Posted: 9/3/2015 11:20:28 AM EDT
| Are fire poles still used? |
| Our old 2 story station had one. New station is 1 floor except for the loft area where the pool table is. There was talk of putting it up so that you could slide down from the loft. But I think it was nixed due to kids playing up there. Some of the other stations in the area still have them. Most are locked out so that no one can use them though. |
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Yes they are still in use in older constructed firehouses. Many modern firehouses are single-story construction primarily due to the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires multi-story public buildings to have elevators. That can be cost-prohibitive in new firehouse construction.
Trying to run down stairs is significantly more dangerous than sliding a pole. That being said, IMHO people that climb 105' aerial ladders and perform high-angle rope rescues ought to be able to descend a brass pole without wrecking. Guy I used to work with could slide the pole with a full cup of coffee and never spill a drop. The idea is to be able to board the apparatus and get out of the firehouse in less than a minute when dispatched. |
