Tailboard

With the "oldest" discussion going, I was wondering if anyone still rides tailboard. I thought the NFPA standard was grandfathered in.

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Permalink Reply by T.J. on August 25, 2008 at 5:00pm

We sure don't, and by law I dont believe anyone can do that anymore unless your loading 5" hose then its ok.

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Permalink Reply by LT Lake on August 25, 2008 at 5:03pm

not happening in our department. if your on that tailboard those wheels better be chocked.

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Permalink Reply by Terry on August 25, 2008 at 5:17pm

We havent rode the tailboard for approx. 8 years. All of the trucks we have now are enclosed cabs. the only time we are on the tail board is when we are loading our supply lines up

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Permalink Reply by LEO AFD389NY on August 25, 2008 at 5:17pm

IF THERE IS NOT A SEAT FOR YOU, YOU SHOULD NOT BE RIDING THE RIG.

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Permalink Reply by turk182 on August 25, 2008 at 5:33pm

When I first got in the department we road the beaver tail. We had safety straps we had to wear when riding back there.

We no longer rde the rear of the truck and removed the straps off the truck.

We do let guys on theback while loading LDH but that the only time.

We also have a back up camera and a squack box so the driver and the guys on the back can comunicate with each other.

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Permalink Reply by Rolf Peterson on August 25, 2008 at 5:37pm

Cannot be done any longer

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Permalink Reply by Capkurt on August 25, 2008 at 5:43pm

The only folks riding the tailboards are actors in commercials like the one during the olympics. I think it was a Visa commercial and it was near the end where they show the FF's riding by. Pretty lame.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Evans on August 25, 2008 at 6:20pm

Ours are used during our "Santa Sunday" as we go around the neighborhoods passing out treats and driving "Santa" around on the top of the trucks., the fastest they go is 25, and they go with traffic if on a main road.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bates on August 25, 2008 at 6:38pm

when I first became a firefighter in the early nineties we were still able to ride the " backstep", and as a junior this was really the only place you could ride, so as not to take up a pack seat. Learning to hit the hydrant and be able to ride backstep was one of the most exciting things to be able to do. I understand it's not safe to do , but man was it fun to ride back there, we had straps that were probably more for piece of mind. but looking around the side of the truck as we split traffic down the main roads thru town was definitely a thrill.our ladder truck had two spots all the way back there, you used to really get whipped up and down. on that truck you had to wear a ladder belt with a large pompier hook clipped into a hole drilled in the diamond plate.yeah real hi-tech, PS you'd better have your chinstrap on otherwise it was a good chance you'd lose your helmet on a pot hole or bump.

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Permalink Reply by Kenneth Holley on August 25, 2008 at 6:50pm

The only time we ride on the back step is in a parade.

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Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on August 25, 2008 at 9:18pm

That's why I brought this up. Sure 20 years we still road tailboard legally. And I believe that when NFPA 1901 was rewritten about then, it was only recommended that apparatus that didn't meet the code should be replaced. Of course all new rigs had to meet this. I'm just wondering if there are VFDs that still have rigs without jump seats.