This aerial ladder collapse occurred on January 8, 2012 in Aliquippa, PA. The information is preliminary however it was reported that this is a 100' ladder on a 1976 vehicle that had been inspected in 2011. While I will not speculate on the cause it does make you wonder about using apparatus and equipment that is over thirty years old. What is the comparision ot our equipment? We have 14 ladder trucks/quints/towers. We have an average age of 9.4 years with the oldest being twenty-one years old.
Our aerial ladders are inspected each year in accordance with NFPA 1914 Standard for Testing of Fire Department Aerial Ladder Devices. In addition to the standard inspection, we conduct two enhanced non-destructive tests each year.
For more information see the websites below:
-USFA TECHNICAL REPORT: Aerial Ladder Collapse Incidents (April 1996) may be of interest to FD's using aerial devices: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr-081.pdf.
-NIOSH REPORT re: Waterway Use: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/SafetyAdvisory06242008.html
-NIOSH REPORT re: Falls (2 LODD events from aerial devices) http://tinyurl.com/7l3rjbc
-FIRE ENGINEERING: Safe/Effective Aerial Ops:http://tinyurl.com/6jhwzro
-AERIAL LADDER OPERATIONS (EVR) : http://www.emergencyvehicleresponse.com/news/index/layoutfile/article
-MFRI/FIREHOUSE AERIAL OPS ON THE FIREGROUND: http://tinyurl.com/7gsd56p
-DRILLS (including some aerial ladder related drills)http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/weeklydrills.php
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