Hoffman Estates Fire Department Reserve Tower 22 Aerial Operations PDF

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: Equipment Guidelines – 021 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: Reserve...

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: Equipment Guidelines – 021 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: Reserve Tower 22 Aerial Operations Revision: 3 APPROVED BY: NUMBER OF PAGES: Re-evaluation Date: Alan Wax January 1, 2026 Fire Chief 11 PURPOSE POLICY PROCEDURE A. LOCATING (SPOTTING) THE TOWER FOR AERIAL LADDER OPERATION It is important to position Reserve Tower 22 in the best location for safe aerial ladder operation. Rescue/fire fighting operations vary greatly. The following is a list of guidelines to help locate Reserve Tower 22 for safe operation under most situations. 1. Position Reserve Tower 22 far enough away from the building to avoid danger in case the building collapses. 2. Position Reserve Tower 22 on a flat and solid surface whenever possible. If it is not possible to park on a hard surface, sufficient shoring shall be used under the outrigger pads and auxiliary stabilizer plates. 3. On the arrival at an incident, always try to position Reserve Tower 22 uphill and upwind. 4. If parking on a slope, position the truck with the Aerial turntable on the uphill side. 1 B. PTO INSTRUCTIONS The PTO drives the main hydraulic pump which in turn provides hydraulic pressure to all aerial ladder hydraulic systems. It must be engaged to operate any aerial hydraulic functions. The PTO controls are located in the Tower cab. TO ENGAGE THE PTO: 1. Place the Reserve Tower’s transmission in neutral. 2. Set the parking brake. 3. Activate the Aerial PTO switch. 4. Activate the Aerial master switch. NOTE: The aerial master and PTO switch lights will light up once both are engaged. If PTO does not engage, check for the following conditions: a. Parking brake engaged b. Transmission in Neutral c. RPM is above 900 C. STABILIZER CONTROLS AND INSTRUCTIONS The stabilizer control panel is located at the rear of the Reserve Tower. 1. Diverter valve switch – This valve directs hydraulic oil to the stabilizer control valves, the aerial control valves, or can remain in the neutral position. 2. Safety interlock override – This is a manual switch that performs the same function as the “Diverter valve switch”, and is used if the electrical diverter valve interlock malfunctions. 3. Hi-idle switches – Located at the stabilizer control panel and at the pedestal. Each hi-idle switch is a point of use switch. If any of these switches are activated, it must be deactivated at the same location. During high idle engine speed, performance of simultaneous hydraulic functions are increased. 4. Stabilizer controls – Are located at the rear on either side of the stabilizer control panel. 5. Emergency pump unit - Activates the electric back-up hydraulic pump. This pump is a 12V 1.5gpm hydraulic pump. The emergency pump is only designed for performing limited functions in an emergency situation. This 2  pump switch shall be activated simultaneously with a hydraulic function lever. D. SETTING THE STABILIZERS The Reserve Tower must be located in the proper position for aerial ladder operation (see LOCATING THE RESERVE TOWER FOR AERIAL OPERATIONS). 1. Set the parking brake. 2. Engage the Aerial PTO and Aerial Master switches 3. Deploy both wheel chocks. 4. Open stabilizer control panels. 5. Confirm PTO engaged indicator light 6. Set diverter valve switch to stabilizer position. 7. Activate engine hi-idle switch. 8. Fully extend front and rear stabilizers. This is a span of 18’. 9. Confirm you are more than 3 feet away from any vehicles, manhole covers, or storm drains. 10. Set the stabilizer pads under the stabilizer posts with ropes facing inward. 11. Lower one side stabilizer posts until they touch and continue raising until both side stabilizer lights on the panel light up green. Lower opposite side stabilizer posts until they touch and continue raising until both side stabilizer lights on the panel light up green. Raise the Reserve Tower until the rear tires no longer have a bulge seen in the sidewall. The stabilizers must support the weight from the rear of the Reserve Tower. No load should be carried on the rear axle. Level pedestal from side to side and front to rear using the leveling bubbles. 12. Operational zones from side to side are as follows: GREEN 0° - 3.5° = 100% of tip load. YELLOW 3.5° - 5° = 50% of tip load. RED 5° - 10.5% = 0% of tip load. 13. Operational zones with corrected grade are as follows: GREEN 0° - 6° = 100% of capacity. YELLOW 6°- 12° = 50% capacity. RED 12° and above = 0% capacity. 3 SAFETY WARNING: In situations where space does not permit full stabilizer extension, (narrow streets, etc.) Reserve Tower 22 must be positioned to allow for full extension of stabilizers on the side that the aerial ladder will be used. The stabilizers on the opposite side should be extended as far as space allows. This is called short jacked and requires a minimum of 13’. The stabilizers must support the weight of the Reserve Tower before the safety mechanisms will activate ladder controls. If the stabilizers cannot be extended to full deployment, the safety mechanism will not allow ladder travel to the side where the stabilizers are “short- jacked”. Do not rotate ladder to side of Reserve Tower 22 that does not have stabilizers fully extended. 14. Move the hi-idle switch to the off position. 15. Switch the diverter valve to aerial position. 16. Close all the rear stabilizer control panels. 17. Place stabilizer locking pins in the highest position on each stabilizer post starting with the right rear stabilizer working counterclockwise. 18. Confirm each stabilizer is weight supporting, each stabilizer deployed indicator light is illuminated and all safety pins and auxiliary pads are in place. The vehicle is now ready for aerial operation. STABILIZER RETRACTION The ladder must be in the bedded position before stabilizers can be retracted. 1. Remove the locking pins from all four stabilizers starting with the left rear stabilizer working clockwise. 2. Open all the rear stabilizer control panels. 3. Move diverter switch to stabilizer position. 4. Activate engine hi-idle switch. 5. Begin raising stabilizer posts on higher side ½ the number of holes showing. (Allows air bag suspension to begin filling) 6. Raise opposite side stabilizer posts to the stowed position 4  7. Raise first side stabilizer to the stowed position 8. Retract both side stabilizers to the stowed position. 9. Move hi-idle switch to the off position. 10. Move diverter switch to the “neutral” position. 11. Return stabilizer pads into their storage positions. 12. Remove wheel chocks and place in storage positions. 12 Disengage Aerial master switch 13 Disengage Aerial PTO switch. E. LADDER CONTROLS AND INSTRUCTIONS 1. Panel light switch - Operates lights on control panel. 2. Ladder lights switch - Lights up all three sections of the ladder with blue LED lights 3. Landing light switch – 500W Quartz light mounted on bottom of basket (Needs generator running with main circuit breaker and aerial power breaker both ON) 4. Bed zone light – Notifies aerial operator the ladder is centered above the cab and ready to slowly lower ladder in its cradle. 5. Platform master switch – Supplies electrical power for basket controls 6. EPU switch – When activated, this switch activates the electrical auxiliary hydraulic back-up pump. 7. Left track light switch & joystick – Directional spotlight on left side 8. Tip light & joystick – Directional spotlight mounted on front of basket 9. Right side track light switch & joystick – Directional spotlight on right side 10. Rung alignment light – Illuminates when the aerial section rungs are in alignment for climbing the aerial ladder. 5 11. High Idle switch – Point of use high idle switch. 12. System lock control knob – A red push / pull style button that locks out all hydraulic aerial functions. When the button is pulled up, it is in the “ON” position and the button will illuminate. 13. Extend/Retract hydraulic valve - Controls the extension and retraction of the aerial ladder. Controls are located at the pedestal and the basket. 14. Rotation right/left hydraulic valve – Controls the left or right movement of the aerial ladder. Controls are located at the pedestal and the basket. 15. Elevation raise/lower hydraulic valve - Controls ladder elevation cylinders. Controls are located at the pedestal and the basket. 16. System pressure gauge (psi) - Shows the operating pressure of the hydraulic system. Gauges are located at the pedestal and the basket. 17. Airminder digital gauge – Shows percent (%) of breathing air remaining in the system through an LED bar graph display. When the system reaches a pre-set pressure, an audible alarm will sound. Gauges are located at the pedestal and the basket. 18. Loadminder digital gauge – Shows percent of ladder rated load and forces acting on the aerial ladder sections through an LED bar graph display 0- 100% Shows current load on aerial ladder while in use. Alarm sounds when pressure on lift cylinders exceeds safe operating range. Gauges are located at the pedestal and the basket. 19. Overload / Red line condition audible alarm (not visible) – An audible alarm sounds when the loadminder display indicates an overload / redline condition. Immediate action needs to be taken to correct the overload / redline condition. Use one or more of the following guidelines to correct the overload condition: a. Remove or reposition ladder occupants b. Retract ladder sections. c. Slowly increase ladder elevation. 20. Overload strobe lights – These strobe lights are amber in color, and are wired to the aerial loadminder to strobe during an overload / redline condition. They are located at the tip of the base section of the aerial ladder. One strobe light on each side. 21. Intercom – System which allows two-way communication between the basket and the pedestal. Personnel operating at the pedestal must depress the 6  “push to talk” button to communicate with basket. Personnel in the basket must talk into the speaker area to communicate with the pedestal. The large volume knob controls volume at the pedestal and the small volume knob controls the basket speaker. 22. Platform leveling button – This momentary button allows the platform operator to return the platform to a level position, should the leveling override system become activated and “freeze” the position of the platform (This happens when the platform becomes more than 4° out of level with the Earth for a period of 2 seconds. This is designed to ensure that the platform will not turn over should a hydraulic line become severed/broken, or an electrical system failure occurs.) 23. Speed selector switch – A 3-position switch is located at the platform control station that allows the firefighter to set the maximum speed of aerial functions. There is a low setting, a medium setting and a high setting for this speed selector switch. The 3-position switch located in the platform is designed to allow the qualified person the ability to select the maximum speed of all aerial functions. The low setting will reduce the maximum aerial function speed to that of approximately 25% of the high maximum speed. The Maximum speed of the medium setting of the switch is approximately 50% of the high maximum speed. It is recommended that all trained personnel utilize this switch and select a slower setting until he/she is comfortable with their operational skills. 24. Water curtain control – This control will activate a water curtain nozzle located under the center of the platform which will spray water downward in a circular “curtain” pattern. F. GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES Avoid overhead obstructions, overhangs, and electrical power lines. The aerial platform is not insulated. If the platform comes into close proximity and/or contacts any electrical power source, severe injury or death may occur to the platform engineer, platform occupants, and possibly persons in close proximity to any part of the apparatus. When electrical power lines cannot be avoided, contact the local utility company for assistance. Always use wheel chocks. Place the wheel chocks in front of and behind apparatus wheels immediately after parking apparatus in desired location. The “Basket” is designed to support a maximum of 1250 pounds dry load. When the waterway is flowing up to 2000 gpm the operating load is reduced to 500 pounds. The ladder is designed as a cantilevered structure and intended to be supported by its 7  own lift system. Do not rest the ladder or basket on any type of support (window ledge, overhand, or other structure). When ladder functions are to be controlled by firefighters in the basket, a firefighter needs to be in position at the pedestal at all times while the ladder is in operation. The firefighter’s responsibilities at the pedestal include but not limited to: maintaining clearances from overhead obstructions, checking for deteriorating conditions, supervising conditions of engine temperature, oil pressure, voltages, etc. The hydraulic control valves should be operated slowly and smoothly. Sudden ladder movement is magnified at the ladder tip. Disengaging the hi-idle switch and using the low, medium, and high speed switch on the basket control panel will minimize ladder whip. The aerial platform is equipped with a turntable rotation limit interlock system that will prevent the turntable from being rotated on the side of the apparatus where the stabilizers have been deployed in the short jack configuration. During a short jack condition, this interlock will simply stop all movement of the turntable when the operator attempts to rotate the platform on the side of the apparatus where the stabilizers are short jacked. The system will stop all movement of platform rotation whether the short jack side of the apparatus in approached from the front or the rear. Once the system is triggered, the operator will still have total unrestricted movement back toward the side of the apparatus where the stabilizers are fully deployed. Operation of the aerial platform on the short jack side of the apparatus is NOT RECOMMENDED by the manufacturer. When using the aerial ladder in sub-freezing weather, ice build-up on ladder sections can cause dangerous loading conditions. Avoid positioning aerial ladder in water overspray to help minimize ice build-up. The ladder load gauge should be checked often to assure ladder loads do not enter red line condition. If ice build-up becomes excessive, the ladder should be put in the bedded position and ice manually chipped off. Care should be taken not to damage the ladder using sharp objects. It is recommended that when freezing conditions exist a de-icer agent be used on the ladder and basket. Special attention needs to be maintained while standing water is in the waterway. If necessary, the aerial drain valve needs to be opened allowing water to drain preventing freezing and damage to waterway. G. POSITIONING THE LADDER Before operating the aerial ladder, the platform operator should make a thorough inspection of the area around the ladder. The stabilizers must be securely positioned and the surrounding area should be clear of obstructions. All operators or occupants inside the basket must attach a fall protection harness to an anchor point and ensure that all platform doors / Mansavers are closed. 8  1. Engage platform master switch and confirm illuminated red system lock control knob is in the up position. 2. Use the elevation raise/lower control to raise the ladder high enough to clear ladder bed cradle. 3. All three ladder controls may be operated simultaneously to position aerial ladder. 4. Authorize charging aerial waterway. 5. Monitor load gauge to assure proper loading of ladder. EXCEPTIONS REFERENCES Ferrara elevating aerial platform operations manual DEFINITIONS THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM Hydraulic motors and cylinders control all of the stabilizer and aerial ladder functions. This provides smooth, efficient operation of the aerial ladder system. THE HYDRAULIC PUMP The main hydraulic pump is a “Load-sense” pump that is powered by the apparatus engine and PTO. The hydraulic pump operates a “closed center” design hydraulic system and will provide hydraulic flow only when required by the system. When hydraulic flow is not required, the pump will automatically “destroke” and continuously re-circulate hydraulic oil at a reduced pressure. These features coupled with the correct sizing and design of the hydraulic system and its components eliminate the need for auxiliary oil cooler. Note: when the apparatus is being operated in extremely cold temperatures, the platform should be moved slightly vertical and horizontally. This provides warm oil to the cylinders for more responsive operation. THE STABILIZERS The stabilizers provide a wide, stable base to assure safe aerial ladder operation. The stabilizer cylinder controls are located to allow for easy visual access when extending the stabilizers. The stabilizer post cylinders are protected against system failure (burst hydraulic hose, sudden loss of system pressure, etc.) by pilot operated check valves. These are located 9 in the system pressure lines and there is a valve for each cylinder. THE LADDER HYDRAULIC FUNCTIONS The ladder hydraulics consists of extension cylinders; lift cylinders, and a turntable rotation motor with brake, and basket leveling cylinders. Hydraulic lines that are fed through a swivel to allow for continuous 360 degrees rotation of the ladder supply the ladder hydraulic system. A unique feature of the ladder is the ability to operate all three of the ladder hydraulic functions simultaneously with a minimum loss of speed and power. This allows for smooth, rapid positioning of the aerial ladder for rescue and firefighting operations. The hydraulic valves should be engaged and disengaged slowly and smoothly. Rapid starts and stops should be avoided. Sudden ladder movement is magnified at the “basket” position. The controls at the platform control station have an automatic "ramp" feature, meaning that if they are engaged or disengaged abruptly; the hydraulic pressure will "ramp" up to full speed, thus providing a smooth transition from start to stop, or visa-versa. Platform leveling cylinders and aerial elevation cylinders are equipped with integral hydraulic holding valves to protect the aerial platform from lowering in the event of a severed hydraulic line or system failure. Each of these cylinders are also equipped with counterbalance valves to ensure smooth and positive operation, and protect the system from failure and overload. The platform leveling system is electronic over hydraulic, and self-contained within the platform. The system electronically monitors the position of the platform relative to the earth and not the position of the apparatus. Should the platform become more than 4° out of level with the earth for a period of two seconds, the fail-safe system will “Freeze” the position of the platform. This is designed to ensure that the platform will not lower should the leveling system malfunction. The turntable is rotated by a hydraulic motor with a planetary gear drive system. A hydraulically released spring brake provides positive stops of aerial turntable rotation. The spring brake is automatically controlled by the same valve that controls the turntable rotation motor. For safety reasons, hydraulic pressure is allowed to flow to either the stabilizer circuit or the aerial platform circuit, but never to both at the same time. This function is controlled by a diverter valve that is actuated at the rear control station. EMERGENCY HYDRAULIC PUMP A back up 12V hydraulic pump is provided on the aerial platform to provide emergency power in the case of a main hydraulic pump failure or loss of hydraulic fluid. This pump is operated by an electrical motor which is activated by using the momentary switch labeled emergency power unit (EPU). The 12V back up hydraulic pump is connected to a pick up tube that extends lower into the main hydraulic reservoir, than the regular pick up tube that is connected to the main hydraulic pump. In effect, this provides a back-up reservoir of sufficient capacity for emergency use only. Due to the fact that this pump is a back-up, 10 fixed displacement type electrical pump; it is not intended for frequent or prolonged use. The operator shall only use this pump in an extreme emergency. The EPU will also operate at a speed considerably slower than the main hydraulic pump. The EPU has a duty cycle that must be observed at all times by the operator or may burn out. The pump may be operated for a maximum of 5 minutes in every 60 minutes. End of Document 11