Ladder 21
Ladder-21
2004 American LaFrance 93LT mid-mount 93 Ft. tower ladder. Powered by 500 horsepower Detroit series 60 and Allison transmission. Ladder 21 has a 20,000 W Hanson hydraulic generator to power its lighting system and built in Hurst Rescue tool system. The truck also caries Hurst air bags and poly vehicle cribbing blocks, as well as numerous saws, rescue and forcible entry tools
Ladder-21 is a "bucket-truck," whereas the ladder truck it replaced was a "straight-stick." What does this mean? It means that at the end of the long ladder, which sits on the top of the truck, is a platform with surrounding sides. This platform or "bucket" allows two or three firefighters to simultaneously stand at the end of the extended ladder to rescue victims, or to actively fight a fire.
Previously, firefighters could not stand erect at the end of the ladder ("stick"), and had to be well spaced so as not to exceed the weight limit, thus endangering themselves or causing damage to the ladder.