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Their record will both be smashed by the new ALP due from Angloco for hertfordshire frs from what I have heard
Added by Drew on 17 May 2017.
Added by Drew on 17 May 2017.
Hertfordshire is of course world famous for its skyscrapers.
I live in Chicago, which has quite a few. CFD once ran a pair of 135 foot (41.2 meter) Japanese Morita aerial ladders and also had a couple of earlier Magirus 146 footers. (44.5 meters).
But now they run nothing over 100 feet (30 meters). Nor does any other US city, including FDNY, with a few exceptions, and there are a few odd sizes, such as 104, 107 or 110.
My local department on Long Island had a 125 foot Firebird, which was a pig, and too unwieldy to be deployed in most situations. But the only city to operate a fleet of these was Sacramento, and they too were not replaced by extra long reach units.
Marseille had a 38 meter Firebird too, primarily to protect the huge oil tank farm in the port, but it too was barely used and was replaced by a standard 30 meter ladder.
Giant towers and platforms are mostly found in third world countries, where high rise structures often seem to get built with inadequate built-in fire protection and means of egress because of weak building and fire codes.
In countries with strong and properly enforced high rise building and fire codes, aerials over 30 meters are mostly unecsessary, except for specific industrial risks. Cities like Amsterdam and Paris, with older but less tall structures, actually run a lot of 24 and 27 meter units.
In fact, the only super-sized aerials I have ever come across in Germany are actually operated by industrial fire services - although they do very occasionally turn out to reinforce the municipal brigades, especially when an alarm calls for additional aerials. German fire service also sometimes hook a hose line on the top of one of their large crane trucks, but these are not particularly high reach and an act of desparation more than a universal firefighting technique!
Added by Rob Johnson on 18 May 2017.
I live in Chicago, which has quite a few. CFD once ran a pair of 135 foot (41.2 meter) Japanese Morita aerial ladders and also had a couple of earlier Magirus 146 footers. (44.5 meters).
But now they run nothing over 100 feet (30 meters). Nor does any other US city, including FDNY, with a few exceptions, and there are a few odd sizes, such as 104, 107 or 110.
My local department on Long Island had a 125 foot Firebird, which was a pig, and too unwieldy to be deployed in most situations. But the only city to operate a fleet of these was Sacramento, and they too were not replaced by extra long reach units.
Marseille had a 38 meter Firebird too, primarily to protect the huge oil tank farm in the port, but it too was barely used and was replaced by a standard 30 meter ladder.
Giant towers and platforms are mostly found in third world countries, where high rise structures often seem to get built with inadequate built-in fire protection and means of egress because of weak building and fire codes.
In countries with strong and properly enforced high rise building and fire codes, aerials over 30 meters are mostly unecsessary, except for specific industrial risks. Cities like Amsterdam and Paris, with older but less tall structures, actually run a lot of 24 and 27 meter units.
In fact, the only super-sized aerials I have ever come across in Germany are actually operated by industrial fire services - although they do very occasionally turn out to reinforce the municipal brigades, especially when an alarm calls for additional aerials. German fire service also sometimes hook a hose line on the top of one of their large crane trucks, but these are not particularly high reach and an act of desparation more than a universal firefighting technique!
Added by Rob Johnson on 18 May 2017.
A correction. The BMPM Firebird was a 150 footer - 45.8 meters! It was supplied on an American FWD 6X6 military chassis, probably because there wasn't a suitable French one which could be used.
Added by Rob Johnson on 18 May 2017.
Added by Rob Johnson on 18 May 2017.
Drew, Angloco is dealer for Bronto Skylift and they have a platform that is more than 100m (300 ft). With its 70tons of weight, 15 minutes to set it up and 3m basket movement its practical use is limited.
But it's not unlikely they will have something in between 42 and 100m as well.
Added by Martin Siegel on 20 May 2017.
But it's not unlikely they will have something in between 42 and 100m as well.
Added by Martin Siegel on 20 May 2017.
I recall seeing one at the Harrogate Show around 1969-70 named the Skyscraper, it went quite a bit higher than a Metz ladder that was there as well, wish I had taken a picture.
Added by Roger Mason on 22 May 2017.
Added by Roger Mason on 22 May 2017.
Saying Hertfordshire is famous for skyscrapers is a bit disingenuous Mr Johnston , it has like anywhere in the UK its fair share of tower accommodation, we are all aware that everything in the USA is bigger , taller and no doubt better but our fire services face the same problems, as for height appliances it is all about access , if there is room for a taller appliance and the brigade that buys it has the use for it then great , we all know that no appliance in the world reaches to the top of these 20 plus storey buildings so its sprinklers, dry risers etc that are the best help for the occupants and a rescue point as high as possible is always advantageous , its all about good fire safety and awareness mixed with up to date legislative and building practice , something that is lacking I feel.
Added by T Morten on 24 June 2017.
Added by T Morten on 24 June 2017.
TM - Your point is so sadly underlined by the recent Grenfell disaster in London.
High rise accommodations just have to be built to correct standards. Without concrete separation walls, floors and ceilings, automatic fire doors, external smoke venting, sprinklers, multiple fire stairs, emergency lighting, restricted window openings and fireproof external wall cladding, even the best fire service in the World doesn't have a chance. No number of extra-height platforms or ladder towers can evacuate civilians in an adequately short time to avert disaster.
Fortunately we have a lot of high rise buildings here, so the risks are well understood and the standards are high. I live on the 26th floor of a 44 storey building, and we have a 96 floor one going up just down the street.
We did have s small fire in our trash compactor two years ago, but it was extinguished by the sprinkler system. Even so, CFD showed up with four engines, two trucks, a rescue squad, an ambulance and three chief officers - a total of around 44 personnel, within around six minutes!
They then checked every floor and the five levels underground garage for any signs of fire extension. Everyone who was home was required to stay in their flat, and no-one was allowed into the building for around an hour until the senior chief officer was happy that it was completely safe. Around a dozen police officers kept the street clear of traffic and pedestrians.
Added by Rob Johnson on 06 July 2017.
High rise accommodations just have to be built to correct standards. Without concrete separation walls, floors and ceilings, automatic fire doors, external smoke venting, sprinklers, multiple fire stairs, emergency lighting, restricted window openings and fireproof external wall cladding, even the best fire service in the World doesn't have a chance. No number of extra-height platforms or ladder towers can evacuate civilians in an adequately short time to avert disaster.
Fortunately we have a lot of high rise buildings here, so the risks are well understood and the standards are high. I live on the 26th floor of a 44 storey building, and we have a 96 floor one going up just down the street.
We did have s small fire in our trash compactor two years ago, but it was extinguished by the sprinkler system. Even so, CFD showed up with four engines, two trucks, a rescue squad, an ambulance and three chief officers - a total of around 44 personnel, within around six minutes!
They then checked every floor and the five levels underground garage for any signs of fire extension. Everyone who was home was required to stay in their flat, and no-one was allowed into the building for around an hour until the senior chief officer was happy that it was completely safe. Around a dozen police officers kept the street clear of traffic and pedestrians.
Added by Rob Johnson on 06 July 2017.
I should also perhaps mention that these tall buildings do not rely on dry risers, but have their own pumping systems with pumps at various intermediate floor levels.
Actuated by the flow resulting from a sprinkler opening, these are automatically turned on, and supported by redundant pumps and power supplies, very similar to the firefighting systems installed in naval vessels.
Each fire stair lobby, protected by two fire doors with a four meter "air lock" space between them, has a hose outlet for 2.5 inch hose (65 mm) with a second 1.75 inch (45mm) which has a preconnected hose and varable output shutoff nozzle, as well as two dry powder extinguishers for minor fires. The first due engine companies on the fire floor and the floor above it also bring both types of hoses up with them, and can thereby man eight useful jets - if needed - within minutes.
At street level, pumpers are connected to risers to replenish the water supply, starting out with a 3, 000 US GPM (11, 000 LPM) capacity from two engines, which can subsequently be doubled up by the remaining first due engine company response assignment if needed.
In practice, hi-rise fires here are rare events. Around half are extinguished by sprinklers by the time CFD arrive - typically four to six minutes.
Most are confined to the room of origin and almost all to the flat where the fire started, requiring only one or occasionally two jets.
Only where occupants purposely jam the fire doors open are there cases of fire spread. This occurred a few years ago when a young couple placed a chair so their self-closing front door would stay open to let their cat escape, unfortunately resulting in a fatality in the hallway of a neighbor, due to smoke inhalation!
Smoke detectors with direct CFD communications are in all the flats, hallways, staircases, lobby areas, loading dock, workshop, laundry, gym, offices, storage, utility and garage areas.
And any opening sprinkler automatically triggers a CFD alarm, too, of course.
I had a house fire in a conventional single family home several years ago, and I have to say I feel a lot safer now, even though I am around 300 feet above street level.
Added by Rob Johnson on 08 July 2017.
Actuated by the flow resulting from a sprinkler opening, these are automatically turned on, and supported by redundant pumps and power supplies, very similar to the firefighting systems installed in naval vessels.
Each fire stair lobby, protected by two fire doors with a four meter "air lock" space between them, has a hose outlet for 2.5 inch hose (65 mm) with a second 1.75 inch (45mm) which has a preconnected hose and varable output shutoff nozzle, as well as two dry powder extinguishers for minor fires. The first due engine companies on the fire floor and the floor above it also bring both types of hoses up with them, and can thereby man eight useful jets - if needed - within minutes.
At street level, pumpers are connected to risers to replenish the water supply, starting out with a 3, 000 US GPM (11, 000 LPM) capacity from two engines, which can subsequently be doubled up by the remaining first due engine company response assignment if needed.
In practice, hi-rise fires here are rare events. Around half are extinguished by sprinklers by the time CFD arrive - typically four to six minutes.
Most are confined to the room of origin and almost all to the flat where the fire started, requiring only one or occasionally two jets.
Only where occupants purposely jam the fire doors open are there cases of fire spread. This occurred a few years ago when a young couple placed a chair so their self-closing front door would stay open to let their cat escape, unfortunately resulting in a fatality in the hallway of a neighbor, due to smoke inhalation!
Smoke detectors with direct CFD communications are in all the flats, hallways, staircases, lobby areas, loading dock, workshop, laundry, gym, offices, storage, utility and garage areas.
And any opening sprinkler automatically triggers a CFD alarm, too, of course.
I had a house fire in a conventional single family home several years ago, and I have to say I feel a lot safer now, even though I am around 300 feet above street level.
Added by Rob Johnson on 08 July 2017.
The 45m Hertfordshire platform has now just been delivered from Angloco according to Twitter. Might this be to do with the Buncefield tanks rather than high rise buildings in that county.
Added by Petros on 09 July 2017.
Added by Petros on 09 July 2017.
Petros. I think you are right.
As I mentioned, the only extra tall aerial towers that I have come across in Europe are indeed employed to cover tank fields, or other high risk industrial installations, and are exclusively owned by private fire brigades.
The 45.8 meter Firebird in the port of Marseilles was the only example I know about which was operated by a public fire service. It was however not replaced by another ultra-high unit.
Added by Rob Johnson on 11 July 2017.
As I mentioned, the only extra tall aerial towers that I have come across in Europe are indeed employed to cover tank fields, or other high risk industrial installations, and are exclusively owned by private fire brigades.
The 45.8 meter Firebird in the port of Marseilles was the only example I know about which was operated by a public fire service. It was however not replaced by another ultra-high unit.
Added by Rob Johnson on 11 July 2017.
Comment removed at request of Commentor
The Hertfordshire 45m is a 17 plate Scania P360 Low Line cab Angloco/Bronto 6x2. Photos are on fire/uk flikr
Added by Grant.melville on 10 August 2017.
Added by Grant.melville on 10 August 2017.
Just bought a model of the dg100 , 6 axle mercedes low cab aerial platform. Not an alp as there is no ladder just 310 ft of platform.
Will post photo soon.
Added by Simon Hilliam on 13 August 2017.
Will post photo soon.
Added by Simon Hilliam on 13 August 2017.
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