Truck Training

Check Out
- When the truck loses hydraulic power (drive shaft will still be spinning), use the EPU (Emergency Power Unit, "Poney Pump") to stow aerial ladder and outriggers.
- Activate the control you desire, the hit the EPU switch. When stopping, come off the EPU switch first, then release the control. You do this to minimize how much the EPU actually works.
- The EPU can be run for a maximum of 30 minutes and needs at least 30 minutes of cool-down time.

- When you lose electrical power (drive shaft will no longer be spinning; truck will be shut down, may have slight battery power), use the manual controls (Aerial or Stabilizer button, outrigger out/in, jacks up/down buttons)
- Scott showed me that instead of using my fingers to push the buttons (I struggled with this a few shifts ago), use an allen wrench to push the button, because of the angle in it.
- The buttons have a sweet spot. Find the sweet spot and the the outriggers/jacks will go up/down, in/out a lot easier.


Aerial Deployment (Step by Step)
- Parking break
- High Idle
- Aerial Master
- Front Wheel Lock
(Come out of cab)
- Set wheel chock
- Deploy outriggers and ground pads (sloped side first)
- Switch power to aerial ladder via red switch with black handle on the fifth wheel (on both sides of the truck)
(Climb to turn-table)
- Raise aerial
- Rotate aerial
- Extend aerial
- Lower aerial


Spotting Buildings
- Square up to the building as much as possible
- When you can't square up to a building, keep in mind one rail of the ladder will touch before the other. If it's the right rail, make sure you have enough clearance for the water way, then forget about it. If it's the left rail, continually monitor that side for water way clearance.
- When positioning aerial for rescue, try and put the ladder just under the area where you are going (right under a balcony railing top, right under a window ledge or lip. Make it easy for whomever you aim to rescue to get on the ladder.
- When positioning aerial for firefighters, make it easy for them to work off of, or step off onto the roof. Get the ladder a few inches off the roof, or away from the ledge of the building.