Truck Operations›Aerial Evolution

TRUCK OPERATIONS · AERIAL EVOLUTION

Aerial Evolution

Spot it, secure it, deploy it. Section 6’s spotting calls sit right in the positioning steps; the Pierce manual’s stabilizer procedure sits behind the deploy steps.

CARD 1 · POSITION AND SET UP

Positioning & spotting

1

Position Up-Hill / Up-Wind

2

Position Outside Collapse Zone

Defensive / master-stream measure: 1.5 × the height of the tallest exterior wall — a 20 ft wall wants 30 ft, the further the better. Engine Company Operations 2023 V-1, p.7-2

3

Position on Corner of Building if Possible

  • Going to the roof, it is the offside corner — sit a few feet off it, which gives crews two ways on and off the ladder in a hurry.
  • Tip kisses the roof with both beams. That takes the bounce out and is far safer to move up and down with tools.
  • Beams on the roof, not the egress section.
OFD Truck Manual v3.1, Section 6 “Apparatus Positioning,” p.143
4

Assess Grade & Surface Conditions

5

Assess Overhead Hazards (Power Lines, Trees, Wires)

SPOT IT LIKE THIS — TRUCK MANUAL SECTION 6

  • Spot for the aerial and for truck work. That is the Truck’s job on the fireground — make every effort to do it. p.143
  • First in and the Officer initiates fire attack → spot as an Engine. The aerial spot gives way to the attack. p.143
  • Do not block the lay. “The Truck takes the numbers” only goes so far — a poorly positioned Truck delays an arriving Engine from laying to the fire and getting water on it. p.143
  • Uninvolved to involved. Put the ladder where the fire is going, not where it is — that buys roof crews time to assess and vent, and sets up to protect the uninvolved side if aerial master streams are coming. p.143
  • Take the outside spot. It lets Engines get in close under the ladder, keeps the waterway out of the way, gives a better climbing angle, and sets up aerial master streams. The inside spot only buys a longer throw — tall building or a long setback. p.143
  • Pull past or stop short to land the tip where it is needed. Pulling past also clears the front of the structure for quick ground ladders and lets the Engine line its transverse bed up with its objective. pp.143–144
  • Commercial — the aerial is the primary ladder any time crews go to the roof, one-story included: a ground ladder will not get that crew off in a hurry, and the aerial’s angle is easier with tools. p.144
  • Steep pitch — tip to the bottom of a valley in the area the roof work is happening. Stable platform, two sections of roof to open, a strong part of the roof, and roof ladders can go out from there. p.144
  • Second-due Truck takes the opposite offside corner and ladders the roof too, unless its aerial is needed for a rescue. Secondary ladders go on its own side of the building. p.144
The manual’s fuller wording — Section 6

Positioning — “spotting” — the aerial apparatus requires skill and practice. Trucks should make every effort to spot for use of the aerial device and truck company operations on the fireground; if arriving first and the Truck Company Officer decides to initiate fire attack, the apparatus should be positioned as an Engine. Often the term is thrown around that the Truck takes the numbers — hose can be extended, ladders can’t. There is some truth to it, but more should be considered, as a poorly positioned Truck can delay an arriving Engine from quickly laying to the fire and providing extinguishment. The manual breaks aerial positioning into four basic considerations.

OFD Truck Manual v3.1, Section 6 “Apparatus Positioning,” p.143

1 · Uninvolved to involved

Spot the ladder to create distance between where the fire is and where it will be going. If going to the roof for ventilation, crews will need time to assess the roof and perform ventilation operations. It also sets up to protect uninvolved portions of the building if aerial master streams are anticipated.

2 · Corners

The “offside” corner is where the aerial ladder aims when going to the roof. Placing the ladder just a few feet off the corner allows two ways on and off the ladder — which can come in handy if crews need to exit the roof in a hurry. The tip should “kiss” the roof with both beams: that takes the bounce out of the ladder and is much safer to maneuver up and down with tools. Stay away from placing the egress section on the roof and opt to place the beams on instead.

3 · Inside vs. outside

Taking an inside spot means needing the aerial for a longer throw — the height of a building or a long setback. An outside spot allows Engine companies to position closer to the building underneath the Truck’s ladder; this lets the waterway get out of the way and produces a better climbing angle for crews going to the roof. Securing an outside spot also sets up aerial master stream operations should the need arise.

4 · Pull past / stop short

Pulling past a structure could allow the aerial ladder to be placed where needed. It also allows ground ladders to be pulled out right in front of the structure in a quick manner, whether for primary or secondary access/egress, and allows the Engine the option of aligning its transverse bed up with its objective. Stopping short might be needed for placement of the aerial ladder.

OFD Truck Manual v3.1, Section 6, pp.143–144

Commercial buildings

All commercial buildings should be laddered with the aerial ladder as the primary ladder when roof operations are being performed. While it may seem easy to ladder a one-story commercial with a ground ladder, it will not be easy to get that crew off the roof in a timely manner should the need arise; in addition the angle of the aerial ladder will be much easier to ascend and descend with tools. Published as the default rather than an absolute — ruling R-42.

Steep pitched roofs

When going to the roof of a steep residential or possibly a commercial, aim at placing the aerial ladder to the bottom of a valley in the area where roof operations are going to be performed. This allows a stable platform to work from and two different sections of roof to open up; roof ladders can also be deployed from this position. Placing the ladder low in the valley also places the crew in a stronger area of the roof and allows more roof to work.

Second due Trucks

Second arriving Trucks should be placing their ladders to the roof if the first arriving Truck is performing roof operations — as long as there isn’t an imminent need for a rescue with the second due Truck’s aerial ladder. Second due Trucks should attempt to place their ladder on the opposite “offside” corner; secondary ladders should be placed on their side of the building.

How the manual closes the section

While not covering every possible scenario, the guidelines should set Truck companies up for success on the fireground by starting off their operations in a good position. Truck companies should be routinely spotting their apparatus on buildings throughout the city in attempts to hone their skills.

OFD Truck Manual v3.1, Section 6, p.144

SECURE THE RIG

6

SET PARKING BRAKE

7

SET FRONT WHEEL LOCKS

8

ENGAGE: PTO · AERIAL MASTER · HIGH IDLE · Generator

Prepare

9

CHOCK FRONT TIRES (leave space)

10

Pull Aerial Step Out

11

Set Up Pads

Verbalize Surface Conditions

DEPLOY

12

DEPLOY STABILIZERS (USE GAUGES)

Deploying the stabilizers — Pierce manual

This rig: one large rear stabilizer in the middle plus two mid-ship — a three-stabilizer apparatus, so the manual’s three-stabilizer leveling and chocking procedures are the ones that apply. And there are no pins on the new truck, so the manual’s jack-pin steps — written “if equipped” at 1-9.2 and at 4-3.8 items 4 and 5 — are not part of this evolution.

Jason, ruling R-49, 2026-08-30

Where the rig can sit

  • The surface must be firm and stable — stability cannot be assured on grass, dirt, or hot asphalt. Avoid loose objects, utility access covers, chambers, pipes, culverts, broken pavement, and areas that drop off suddenly.
  • The apparatus must be able to be leveled within the safe operating limits.
  • Ensure clearance from power lines during operation; position clear of areas exposed to fire or falling debris.
  • Always use warning lights when positioning in traffic. Never position on or near a railroad track or an active airport runway.
  • The ground must support 75 psi of pressure between each stabilizer pad and the ground (NFPA 1901 design limit).
Pierce Rear Mount Steel Aerial Ladder (Command Zone) manual, 1-9 Safe Aerial Set-Up · 1-9.1 Aerial Apparatus Positioning · 1-9.1a Ground Bearing Support, pp.1-11–1-12

Deploying

  • Clear the area of personnel; use spotters to maneuver into position. Engage parking brake and front wheel lock, and deploy wheel chocks.
  • Determine where the jacks will land and set out stabilizer pads centered under them. Deploy ground pads every time, even on concrete or other firm surfaces.
  • Walk around and beneath the vehicle to ensure no one is in the area — stabilizers are a crush hazard. Shout your intention to deploy before you deploy.
  • Deploy the stabilizers and level the apparatus, keeping the stabilizers in sight at all times.
Pierce manual, 1-9.2 Aerial Stabilizer Deployment, p.1-12

Operating sequence at the controls

  • Locate the stabilizer controls · confirm the area is clear · shout your intention · HIGH IDLE on · extend the stabilizer beams completely · place the ground pads centered beneath the jacks.
  • Stabilizers must be fully extended for safe operation through 360° of rotation, and the apparatus must be within the safe level range before operation.
Pierce manual, 4-3 Stabilizing the Apparatus · 4-3.2 Stabilizer Deployment, p.4-4

Leveling a three-stabilizer rig

  • Lower each front (mid-ship) jack until its on-ground indicator is flashing.
  • Lower each jack further, keeping the apparatus within the safe level limits in slope and grade, until the rear tires are off the ground.
  • Lower the rear center downrigger until its on-ground indicator glows steady.
  • Install wheel chocks on both sides of the front axle tires (the manual’s chock placement for two- and three-stabilizer apparatus).
  • Level Assist (if equipped): lower the front stabilizers until the indicators flash, engage Level Assist, then lower the center downrigger until its indicator is steady. For full aerial reach over the front, the front tires must remain in firm contact with the ground.
Pierce manual, 4-3.1 Aerial Set-Up Preparation, p.4-3 · 4-3.4 Leveling Apparatus Equipped with Three Stabilizers, p.4-6 · 4-3.7a Level Assist for Three Stabilizer System, p.4-11

Short-jacking

  • Partial extension of the stabilizer beams is only for when you are forced to set up in tight quarters. Extend fully on the side you will work over; extend as far as possible on the other.
  • You must only operate the aerial over the side where the stabilizers are fully extended and set. An interlock prevents rotation over the short-jacked side — do not rely on it; never rotate past the centerline toward the short-jacked side.
  • An Incident Safety Officer should observe aerial operations during short-jack procedures.
Pierce manual, 1-9.3 Stabilizer Short-Jack Deployment, p.1-13 · 4-3.9 Short-Jack Stabilizer Set-Up, p.4-12

Cribbing and blocking

  • Use only if trained in the proper methods, with cribbing that supports at least 100 psi of ground contact pressure.
  • Place on a firm level base with no debris underneath; stack directly beneath the outrigger to avoid slipping.
  • On a sloped surface, level the first layers so the jack foot sits on a level surface. The apparatus stabilizer pad is always the top layer, directly under the jack foot.
  • Cover at least as much area as the stabilizer pads; never build taller than twice the width of the base; use only undamaged hardwood.
  • Inspect frequently during operation for settling, slippage, cracking, bending, crushing, or shear failure.
Pierce manual, 1-9.4 Cribbing and Blocking, p.1-13

Final setup

  • Check the slope and grade indicators are still in the safe zone — if not, stow the stabilizers and reposition.
  • Check each stabilizer pad is centered under its jack foot; HIGH IDLE off.
  • Reposition wheel chocks so the downhill chock is against the tire and the uphill chock is about 2 inches from it.
Pierce manual, 4-3.8 Final Setup - All Apparatus, p.4-11 (items 4 and 5 omitted — they are the jack safety-pin steps, and there are no pins on this rig, R-49)
13

CHANGE AERIAL RESCUE/FIRE MODE

14

CHANGE NOZZLE IF REQUIRED

15

DEPLOY AERIAL

VERBALIZE WEIGHT CHART, OVERHEAD HAZARDS, WIND, Tip Weights

STABILIZER THEORY

  • Front wheels should not be lifted. If the front tires come off the ground:
    • The truck can teeter (rock forward and back) on the stabilizers.
    • The aerial may not bed properly (mechanical issue). The front is much lighter — so there's less weight pressing down = less stabilizer effectiveness.
    • You also lose traction at the front, which helps resist sliding (especially downhill).
  • Downhill deployment:
    • Accept that you can't flatten the slope with the jacks.
    • Keep all wheels, especially the front, on the ground.
    • Set the stabilizers for balance, but don't try to force the truck level if it means lifting the front.

UNVERIFIED WORDING

Uphill deployment: Preferred position is to have rear stabilizers support enough weight to remove the bulge from the rear tires. The front stabilizers should be firmly planted on the ground but leaving the front suspension compressed, allowing for full aerial operation. When positioning uphill, raise the rear of the truck until the truck is level. Front stabilizers should be set until they are firm on ground.

Part of this paragraph was glared in the transcription photo. It is shown as read while the wording is verified.

FLOWING WATER — open when the truck is pumping
1

Open Tank to Pump

2

Open Tank Fill / Recirc Line

3

Set PSI Mode

OREM

PSI/RPM mode is a PUC feature — at Orem it exists on Engine 34's Pierce PUC only. There is no PSI mode on Orem's other pumps.

Ruling SR-8, 2026-08-29

4

Set Transfer Valve: Pressure/Volume

5

Pull Hose for Firefighters

6

Charge Hand Lines

7

Calculate / Set PDP

8

CONNECT LDH SUPPLY

9

OPEN PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE

10

SIGNAL WATER

11

CLOSE RELIEF VALVE

12

OPEN SUPPLY INTAKE SLOWLY (*MONITOR GAUGES)

13

**PRIME PUMP**

14

CLOSE TANK TO PUMP

15

REFILL TANK VALVE OPEN

*NOTE HYDRANT STATIC INTAKE PRESSURE

Pumping tips that apply on this rig
  • Maintain 20 PSI intake pressure. 20 psi minimum protects from drawing a vacuum on the intake hose. Jason's engine evolution card, closing note
  • Ladder 32's waterway is pre-plumbed (the hydraulic manual's “T33”) — appliance loss 25 psi ± elevation. Name the rig, not the appliance. OFD Hydraulic Manual, appliance loss · Ruling R-38, 2026-08-29
16

CALCULATE / SET PDP

OREM — RULED ORDER

PDP is calculated and set before the waterway opens. As printed, the card opens the aerial water flow valve first, which flows water at an uncalculated pressure. The card lines are kept; the ruled order runs PDP → notify → confirm → open.

Ruling R-48, 2026-08-30

OREM — NAME THE RIG, NOT THE APPLIANCE

Ladder 32 (the hydraulic manual's “T33”) — pre-plumbed waterway: 25 psi ± elevation.

The tiller (manual's “Tiller33”) — playpipe: Q² for the 3″ + ladder elevation + 15 psi appliance + NP.

OFD Hydraulic Manual, appliance loss · Ruling R-38, 2026-08-29

17

NOTIFY COMMAND BIG WATER IS READY

STOP — COMMAND CONFIRMATION REQUIRED

Confirm all department members are out of the building before flowing the master stream.

Affirmative acknowledgement, not a one-way notification. The rule covers “any master stream or elevated ladder pipe” — the aerial is included. A master stream must be shut down to be repositioned — the safest positions are the building corners; the front is dangerous, ineffective, and inside the collapse zone.

OFD Engine Company Operations 2023 V-1, Master Stream Operations, p.7-1
18

OPEN AERIAL WATER FLOW VALVE

19

ADJUST NOZZLE PATTERN

✱

*OPEN AERIAL DRAIN WHEN STOWING

TILLER SETUP — differences

What is sourced today

  • The tiller carries the playpipe (the hydraulic manual's “Tiller33”). Its master-stream PDP: Q² for the 3″ + ladder elevation + 15 psi appliance + NP. Ladder 32 carries the pre-plumbed waterway instead (25 psi ± elevation) — name the rig, not the appliance.

OFD Hydraulic Manual, appliance loss · Ruling R-38, 2026-08-29

What is not published yet

The tiller's own Pierce operator's manual is not on file, so its full setup differences — stabilizer configuration, leveling, chocking, jackknife limits — are not published yet. Nothing here is guessed; this section grows when that manual is sourced.

QUICK RULE · VOLUME REMAINING

USE 1ST DIGIT METHOD TO DETERMINE ADDITIONAL LIKE VOLUMES REMAINING.

EMERGENCY

NOTIFY COMMAND

WORK BACKWARDS

CHECK INDICATOR STABILITY LIGHTS

USE HYDRAULIC OVERRIDE CONTROLS

EPU

Sources. My own laminated aerial evolution cards, transcribed 2026-08-28 — wording, order and groupings verbatim, caps as printed. Two changes from the printed cards, both mine: the master-stream order is per my 2026-08-30 review (R-48), and the pin step is removed because this rig has no pins (R-49). Manual material layered in behind the steps: OFD Truck Manual v3.1, Section 6 (pp.143–144, spotting) · Pierce Rear Mount Steel Aerial Ladder (Command Zone) operator's manual, sections 1-9 and 4-3 · OFD Hydraulic Manual, appliance loss · OFD Engine Company Operations 2023 V-1, Master Stream Operations, p.7-1 (confirm-all-out, corners vs front) and p.7-2 (the 1.5× collapse zone).

The tiller's own operator's manual is not on file, so its setup differences are not published yet. Page numbers follow each manual's own footers — the Truck Manual runs a single sequence, Engine Company Operations and the Pierce manual paginate per chapter.

Version: prototype · Last reviewed 2026-08-30 · Compiled by Engineer Jason Anderson

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