Ground Ladders (IFSTA) Flashcards
Main structural member of a ladder supporting the rungs or rung blocks
Beam
Lowest and widest section of an extension ladder; while the ladder is being raised or lowered, this section always maintains contact with the ground or other supporting surface
Bed section
The bed section is also called ___
Base section or main section
Bottom end of the ladder; the end that is placed on the ground or other supporting surface when the ladder is positioned
Butt
Bottom end of the ladder; the end that is placed on the ground or other supporting surface when the ladder is positioned
The butt is also called ___
Heel or base
Metal plates, spikes, or cleats attached to the butt end of ground ladder beams to prevent slippage
Butt spurs
Upper sections of extension or some combination ladders; the section that moves
Fly section
Swivel plates attached to the butt of the ladder; usually have rubber or neoprene bottom surfaces
Footpads
Footpads are also called ___
Shoes
Wood or metal strips, sometimes in the form of slots or channels, on an extension ladder that guide the fly section while being raised
Guides
Rope or cable used for hoisting and lowering the fly sections of an extension ladder
Halyard
Halyard is also called ___
Fly rope
Label affixed to the inside of each beam of each ladder section; a color change indicates that the ladder has been exposed to a sufficient degree of heat and should be tested before further use
Heat sensor label
Curved metal surfaces installed near the top end of roof ladders to secure the ladder to the highest point on a peaked roof of a building
Hooks
Devices attached to the inside of the beams on fly sections used to hold the fly section in place after it has been extended
Pawls
Pawls are also called ___
Dog or ladder locks
Strips of metal attached to ladders at chafing points, such as the tip, or at areas where it comes in contact with the apparatus mounting brackets
Protection plates
Small, grooved wheel through which the halyard is drawn on an extension ladder
Pulley
The two lengthwise members of a trussed ladder beam that are separated by truss or separation blocks
Rails
Cross members that provide the foothold for climbing; extend from one beam to the other
Rungs
Wooden or metal pieces that prevent the fly section from being extended too far
Stops
Metal rods located beneath rungs extending from one beam to the other of a wooden ladder
Tie rods
Extreme top of a ladder
Tip (top)
Spacers set between the rails of a trussed ladder; may support rungs
Truss block
Four types of ground ladders commonly used
- Single
- Combination
- Roof
- Extension
Consist of one section of nonadjustable or fixed length
Single ladders
Single ladders are also called ___
Wall or straight ladders
___ is used to define the length of single ladders
Overall length of the beams
Single ladders are often used for ___
Quick access to windows and roofs on one and two story buildings
Some single ladders are of the ___ type, a design intended to maximize their strength while reducing weight
Trussed
Single ladder length range
6’ to 32’
Common single ladder length range
12’ to 24’
Single ladders equipped with folding hooks that provide a means of anchoring the ladder over the edge of a pitched roof or some other roof part
Roof ladder
Function of the roof ladder
Distributes the firefighter’s weight and helps prevent slipping
In position, roof ladders generally lie flat on the roof surface so that ___
A firefighter can stand on the ladder while working
Roof ladders may also be used as ___
Wall or straight ladders
Roof ladder length range
12’ to 24’
Consists of a base or bed section and one or more fly sections that travel in guides or brackets to permit length adjustment
Extension ladder
An extension ladder is measured ___
Fully extended
Extension ladders can be adjusted ___
Incrementally
Extension ladder length range
12’ to 39’
Designed so they can be used as a self-supporting stepladder and as a single or extension ladder
Combination ladder
Combination ladder length range
8’ to 14’
Most common combination ladder length
10’
A combination ladder must be equipped with ___
Positive locking devices to hold the ladder in the open position
Clean and inspect ladders after ___
Every use
___ requires ground ladders to be inspected after each use and on a monthly basis
NFPA 1932
What to check when inspecting ladders
- Heat sensor labels on metal and fiberglass ladders for a color change
- Heavy carbon deposits or blistered paint on the ladder tips on ladders without heat sensor labels
- Discoloration on fiberglass ladders indicating heat exposure
- Rungs for damage or wear
- Rungs for tightness
- Bolts and rivets for tightness
- Welds for any cracks or apparent defects
- Beams and rungs for cracks, splintering, breaks, gouges, checks, wavy patterns, or deformation
- Worn areas caused from vibration at points of contact with apparatus or other ladders
Replace heat sensors when ___
Their expiration date is reached
Bolts on wooden ladders should not be so tight that they ___
Crush the wood
Any ladder that has been subjected to ___ is unsafe for use and should be removed from service for testing
Direct flame contact, has been exposed to high heat, or has a heat sensor that has changed color
What to do with a ladder that damage was found on during inspection?
Remove from service until it can be repaired and tested
Ladders that cannot be safely repaired must be ___
Destroyed or scrapped for parts
Markings commonly found on fire service ladders
- Designated ladder length
- Manufacturer’s name plate
- Apparatus designation or a locally assigned inventory number
- White tip or reflective tape attached to tip
- Stripe to indicate balance point
- Electrical hazard warning label
- Ladder positioning label
- Heat sensore labels
The length of the ladder must be marked ___
Within 12” of the butt plate
Wooden ladders should not be painted because ___
It can conceal damage to the wood
Heat sensor preset ___
300°F
___ requires certain markings and labels be affixed to ladders
NFPA 1931
When inspecting metal ladders, you should look for ___
- Evidence of flame impingement or heat damage
- Loose or missing rivets or fasteners
- Damaged or missing rubber on the footpads
- Dry rot or other damage to the halyard
- Corrosion or rust
- Loose or damaged rungs
- Cracks, bends, or other damage
When inspecting fiberglass ladders, you should look for ___
- Cracks, chipping, or other damage in the fiberglass components
- Loose or missing rivets or fasteners
- Evidence of flame impingement or heat damage
- Corrosion or rust on metal components
- Loose or damaged rungs
- Damaged or missing rubber on the foot pads
- Dry rot or other damage to the halyard
When inspecting wooden ladders, you should look for ___
- Areas where the finish has been chafed or scraped
- Darkening of the varnish
- Dark streaks in the wood
- Marred, worn, cracked, or splintered parts
- Shoes rounded or smooth
- Water damage
When inspecting roof ladders, you should look for ___
- Make sure that the roof hook assemblies operate with ease
- Hook assemblies should not show signs of rust
- Hooks should not be deformed
- Parts should be firmly attached with no sign of looseness
When inspecting extension ladders, you should look for ___
- Pawl assemblies - hook and finger should move in and out freely
- Halyard -damage or wear
- Halyard cable - Should be taut when bedded
- Pulleys - turn freely
- Ladder guides - condition, and fly sections move freely
Serves as the guideline for ground ladder service testing
NFPA 1932
How often should ground ladders be service tested?
- Before being placed into service
- Annually
- After any use that exposes them to high heat or rough treatment
How often should ladders be cleaned?
After every use
How to clean the ladder?
- Use a soft bristle brush and running water
- Remove tar, oil, or greasy residues with mild soap or environmentally safe solvents, and apply lubrication occasionally
- Look for damage or wear while cleaning the ladder
- Wide the ladder dry after cleaning or use
Keeping ladders in a state of usefulness or readiness
Ladder maintenance
To restore or replace that which is damage or worn out
Repair
General maintenance requirement for ground ladders
- Keep free of moisture
- Storing free from exhaust or engine heat
- Keep out of the weather
- Paint only for ID or visibility purposes, limit painted areas to 18” at the top and bottom of the beams
Do not raise any ladder to within ___ of electrical wires
10’
How many firefighters on a ladder?
One every 10’ or one per section
Use a ___ when working from a ground ladder
Leg lock or ladder belt
Relocate a positioned ladder only when ___
Ordered to do so
Secure the foot of unattended ladders to a ___
Stationary object using ropes
Movement when carrying, raising, or lowering ladders should be ___
Smooth and controlled
Lift on command of a firefighter who can ___
See the other members of the team
Lifting with others should occur in ___
Unison
What does OSHA call the radius of 10’ surrounding an electrical hazard?
Circle of safety
Modern metal and fiberglass ladders are designed to be used with the fly ___
Out
Wooden ladders that are designed with the rungs mounted in the top truss rail are intended to be used with the fly ___
In
Excess halyard should be ___
Tied off
In most cases, ladders are carried ___ forward
Butt
When personnel are working on a roof or upper stories, there must be at least ___ means of escape with at least ___
- Two
- Two ladders at remote locations from each other
A residential story averages ___ from floor to floor, with a ___ distance from the floor to windowsill
- 10’
- 3’
A commercial story averages ___ from floor to floor, with a ___ distance from the floor to the windowsill
- 12’
- 4’
Selecting a ladder to reach a specific point requires the ability to ___
Judge distance
A measurement of the total length of a single section ladder and the maximum extended length for an extension ladder
Designated length
Determine how far various ladders will reach based on their ___
Designated length
The designated length is not the ladder’s ___ because ___
- Reach
- Ladders are set at angles of about 75° for climbing
In the case of extension ladders, the maximum extended length may be as much as ___ than the designated length
6” less
Building walls or parapets that extend more than 6’ above the roof may require the use of ___
An additional ladder to reach the roof deck
Calculate maximum reach of a ladder 35’ or less
Subtract one foot
Calculate maximum reach of a ladder over 35’
Subtract two feet
Two objectives to be met when placing ground ladders
- Position the ladder properly for its intended use
- Place the butt the proper distance from the building for safe and easy climbing
If you are using a ladder for positioning a firefighter to break a window for ventilation, place it ___
Alongside the window to the upwind side, the tip even with the top of the window
If you use a ladder for entry or rescue from a window, place the ladder tip ___
Slightly below the sill. If the sill projects out, wedge the ladder tip under it
If the window opening is wide enough to permit the ladder tip to project into it and allow room beside it to facilitate entry and rescue, place the ladder so that ___
Two or three rungs extend above the sill
Proper ladder angle
75°
Benefits of a proper ladder angle
- Good stability
- Less stress on the ladder
- Optimum climbing angle
- Easiest climbing angle
If the butt of the ladder is too far from the building ___
The load-carrying capacity of the ladder is reduced, and has more of a tendency to slip
If its necessary to place the butt of the ladder further from the building than is optimum ___
Either tie-in or heel the bottom of the ladder at all times
Easy way to determine the proper distance between the butt of the ladder and the building
Divide the working length of the ladder by 4
Working length of the ladder
Length actually used
When the ladder is at the proper angle, a firefighter standing straight up on the bottom rung should be able to ___
Reach straight ahead and grasp the rung in front of them
Two methods of securing a ladder
- Tying in
- Heeling
Heeling is also called ___
Footing
Heeling guidelines
- Wear full PPE with helmet face shield deployed
- Be alert for falling objects
- Stay alert for firefighters descending the ladder
When heeling from beneath the ladder:
4. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart or one foot slightly ahead of the other
5. Grasp the beams at about eye level and pull backward
6. Look forward, not up, when someone is climbing
When heeling from outside the ladder:
7. Chock the butt end with one foot
8. Place your toes against the butt spur or on the bottom rung
9. Grasp the beams and press the ladder against the building
Whenever possible, a ladder should be tied securely to ___
A fixed object
Benefit of tying in a ladder
Frees personnel who would otherwise be holding the ladder in place
___ can be used to tie in a ladder to a fixed object
Rope hose tool or safety strap
To be most effective, ___ are necessary when raising and lowering fire department ladders
Teamwork, smoothness, and rhythm
How much of the ladder must be placed on the ground prior to raising it?
Only the butt
One firefighter can safely shift a single ladder that is ___
20’ or shorter
Smoothness climbing the ladder is accomplished if ___
Your knee is bent to ease the weight on each rung
Where to focus your eyes when climbing a ladder
Forward with occasional glances at the tip
Keep your arms ___ when climbing a ladder
Horizontal
Hand placement on the rungs
Palms down and thumbs between the rungs
Firefighters needed to bring a victim down a ladder
- Two inside the building
- One or two on the ladder
- One to heel the ladder
Ladder angle when removing a victim
Work best if the ladder is set at a slightly steeper angle
The method chosen for assisting a victim down a ladder depends on ___
Whether the victim is conscious or unconscious
Conscious victims can be lowered ___ onto a ladder
Feet first, facing the building
The unconscious victim can be held on a ladder in the same way as a conscious victim except that ___
The victim’s body rests on the rescuer’s supporting knee. The feet must be placed outside the rails to prevent entanglement
Three methods for assisting unconscious victims down a ladder
- On-the-knee
- Cross-body method
- Modified cross-body method
The victim is rested on the firefighter’s knee between the firefighter’s body and the ladder
On-the-knee
The victim is carried horizontally facing the firefighter. The firefighter has one arm between the victim’s legs and the other arm under the victim’s lowest arm at the armpit. The firefighter’s hands maintain contact with the ladder rails to keep the victim in place on the way down
Cross-body method
The modified cross-body method is basically the same as the cross-body method, except that ___
The victim faces the ladder rather than the firefighter
How to use two rescuer’s to carry a victim down a ladder
Place two ladders side by side. One rescuer supports the waist and legs, and the other supports the upper torso and head
Small children who must be brought down a ladder can be ___
Cradled across the rescuer’s arms
Piece of rope spliced to form a loop through the eye of a metal hook; used to secure hose to ladders or other objects
Rope hose tool
