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Look up in the sky! It will help douse tall buildings and provide firefighters with access to a roof fire. It’s Ladder Truck!
A super ladder truck has been added to Albuquerque’s West Side to augment fire protection in communities south of Montaño Boulevard and west of Rio Grande Boulevard, Albuquerque Fire Department Chief James Breen said.
“This is a huge public safety benefit for the city of Albuquerque, especially for the west and south side of Albuquerque,” Breen said.
“It’s a big win-win situation for the city for not only the residents of those areas, but also for general overall fire safety and staffing, and we feel very good about it,” he added.
Ladder 17, a reserve ladder fire unit, is being assigned on an interim basis until the arrival of a new ladder truck, which is expected at the end of this year, Breen said.
“We told the West Side community we would bring them a ladder truck and we did,” Mayor Richard J. Berry said in a news release.
“This temporary truck is phase one of enhancing our coverage on the West Side, and we look forward to our brand new truck being delivered this winter,” Berry said.
Ladder 17 will be located at Fire Station 17 at 3630 Yucca NW.
Breen said the interim ladder truck came to fruition after the mayor asked Breen for an evaluation of the emergency response system.
“We identified a need for a ladder company on the West Side,” Breen said.
Ladder 17 will be staffed with three firefighters, and will be located next to Ladder 21, which is near Cottonwood Mall.
— This article appeared on page 1 of the West Side Journal
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