CURRENTLY REMOVED FROM NODUS

This page shall serve as the official Standard Operating Procedures for Aerial Operations and Certification:

Last Updated:  08/01/2023
By:   Kidd B.

- Purpose 

The purpose of this document is to serve as a main reference to the ladder and tower truck, to all persons who receive or are hoping to receive the ladder truck certification. All questions about the ladder truck that exceed the SOP must be brought to a ladder truck supervisor and will be met with the appropriate answer about the inquiry. Ladder truck training is to certify employees with the knowledge and use of our ladder and tower truck in order to deal with incidents that the ladder and tower trucks will be used for.

- Ladder Company Functions

• The thought process for a ladder OIC requires a different path than that of an engine OIC 

• At fire incidents ladder companies need to work as a team in order for the operation to be successful 

• The ladder has to support the engine in getting water to the fire. These tasks may include: forcible entry, rescue, ventilation, access & egress with possible ground ladders, aerial standpipe, elevated streams or ladder pipe, pulling ceilings, walls, or floors, securing utilities, loss control operations, overhaul, or any combination of these tasks

• All of our Ladder trucks carry extrication equipment, air bags, metal cutting, and other specialized equipment

• Where an engine OIC will be thinking in terms of the occupancy for life hazard, fire spread, fire flow needed to extinguish, water supply, and spotting for hose lays and line placement; the ladder OIC will be thinking of not only life hazard, fire location and spread, but access & egress, window type and positions, forcible entry, building height, building construction, roof type and load, ground ladder placement, best spot for aerial for: rescue, egress, defensive operations, collapse, positive pressure ventilation possibilities, vertical ventilation profile, and the type and location of utilities. 

• Some helpful guidelines and specifics on these functions will be covered later in this policy

- Setting Up and Positioning

• Keep the truck as level as possible. Stability is key for a safe operation

• Know your ladder's limitations

• When parking consider:

  • Level ground

  • Building stability and collapse potential

  • Building height

  • Fire involvement

  • Overhead wires or obstacles

• Set brakes, lock vehicle, place outriggers

-Operational Guidelines (Truck / Tower 1)

• Due to the complexity of operations and the responsibility of truck companies, minimum staffing is TWO personnel

Setting up the Aerial Ladder:

• Activate extras 5 and 6 to pull out the stabilizers for the ladder and for the tower its 4 on the tower
  (look forward before activating the ladder)Hold “H”to activate the ladder

• Person who is operating the ladder/aerial must ALWAYS stay in the truck while the ladder/aerial is activated (as if you get out the truck the ladder will disappear from the other people's eyes)

• Make sure when someone is on the ladder going up or down the ladder/aerial it is always still so they don't fall off.

Moving the Aerial Ladder:

• NEVER LET GO OF YOUR MOUSE

• You will use your mouse to control the direction the ladder will rotate (360 degrees) 

• Then it is “shift or 8 on the num pad to extend the ladder and “ctr or 5 on the numpad” to retract the ladder

• Spotter:

• It is very useful to have a spotter with the ladder as when using the ladder/aerial it is very difficult to see how far you are from the target as your depth of deception is messed up. So having a spotter tell you how much more or less to extend the ladder/aerial is very useful. 

• Make sure you retract the ladder before holding “H” to deactivate it

**Certified Truck/Tower Operators will have the 'AerialOperator' discord role**

~~~~TOWER 2~~~~

- Operational Guidelines (Tower 2)

• Due to the complexity of operations and the responsibility of truck companies, minimum staffing is TWO personnel

• Tower 2 currently does NOT have an elevated master stream like Tower 1 and the Truck

• Tower 2 does NOT have functioning emergency lights. It MUST be driven slower than other emergency vehicles and with caution

• Tower 2 does NOT have an automatic siren.  Pressing "R" will initiate a manual siren, "E" for the horn.

Setting up the Aerial Ladder:

• A vehicle can be setup using "/setupvehicle", this will install all the necessary moveable parts in the correct position. 

• The player that sets up the vehicle is the only one that can control it, so it is important to remember this 

• Any player however can enter the cage, which will be discussed later

• The setup can be undone by using "/resetvehicle", This allows you to re-setup the vehicle

Moving the Aerial Ladder:

• The player that sets up the vehicle is the only one that can control it

• The visual operational perspective is better than the other aerial trucks, but a spotter may be needed

• Controls:

  • Up W

  • Down S

  • Left A

  • Right D

  • Open Basket ->

  • Close Basket <-

  • Extend Left Shift

  • Retract Left Control

  • Extend Outriggers PG UP

  • Retract Outriggers PD DN

Entering the cage:

• Once setup, any player can enter enter the cage of the vehicle (if permissions are setup, this will be restricted to SAFD)

  • "/entercage" - This command allows you to enter the cage of a nearby vehicle

  • "/exitcage" - This command allows you to exit the cage of the vehicle

• Once inside the cage, you are not able to move about and you are attached to the vehicle in a fixed position 

  • You can still use tools such as our hose and spray water down towards a fire

  • Multiple players can enter the cage at once, however they will overlap in the same position

  • "/basket" appears to be functional whilst in the cage. This could be utilized to "rescue" a nearby victim and bring them down from an elevated location

  • After exiting the cage, you will be teleported back to the side of the vehicle and detached from it

Storing/Returning Tower 2:

• Before returning or storing Tower 2, utilize "/resetvehicle" to ensure the aerial ladder doesn't remain in the air

• Once the aerial ladder is remove from the vehicle, store as normal 

Video Demo (skip to 5:51)

**Certified Tower2 Operators will have the 'Tower2' discord role**

Aerial Operator Turnover Process:

Phase 1:

[SESSION #] [SESSION TYPE]   [TIME] [TOPIC/TASK/OBJECTIVES]

• SESSION 1 REVIEW/CLASSROOM 1 hour SOP Review

• SESSION 2 PRACTICAL 1 hour Truck 1 basic controls & overview

• SESSION 3 PRACTICAL 1 hour Tower 1 basic controls & overview

• SESSION 4 PRACTICAL 1 hour Tower 2 basic controls & overview

• SESSION 5 PRACTICAL 1 hour Aerial Positioning & Stabilization of Truck

Phase 2:

[SESSION #] [SESSION TYPE]   [TIME] [TOPIC/TASK/OBJECTIVES]

• SESSION 1 PRACTICAL 1 hour TBD

• SESSION 2 PRACTICAL 1 hour TBD

• SESSION 3 PRACTICAL 0.5 hour TBD

• SESSION 4 PRACTICAL 0.5 hour TBD

• SESSION 5 PRACTICAL 1 hour TBD

Phase 3:

[SESSION #] [SESSION TYPE]   [TIME] [TOPIC/TASK/OBJECTIVES]

• SESSION 1 PRACTICAL UKN Truck 1 Fire/Roof Rescue

• SESSION 1 PRACTICAL UKN Tower 1 Fire/Roof Rescue

• SESSION 1 SCENARIO(s) UKN Tower 2 Fire/Roof Rescue

**6+ hours of documented total driver/operator time**