can back it in.

Thanks,
mike

[1261Truckie]

LANSING T 107,

Regarding the addition to your topic, our first arriving engine takes the front of the building (or the driveway which ever gets them closer), the first arriving tanker pulls up right behind the engine, the second arriving tanker positions right behind the first arriving tanker. Then there are the POV's parked all over the place.

When the ladder (a 65 ft rear mounted telesqurt)finally arrives, it's parked at the end of this daisy-chain/congo-line, thereby negating its effectiveness as a ladder truck.

As I said earlier, truck ops is a distant concept down here.

Regards,
Jim Boyle (1261Truckie)

[51Truck_K]

Texas, you are a better man than I am. I would be tops on your Chief's NO Christmas Card List for sure.

Reminders;

The address belongs to the Truck. Meaning, pull the engine past the fire building. Yo can stretch hose all you want, we all know you can't stretch a ladder.

Anything LESS than 75 feet is a waste in an ariel device. Remeber, we don't only have to reach up, but out,over,AND up. I would rather have my taxes raised to pay for the extra 30 feet of lifesaving ladder, than to not be able to reach a window with people showing.

Correct, the piece itself is just another tool a Truckie uses. There are so many important tasks that need to be done on arrival. For those of youse without a dedicated Truck Compnay....when do your roofs get opened? who searches the floor above the fire, and when? Open windows? Is that left to the "outside"members, because anyone can do it? Sure I can sit at a command post and throw rocks at the glass to, but does that clean the window out? NO. All functions of a truck company must be carried out immediatly by trained, confident members to ensure the safety of civilians, as well as our "little" Brothers inside on the nob.


Happy Holidays Andy Fredericks.......God Bless You

[elkhound]

How about this.....there is not a Ladder within 50 miles of our town (perhaps a 95'platform this year for us ). However at every Fire we perform Truck Co. ops and do them reasonably well. Sure we can't operate wholly as a Truck Co. should but we do have "truckies" that are well versed in forcible entry, venting, etc....S o is it the apparatus or the training that make the truck co??

[gfdtrk4]

Good question Lansing!!!
Was it a recent incident that set this post in motion?
Truck work is truly "art"
An "art" that is often overlooked and often looked down upon(?), as you can tell by the replies posted above.
The idea that if you use a truck then the structure will be lost is just funny, makes me laugh!
I might be tempted to tell that individual that the reason the bldg. was lost may be due to the fact that the truck co. was not utilized properly ...or because he was giving out the orders!!!! (ya didn't hear that from me)

Hey T107....Did you make it out to the job last night in Harvey?

[ 12-14-2001: Message edited by: gfdtrk4 ]

[Halligan84]

What you arrive on has nothing to do with how you perform! If you have members who know how to force entry, search, open up and support a fire attack, it doesn't matter if they get out of a pick up. Getting the job done is the only thing that matters. How many times have you heard guys make excuses about the fire being "too far gone" or "overwhelmed" us, when you know some ventilation or the right size line would have gotten the job done. My feeling is, if you don't know truck work, you really don't know firefighting.

[robschmidt]

[ 01-23-2002: Message edited by: Schmidt ]

[dragonfyre]

Hey Poodle: Sounds like you don't like my old friend Jack the Chief. You do point out a good problem with quints, what are they? Are they a pumper with a stick (YES)or are they a ladder with a pump. Maybe in the cities with paid departments that's not too much of a problem but in the burbs outside of Philly everyone is getting squirt fever and now comes the problems. When it goes out, what is it? We have a 75' former FDNY Mack Aerialscope and there is no problem in knowing what it is and what it does. And yes we do leave room for it to come in.
It was at a major fire (7 alarms)in our county Tuesday night and was working for a while when their chief decided to move it. After he moved it and we asked for a water supply he asked where the pump was. He got us one in a hurry.

[ 12-15-2001: Message edited by: dragon-fyre ]

[CollegeBuff]

Is it possible for two guys to be a truck company? That's the norm here in the suburbs of Providence....

[ 12-15-2001: Message edited by: CollegeBuff ]