Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on September 14, 2009 at 9:49am

At my FD I am one of the Truck Officers and our apparatus is a 1988 LTI 75 ft rear mount straight stick with a prepiped waterway. There are some "nozzle heads"(Eng Co members) who would like to use the aerial as just a water thrower, but time and time again we prove to them that we are far more than just that. We are striving to fully utilize our apparatus at every opportunity to show that we are more than just a "water thrower" and slowly we are winning the heart of the FD. It is a struggle here because we are fighting alot of culture, tradition, and miseducation when it comes to respect for true "Truckmanship," but we are slowly wearing those "hose jockies" down. I respect the need for a good Eng Co and I understand that on any scene, we all have a role to play. We just really have to define and demand the true respect that each role deserves.

Permalink Reply by John Vinzant on September 15, 2009 at 8:09am

At our Department, I am a Driver Engineer, and have an Engine and a 50 foot Telesqurt. I drive and operate both units ( One at a time, LOL ). I was at the station when we had received the Squrt, In the past we have done some minor rescues. But with the transfer of command ( Upper management and Training Department ) We have seem to be forgetting the Options that a Aerial Device can do. I have done some rescue training with it, and had been told not to. But I'm still trying to show different options on useage.

Permalink Reply by jeff nunziato on September 17, 2009 at 9:33pm

I drive a seagrave 100' stick we trian with it to do both rescue and throw water (some of the hose draggers from the eng. do not know what it is to be a truckie

Permalink Reply by William Bills on April 26, 2011 at 1:36pm

Our primary roll on our initial response is rescue and ventilation. We concentrate the use of our ladder for that, at what ever point the water pipe may need to be put into that service roll we certainly do, but rescue and ventilation is the typical priority.