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Pompier Ladders- Does Anyone Use These?
I was talking to one of our Probies the other day, and he asked me about Pompier Ladders. I told him that in 14 years, I've never seen one except in pictures. In fact, I'm certain that no F.D. in the Chicagoland area owns one of these! Are there any Fire Departments out there that actually use Pompier Ladders? Thanks in advance!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Pat Griffin on
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I have seen two pompiers in my short time in the fire service. One is at Bloomsburg Fire Department and the other is at Millville Fire, both depts. in PA. Bloom's pompier is all metal and i doubt it has been used in 20-30 years. We have Bloomsburg University right in town which has buildings 8 stories high for dorms. Im sure back in the day they were used for that purpose...I never asked. Millville's pompier has wooden steps that are either nailed or screwed into the metal post.
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Permalink Reply by Krystle on
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I have seen and used one but only for entertainment and to see if I could actually use it. The thing was really old and aquard to use but a few of us were taught by the owner of the pompier how to use the tool. It was another guy I knows turn to use it and one of the bars used to step on broke under his weight and he almost fell. Ive heard stories from guys in paid in MD years ago they use to have races to see who could reach the top of a building first. As far as a pompier being used on equipment today I have never see or heard of it being used
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Permalink Reply by DCFireman on
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Krystle,
When in DC Rookie School we used these for for the same purpose teamwork and confidence building, however we also used a rope net (yeah yeah I know old timer ;) what can I say) under us for that just in case "OH SHIT" moment!!
As for on runs the last time I knew of it being used was in the late eighties as I stated previously... I personally like the confidence building part since our job as firemen is one of feeling confident in our skills and abilities, yet proving so also to our brothers and sisters! Just saying I am a fireman means nothing if you cannot show those among you that they can trust them with your life!
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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200%? No, total agreement is 100%. But then, I'm known for being pedantic...
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Permalink Reply by roy yoder on
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if those of you that have used one will remember you have to have windows and a wall for this unit to work right. look at the construction of our high rises. all glass. the ladder will not work by design. so it goes away. it was a great piece of equipment for its purpose but just like the fire plug we don't use it any more either. we call it that but we don't have a wooden plug to stop the water from flowing from a wooden main. see obsolete, just about like me.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Thanks Harrison, that was awesome!
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Pompier ladders are no longer even addressed in the IFSTA Essentials manual, and using them is not a NFPA-validated skill.
The dangers of using them outweigh the benefits - how are you going to rescue a civilian victim with one?
They were simply access tools "back in the day". They had limited usefulness even when they were commonly used.
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Permalink Reply by Teddy on
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Our training academy has a few, my department has one, but I've never seen it used. Rumor has it our county had recruits climb a few stories of our burn building up until around 14 years ago
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AGAIN let me say this slowly we in the DC Fire Department had a fireman utilize one to rescue a woman in the late 80's, so the answer to your question is it can and has been done.... Just because the NFPA doesn't as you say use this as a "valid skill" does not mean squat!!!
Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, or maybe as we say "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX" have you ever used a ladder bridge to remove people from harms way? Do you think that IFSTA Essentials show this or that the NFPA want you doing it to make a rescue well I been involved with a moment like that!
You do what you have to do to protect lives my friend!
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How was the pompier ladder rescue done? Did the civilian climb down the pompier ladder, was the ladder used just for access and the civilian rescued by rope, or what? The trapped civilians I've seen over fires have universally been either too panicky or in such bad shape that they couldn't help us get them down an aerial ladder, let alone a pompier ladder.
For most departments, the risks of even teaching pompier ladders are going to outweigh the possible benefits of one rescue every 20 years ago in a busy urban area that has more fires than most departments will ever see. Ditto for the glass curtainwall construction that prevents the use of pompier ladders at all on modern high-rise construction.
I've used ladder bridges, ladder gins, ladder jibs, and some other ladder configurations not in the NFPA 1001 standard or IFSTA Essentials, but that were in rescue texts. Pompier ladders, however, are not addressed by those standards, either. My state fire academy has stopped teaching the ladder gin, because the ladders are not rated for the loads being applied. Ditto for the ladder bridges.
Congratulations on the successful ladder rescue s and having a good result.
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Why use a tool that hasn't been used on a real rescue for 20 years just to "build confidence"?
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