Atlanta firefighters dealt with more than just the raging fire at an apartment complex last week.
They had significant apparatus and equipment issues, Atlana City Council Publoc Safety Chair Dustin Hillis told Fox5.
The response time was affected, he said, as some apparatus was out of service including the first-due ladder truck for the area, Ladder Truck 29.
"Ladder trucks were dispatched. One broke down on the way to the fire due to a transmission issue. Two of the ladders that were on the scene, one was stuck in rescue mode, which is where the water on the ladder will not go up to the top of the ladder, only half or three-fourths of the way. Another one of the truck's ladders cannot move right or left, so it was stuck," Hillis said.
"According to radio traffic [from the firefighters responding that night], there was not only significant issues with getting working ladder trucks on the scene, there were significant issues with getting standpipes to flow, which are the fire suppression plumbing system within the building."
The fire service advocate praised firefighters' efforts to adjust their operatons.
The city council earlier this month approved $18 million for the purchase of apparatus and other equip,ent.
