Fire Service Ground
Ladders (9th Edition)
Chapter 1 Terms
Ladder Types & Ladder Terms
Beam
Main
structural member of a ladder supporting the rungs or rung blocks.
Synonymous with Side Rail and Rail.
Bed Section
Bottom
section of an extension ladder.
Bedded Position
Extension
ladder with the fly section(s) fully retracted.
Butt
Heel
(lower end) of a ladder; or, the act of steadying a ladder that is being
climbed.
Butt Spurs
Metal
safety plates or spikes attached to the butt end of ground ladder beams.
Designated Length
Length marked on the ladder.
Dogs
Locking
mechanism for extension ladders. Synonymous with Pawls or Locks.
Fly Section
Extendable
section of ground extension or aerial ladder.
Foot Pads
Feet
mounted on the butt of the ladder by a swivel to facilitate the placement of
ladders on hard surfaces.
Gooseneck
A piece of metal extending from the tip of pompier ladders to facilitate hooking
into a window or onto a ledge.
Ground Ladder
Ladders
specifically designed for fire service use that are not mechanically or
physically attached permanently to fire apparatus and do not require mechanical
power from the apparatus for ladder use or operation.
Guides
Devices
to hold sections of an extension ladder together while allowing free movement.
Halyard
Rope
used on extension ladders to extend the fly sections.
Synonymous with Fly Rope.
Heel
Base
or butt end of a ground ladder; or, to steady a ladder while it is being raised.
Identification Number
Serial
number placed on each ground ladder by the manufacturer.
Inside Ladder Width
Distance
between the inside edge of one beam and the inside edge of the opposite beam.
Ladder
Two rails or beams with steps or rungs
spaced at intervals; any fire department ladder of varying length, type, or
construction.
Ladder Nesting
Positioning
of different width ladders, one partially within another, for storage on
apparatus.
Maximum Extended Length
Total
length of an extension ladder with all sections fully extended and pawls
engaged.
Outside Width
Dimension
from the outside surface of one ladder beam to the outside surface of the
opposite ladder beam or the widest point of a ladder including staypoles when
provided, whichever is greater.
Pawls
Devices
attached to the inside of the beams on fly sections used to hold the fly section
in place after it has been extended. Also
called Dogs or Ladder Locks.
Pitch
Angle
between horizontal and a ladder positioned for use.
Pole Ladder
Large
extension ladder that requires tormentor poles to steady the ladder as it is
raised and lowered. Also called
Bangor Ladder.
Rail
Main
structural member of a ladder supporting the rungs or rung blocks.
Synonymous with Side Rail or Beam.
Retracted
Withdrawn; in a closed position.
Roof Ladder
Straight
ladder with folding hooks at the top end. The
hooks anchor the ladder over the roof ridge.
Rungs
Step
portion of a ladder running from beam to beam.
Scuttle
Opening
in the roof or ceiling providing access to the roof or attic.
Side Rail
Main
structural member of a ladder supporting the rungs or rung blocks.
Synonymous with Beam or Rail.
Single Ladder
One-section
ladder. Synonymous with Straight
Ladder.
Staypoles
Poles
attached to long extension ladders to assist in raising and steadying the
ladder. Some poles are permanently
attached, and some are removable. Synonymous
with Tormentor Poles.
Straight
Ladder
One-section
ladder. Synonymous with Single
Ladder.
Tip
Extreme
top of a ladder. Synonymous with
Top.
Top
Extreme
top of a ladder. Synonymous with
Tip.
Tormentor Poles
Poles
attached to long extension ladders to assist in raising and steadying the
ladder. Some poles are permanently
attached, and some are removable. Synonymous
with Staypoles.
Trusses
Beams
consisting of one tensile chord, one compression chord, and truss blocks or
spaces between the two.
Wood Grain
Stratification
of wood fibers in a piece of wood.
Working Length
Length
of a non-self-supporting ladder measured along the beams from the butt to the
point of bearing at the top.