Ground ladders are critical firefighter safety components at any fireground, providing the access to and egress from roofs, windows, and a means of escape in an emergency. Proper ground ladder placement for these situations is imperative, but if we don’t use ground ladders that often, we need to review ladder placement techniques. This week’s drill helps fire department members gain proficiency in carrying, raising, climbing, and lowering ground ladders, as well as improving their inspection and maintenance skills.
You’ll need the ground ladders that are carried on your apparatus, checklists for ladder handling and inspection, soap, brushes, and SCBA. Howard A. Chatterton, in his Volunteer Training Drills-A Year of Weekly Drills, includes sample checklists for ladder handling and inspection.
Select a site at which apparatus can be placed near a building that can be laddered (a multilevel building is ideal). Obtain permission from the building owner to ladder the building for drill purposes if you’re not using a fire training facility. Review the appropriate ladder information in your department’s training manual. Provide each member at the drill with a copy the checklists. Make sure you have soap and scrub brushes and waterproof grease. Assign two members as safety officers and evaluators.
Running the Drill
Have crews remove the ladders from the apparatus and place them on the ground. Using the checklist, conduct an inspection of each ladder. Have members estimate the heights of the roof and windows and then select the appropriate ladders. Place two ladders against the building, either to the roof or to separate windows on the same floor. Make sure the ladder tips are tied in and that a firefighter foots each ladder. Have each firefighter climb one ladder and return down the second ladder. Each firefighter will perform the exercise three times as follows:
- Once wearing turnout gear;
- Once wearing turnout gear and SCBA; and
- Once wearing turnout gear and SCBA and carrying a tool.
Assign members to place ladders in position for the following operations: venting a window, entering a window for search and rescue, and lowering a victim from a window by rope. Practice leg-lock techniques for working with tools and operating hoselines.
The procedure for lowering a victim from a window using a rope placed through the rungs of a ground ladder is based on Chapter 5 in Essentials of Fire Fighting. Use both a basket stretcher and a rescue knot to lower a simulated victim. Wash all ladders with mild soap and apply waterproof grease to moving parts before returning all the ladders to the apparatus.
Evaluators should review the drill and each member’s performance, making sure to present the criticism positively. Emphasize that the goal of the drill is to practice good ladder handling skills without injuries.
Discuss what went right, what went wrong, and what should be done differently next time.
If you have a similar drill idea and wish to share it, please e-mail: chrism@pennwell.com.
To review training officer and safety officer considerations, visit http://fe.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=OnlineArticles&SubSection=HOME&PUBLICATION_ID=25&ARTICLE_ID=202453 to review training officer and safety officer considerations.
For more information on this drill, including a list of references and figures (if available), visit http://store.yahoo.com/pennwell/voltraindril.html to purchase Volunteer Training Drills–A Year of Weekly Drills.
