| Fire chiefs are responsible for the upkeep of all | | | | department personnel- which is where ladder testing |
| equipment under their control, including trucks, | | | | service providers come in. |
| tankers, and other emergency response vehicles. Of | | | | Scarcity of resources has always been a sensitive |
| equal importance are the first aid supplies and | | | | issue with fire departments- now more than ever, |
| equipment such as the ladders that help them reach | | | | given the current economic climate. Manpower is |
| and rescue people trapped in life-threatening blazes. | | | | closely allocated, so any task that can be eliminated |
| Of all the equipment that firefighters use on the | | | | or outsourced is sought after. |
| scene, ladders are subject to the most abuse They | | | | Yearly ladder tests can be a real sore spot for fire |
| must be able to perform under heavy loads. | | | | marshals and chiefs, who know how valuable training |
| They’re subject to tremendous heat. They | | | | time is to the men and women whose lives depend |
| inadvertently collect substances like salt, dirt, water | | | | on it. Ladder testing is the last thing they want their |
| and sand, which can jam pulleys and dogs, rot ropes | | | | personnel to be doing when a three-alarm fire call is |
| and corrode any vulnerable working parts or surfaces. | | | | announced. |
| On top of that, all ladders are not created equal. | | | | Ladder testing services can relieve fire departments |
| There are roof ladders, folding ladders, ground | | | | of the hassle and time-consuming tasks involved with |
| ladders, and pompier ladders, each with its own set | | | | yearly tests, by providing the expertise required to |
| of moving parts. | | | | keep their customers in compliance with NFPA and |
| Because they can be made of either aluminum, | | | | ISO regulations and guidelines. |
| fiberglass or wood, they each react differently to | | | | Trained professionals, many of them former |
| temperature and load stresses. The best way to | | | | firefighters, will handle the testing process from |
| verify their ability to do so is to conduct regularly | | | | beginning to end, and within one afternoon, in most |
| scheduled tests. | | | | cases. |
| According to the National Fire Protection Association | | | | Provided services include: |
| (NFPA) Code 1932 Chapter 7, “All ground | | | | - Pre-test survey and photo documentation of |
| ladders shall be service-tested on the following | | | | storage scheme |
| schedule: | | | | - Comprehensive compliance report |
| 1. Before the ladder is placed in service for the first | | | | - Complete equipment inventory |
| time. | | | | - Documentation system the department can use |
| 2. At least annually. | | | | throughout the year |
| 3. At any time a ladder is suspected of being unsafe. | | | | - Suggested processes for keeping trucks organized |
| 4. After the ladder has been subjected to | | | | and safe |
| overloading. | | | | - Visual inspection |
| 5. After the ladder has been subjected to impact | | | | - Ladder labeling and condition tracking |
| loading or unusual conditions of use. | | | | - Extension ladder hardware testing |
| 6. Whenever the ladder has been exposed to, or is | | | | - Roof hook test |
| suspected of, having been exposed to direct flame | | | | - Horizontal bending test |
| contact. | | | | - Documentation and disposal of failed ladders |
| 7. Whenever the heat sensor label has changed to | | | | - Suggestions for improvement and compliance |
| indicate heat exposure. | | | | Firefighters trust their lives to the ladders that get |
| 8. After any repairs have been completed, unless the | | | | those they rescue out of the danger zone. |
| only repair was replacing the halyard.” | | | | Maybe it’s time more departments considered |
| What the requirement doesn’t specify is | | | | using ladder testing service providers. |
| whether or not the testers have to be fire | | | | |