Firefighter Blog

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Fire Resources; Hong Kong

Hong Kong fire services utilize an impressive array of emergency equipment. Hong Kong is home to 7 million people. Neighborhoods are densely populated and mostly vertical.

Take a look at this link which provides a comprehensive photo display of the equipment they use.

So I read this post and it got me thinking. They have two trucks right there on the pages that are 52 and 53 meters tall. How tall is that. I figured that a meter is about the same as a yard and that a yard is 3 feet so we are talking a little over 150 feet tall. But I had to be sure so I checked out this link for the exact conversion. The answer is 53 meter = 173.8845144 feet.

Now on to my next question. If it is possible to get a 170 ft. Straight stick ladder, which is rear mounted and looks to be 5 fly sections. That puts the truck at about 35-40 ft. long. You can see this truck here.

Of course if you can have a 170 ft. Straight stick, what would be better? Well your answer is a 173 ft. telescoping boom with a platform attached to an articulating arm. Wow. Now I have seen Ladder trucks and the only thing I have seen close in the states is the Bronto Skylift. So I checked out the Bronto Skylift website and found out that Bronto actually has an 88 meter truck. Now don't be fooled, these trucks are for Rescue purposes mainly and not for Aerial waterway. In case you were wondering how tall 88 meters = 288 ft. Wow right. You can see this truck here. The site touts

"With a cage slewing of 90 degrees, rescue proceeds quickly: five persons can be safely brought down from a height of 33 floors. The aerial platform can be completely controlled both from the cage in the air and from the officerÂ’s position on the ground."

So my question to you all is how many Cities do you know of that actually have a Ladder truck taller than say 121', after all Roanoke City has a truck which is 121' tall. I really wonder why more Cities do not have trucks like this. I think I might know the answer. Because the Cities who do not have them, have not had a need for them yet. Citizens, Administrators, City Councils, City Managers, and Boards of Supervisors do not see a need for purchases like this. And most Cities have never had a need for a truck like this. But you better believe that when people die on the upper floors of a building because the Firefighters could not get to them from the interior, they will realize there is a need for it.

Oh and by the way, Roanoke City could reach to the tallest point of any structure in the City with one of these units. Do you hear what I am saying. The Firefighters in Roanoke City could reach the very tip of every building in Roanoke City with one of these trucks. Now that is power. That is ability. That is using your head. Of course we would hope that we would never have a true need for this truck.

Technorati tags: Firefighters blog, Hong Kong Fire, Ladder Trucks, Fire Trucks, Fire Engines