Fire Apparatus Supplement 2025: Portable Ladder Storage on Pumpers

Because the fire service mission is ever evolving, the fire apparatus that we operate have changed and grown as our role has expanded. Sometimes, changes in size and maneuverability don’t align with response district streets and parking lots. I believe that smaller, simpler apparatus often are the key to a more efficient and effective fireground and emergency scene. Curbside portable ladder storage on the classic high-side/low-side pumper body can be beneficial to a department’s capability to respond and to return to service quickly, effectively and safely.

Note: It’s important to remember when building a fire apparatus that there always is a cause and effect. One modification can result in a cascade of changes throughout the rest of the vehicle.

Cause and effect

Pumper bodies remained relatively unchanged until the late 1980s, when some began to include specification of hydraulic ladder racks. In most cases, this offered two additional high-side compartments or two tall rescue body compartments, with one high-side or a half high-side, depending on the ladder rack mounting configuration. This allowed for a full-width hosebed, and the body height remained lower than or even with the cab in most cases, to allow for an acceptable travel height.

As the vista roof, or now commonly called the raised-roof, cab entered the market, manufacturers began to match body height to cab height. In most cases, the hydraulic ladder rack travel height exceeded 10 feet, and drop-down height exceeded five feet. Because the removal of ladders can be made more complex when districts lack curbed streets, a member must remove ladders while standing in an open drainage culvert or on the sloped surface of an open drainage culvert. Furthermore, when parked automobiles are involved, the ladder rack might not be capable of being lowered fully. This caused some departments to specify street-side ladder racks, although this can be complicated by traffic or other obstacles.

In the 2000s, manufacturers began to offer a flat, through-the-tank portable ladder storage area. The increase in body height because of the raised-roof cab allowed this. However, the effect of this change required tank manufacturers to create a ladder tunnel through the tank. Although still allowing for a full-width hosebed, the hosebed vertical storage height was reduced, and the hosebed vertical access height often was raised more than six feet.

As this option gained popularity, it was offered in a beam portable ladder storage option. This has become very popular with most departments. It can allow for a lower ground-to-hosebed access, with additional vertical height of hose storage. The access height can vary from 4 feet, 6 inches to 5 feet, 7 inches.

Two effects result from this option. The first is a reduced-width hosebed of 57½ inches or an uneven hosebed. The second is portable ladder intrusion into the pump house. Storing portable ladders flat or beam can require a larger pump house or less-than-desirable plumbing and valve configurations. This also can hamper fireground pump problem-solving and pump maintenance, and removal of ladders can be made more complex when another apparatus parks directly behind the ladder storage.

Return to curbside access

As the engine company culture renaissance continues, departments are returning to a traditional high-side/low-side body configuration with curbside portable ladders. This permits a low ground-to-hosebed access and a full-width hosebed of 68 inches. This also can allow for multiple bulk beds of fire hose or preconnected hoselines.

Many departments also are returning to a flat-roof cab, to allow a reduction in overall travel and body height while gaining valuable scrub of the deck-mounted turret. A curbside ladder option allows for ladders to be removed at five feet. The height can vary depending on manufacturer when choosing triple wheel well torpedo tubes that commonly are used to store spare SCBA bottles. This height can vary depending on equipment storage on the deck that’s below the ladders.

Any time that this body option is specified, the department should request that the ladders be mounted on adjustable channels, so ladder deployment height can be adjusted. Ladder removal is made easy with the member, in most cases, standing on level ground even in areas where no curbs exist. The portable ladders also can be removed when parked cars are close to the fire.

Some might argue that the loss of compartment space limits storage of ALS and BLS equipment, ground monitors, and other equipment. That isn’t true. In fact, compartments even can be included to accommodate future needs.

Seconds count

When specifying a high-side/low-side body with curbside portable ladders, departments should conduct a thorough needs assessment. This should consider ladder deployment, hosebed storage, hose deployment, ladder access body height and response district. 

Departments should work with the manufacturer to explore body and mounting options and shouldn’t hesitate to ask for additional measurements on the overall drawing of the apparatus. Departments also should ask for a separate drawing of the ladder-mounting configuration. This provides the ability to see exactly where the ladder will be mounted and whether any overhang or overlap will occur.

Seconds—even milliseconds—count in the fire service. Rapid deployment of portable ground ladders should be an urgent priority when fire apparatus are specified. The lives of citizens and company members depend on it.