When departments prepare to move a substantial number of firefighters or victims up and down an aerial quickly, they often specify extra-heavy-duty aerial ladders. These specialized aerials have NFPA-rated tip loads of 750 pounds or more at low angles to support a lot of personnel and equipment in a variety of situations.

One common situation might be where the ladder cannot be placed directly against a wall or roof parapet for support, such as might be encountered when it is extended parallel to the walls between two buildings. Under these conditions, the aerial structure bears the whole load and requires extra-heavy construction. Another situation might be low-angle rescues where the combination of firefighters and victims could overload lower-rated aerials.

Anne Arundel County, Md., took delivery of an E-ONE CR100 100-foot aerial ladder quint that gives them excellent firefighting and rescue capabilities. It has a 1,025-pound tip load rating to support 750 pounds of personnel and 275 pounds of equipment in a horizontal position. A 1,250-gpm pump and 1,000-gpm pre-plumbed monitor deliver water for elevated master streams. The hosebed has room for 1,000 feet of 5-inch supply hose, and the unit carries 119 feet of ground ladders in an enclosed compartment that runs down the center of the body.

American LaFrance delivered an XD 110-foot aerial ladder to Bloomfield, N.J. It is designed as a straight truck, without a pump or tank, and has plenty of compartments with a modular tool-mounting system to keep all the tools and equipment in place. An EMS compartment in the cab allows the apparatus to handle medical calls and keep sensitive drugs and instruments in a secure, climate-controlled environment.

Frankfort (Ky.) Fire and EMS specified a Sutphen SL75 75-foot aerial ladder on a short wheelbase custom chassis. It has an impressive 1,000-pound rated tip load with an equally impressive 3.0 structural safety factor, which far exceeds the 2.0 safety factor required by NFPA. The apparatus has a 1,500-gpm pump and 500-gallon water tank for firefighting. The four-section mid-mount aerial design produces a low overall vehicle height and a short overall length.

Miami Dade (Fla.) Fire Rescue has a new Pierce HD 105-foot aerial ladder with a 750-pound tip load. The unit is equipped with a 1,500-gpm pump and a 500-gallon water tank to give it all the firefighting power of an engine company. The Velocity chassis is equipped with a Pierce Tak-4 independent front suspension for excellent ride and handling.

Anne Arundel

E-ONE CR100 100-foot aerial ladder quint

NFPA tip load of 750 pounds personnel plus 275 pounds equipment

E-ONE Cyclone chassis

Cummins ISM engine

1,250-gpm Hale midship pump

480-gallon water tank

15-kw Cummins Onan generator

Bloomfield

American LaFrance XD 110-foot aerial ladder

NFPA tip load of 750 pounds personnel

American LaFrance Eagle chassis

Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine

Pac Trac tool mounting system

EMS compartment in the cab

8-kw Harrison generator

Miami Dade

Pierce HD 105-foot aerial ladder

NFPA tip load of 750 pounds personnel

Pierce Velocity chassis

Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine

1,500-gpm Hale midship pump

500-gallon water tank

10-kw Harrison generator

Frankfort

Sutphen SL75 75-foot aerial ladder

NFPA tip load of 1,000 pounds personnel

Sutphen Custom chassis

Cummins ISM engine

1,500-gpm Hale midship pump

500-gallon water tank

8-kw Smart Power generator