вЂњWe are responsible for protecting south Lewiston as well assisting in other districts with building fires. вЂњLewiston Engine 3 is the most diverse fire truck in the department and protects the most diverse district in the city,вЂќ Emmons wrote in a letter to fire Chief Brian Stockdale. During that time, he spoke passionately about the cityвЂ™s need for a truck like the Pierce Ascendant to operate out of the substation known as вЂњThe HillвЂќ at 1046 Lisbon St. We had hand tools scattered all around.вЂќД®mmons was the chair of the committee assembled when the department began shopping around for a new Engine 3. вЂњIn the old truck, youвЂ™d have to go to two or three different compartments. вЂњYou can just go to one compartment and get everything you might need,вЂќ Emmons says. ThereвЂ™s a compartment dedicated to the tools for making entry into a burning home, another for ice water rescue and one for salvage calls such as flooded basements. ThereвЂ™s a compartment filled with things like reciprocating saws, sand and foam pads for getting occupants out of car crashes and mopping up fluids. There are multiple compartments on and around the new Engine 3 and most of them are dedicated to specific types of emergencies. вЂњWe need to be able to put ground ladders up.вЂќ вЂњWe have buildings that are really close together, so we canвЂ™t always get the aerial in there,вЂќ Emmons says. On fire and other calls, those kinds of ladders are a firefighterвЂ™s best friend, especially when it comes to rescue. Take the 188 feet of ground ladders вЂ“ double what the old truck had вЂ“ secured on the truck, including one on the aerial itself. вЂњOn the old truck, you were rocking, you were swaying and you could feel every bump,вЂќ Emmons says. Take the TAK4 suspension, which Emmons insists will mean faster response times to emergencies. The Pierce Ascendant is stacked with features end-to-end that will help crews handle structure fires, car crashes, water rescues and all of the other emergencies that arise within the city. The ladder alone will allow firefighters to work more quickly and more efficiently, Emmons says. The new one provides 1,500 gallons in that same span. On the old truck, the ladder hose was capable of blasting 1,000 gallons of water per minute. That helps firefighters reach buildings that are set back from the road. The 107-foot steel ladder is capable of reaching every roof in Lewiston. That means safety if there are firefighters on the tip.вЂќ This one, you let go and it comes to a smooth stop. вЂњWith the old truck, youвЂ™d want to feather the aerial,вЂќ he says. The ladder is faster to deploy вЂ“ it takes about one minute вЂ“ and Emmons said it is also much smoother as it glides into place. With a 500-pound tip load, the ladder can accommodate two firefighters. The new ladder isnвЂ™t only longer, itвЂ™s smoother as well. вЂњThat was a good example of the reach it has.вЂќ вЂњIt was parked at an intersection a building away, but we were able to put the ladder up to the roof,вЂќ Emmons says. At a fire inside a Shawmut Street apartment house, the 107-foot aerial was used from a distance to get more firefighters to the roof of the building. That massive reach has already been put to good use, as it happens. We need that extra length to get to the buildings.вЂќ WeвЂ™re often the second or third to the fire and we have to park back a bit. вЂњItвЂ™s not always the height that we need. вЂњItвЂ™s much bigger than the old truckвЂ™s,вЂќ Emmons says. It starts with the heavy-duty aerial ladder, 107 feet long compared to the old truckвЂ™s 75-foot ladder. Braving the cold: How firefighters should prepare for winter weather

Tonka fire rescue ladder truck