Fire Service
Ground Ladders (7th Edition)
Chapter 1-Ladder Types & Ladder Terms
Test Review
- The 7 types of ground ladders recognized by IFSTA are: Single/Wall, Roof, Folding, Extension, Pole/Bangor, Combination/A-frame, and Pompier ladders.
- Single/Wall ladders have only one section and a fixed length of 6 to 32 feet with 12 to 24 feet being most common.
- Roof ladders are single ladders with hooks at the tip and come in lengths of 12 to 24 feet with 14 & 16 feet being most common.
- Folding ladders have hinged rungs that fold the beams together and come in lengths from 8 to 16 feet with 10 feet being most common.
- Folding ladders must have foot pads attached.
- Extension ladders have 2 or 3 sections with lengths ranging from 12 to 39 feet.
- Pole/Bangor ladders have 2 to 4 sections with lengths ranging from 40 to 65 feet.
- Pole/Bangor ladders must have staypoles.
- Most pole ladders today do not exceed 50 feet.
- Combination ladders have the capability of being used as an extension ladder.
- Combination/A-frame ladders come in lengths from 8 to 14 feet with 10 feet being most common.
- A-frame ladders can be used as a self-supporting step ladder.
- Pompier ladders have a gooseneck for scaling and range in length from 10 to 16 feet.
- Single/Wall ladders are mainly used for 1 to 2 story buildings.
- Roof ladders are used to provide footing for roof operations or as a single ladder.
- Folding ladders allow carrying in narrow hallways and aisles and make it easier to get into scuttle openings.
- Extension ladders make it possible to carry longer ladders on standard-sized apparatus.
- Pole/Bangor ladders can be used to access up to the 5th story in the absence of aerial ladders.
- Pompier ladders have a gooseneck for hooking into windows and allow scaling of buildings, however, they are rarely used today.