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!

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I used one 1982 during rookie school as a confidence booster. The DC Fire Department had them on the all Truck Companies until the late eighties.. We even had a fireman from Truck Company 3 who rescued a woman utilizing one (I believe it was 1984ish). They stopped using them in the 90's guess they feared rookies couldn't handle it anymore!
Yup, we got one and use it every day. hanging up in the kitchen and we use it to hang all the pots and pans on!
So technically it's still in use! I love it.
Only seen one in books.
In 32 years on the job, I've only know of 1 Pomp Ladder around, It's hanging on the wall in the Lexington Ky training center. In their day they were a great tool, as long as you were training in their uses. Same as the Church Steple , but it's takes personell being on their toes to keep the ladder at the 90 degree angel. Here in Kentucky it is strongly advised NOT to use in training I agree back in the ole days it was used for ladder training and we didn't dump anybody , damn near did but didn't... Check Firehouse back in the 100 year ago section you may find a story about them... Man this bring back some old memories....
We still train in the Church Raise. It's taught in the academy. The only time we do it after that is during open house for Fire Safety Week. The citizens love it!
I was at a fairly new,replacement station this week. Had to stop by to see a guy before he retires. On the wall they had a pompier ladder. They salvaged it out of a storage shed before the old station was demolished
If these ladders have been taken out of service because they were deemed to be unsafe, why is it ok to make the probies do it to show them of what it was like in the old days? By that same logic we should make them go into thier first fire without BA's so they can taste what firefighting was really about.

Some things just don't make sense.

Dave
I seem to recall reading an article a few hundred years ago. OK maybe 20 years ago. The pompier training wasn't a 'tradition' exercise. It was a way of building confidence.
We got rid of ours about 25 years ago.
Here that would be called 'bastardisation'. Something you force people to do when there's no reason for it other than to make life difficult. Training on the equipment that you'll be using is valid. So called 'training' using something that has been deemed unsafe? Not going to happen when I'm around!
we have a couple at our department of training, however that is the only place they are used. We climed to the 5th floor of the drill tower with them in recruit school. Arial ladders have come a long way since the days when the Pompier laders were used. However I am very happy that I can say i have seen them and used them, I would recomend that if anyone has the oprotunity to use one they do.

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