The UK's tallest Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) has recently been received by Stevenage Fire Station as an upgrade to their old 30 metre ladder platform, which will remain in service.  The new ladder has a vertical height of 45 metres, and a horizontal reach of 25 metres.  These factors mean that the extra height capabilities will make fighting attic fires much easier as the fire engine can be parked in a different street and the ladder reach used to get over the top of smaller buildings.  The ladder platform can also be lowered down to seven metres below ground making it ideal for all types of rescue operation, as well as fire fighting in extreme conditions.

The platform, or cage, at the top is capable of holding many more people than previous models and can even hold a wheelchair.  More people can be rescued at the same time without the ladder having to be retracted and sent back up for each casualty as over half a tonne of kit, personnel and rescued persons can be carried on the platform. The extra space also allows a paramedic to be in the cage to administer emergency treatment to anyone rescued who is in emergent danger.

The platform was designed with input from the crew at Stevenage Fire Station, as they are the ones who will be using the vehicle and its superior ladder.  While the vehicle will certainly come in handy for serious fires with the impressive 45 metre ladder, it will also be put to work on building inspections and rescue operations that would have been difficult to carry out otherwise.

Fire fighters in America have been struggling with the weather recently while using their aerial ladder platforms to fight fires in tall buildings.  The freezing temperatures makes the use of water to put out fires risky as it can spray back on to the metal ladder and freeze almost instantly, causing a sheet of ice to form on the rungs and stiles of the ladder.  Water coming out of a burning building then freezes on contact with the cold ground leading to perilous conditions for the crews exiting the building, potentially carrying casualties with them.  Luckily in the UK we don't get such low temperatures during the winter, so our fire services do not have to contend with freezing problems on top of the fire they are putting out.  We suspect, though, that the brand new 45 metre ladder that Stevenage have could be positioned out of the way of any possible back spray and therefore away from the freezing risk, after all, it can do just about everything else!