The units that are currently being built include special design features to meet the challenges of our oldest and newest areas. The new apartment complexes in the north end of our district have long hallways, no fire department connections in the stairwells and only some areas that are accessible with a ladder truck on a multi-story building. In the village we have many structures where a ladder truck can’t be used because of power lines and some streets where even the smallest engines have trouble fitting.

In response we moved our attack hose lines to the rear of the trucks to allow us to double their length from 200 feet to 400 feet allowing us to reach those top floor apartments, difficult to reach houses and better operate in narrow streets. We also doubled the amount of ground ladders that are carried by adding 1 additional 35 foot ladder and 2 additional 28 foot ladders. This will allow us to make rescues from multiple 3rd floor balconies and for the first time the first due units from each station will carry the same ladders allowing them to make rescues from upper floors or homes with walk out basements.