Ladder Truck makes a new home in Troutville Volunteer Fire Station

Troutville Volunteer Fire Department Captain Dylan Johnson said, “We purchased the firetruck in February. It came from East Chicago, Indiana where it was used from 1994-2017. It was purchased through a vendor in Georgia. It made its way up here and we were able to test drive it. Since they had it from February forward, TVFD has been fixing it up and now it is operational.

One person is able to be operational at driving it, but six people have taken the aerial operator’s class. “They learned how to set it by a building, look out for wires and lights and anything about the operations.”  Most recently they used it on a possible structure fire at the Troutville Red Roof Inn. The building is three stories high and they went to roof.  Fortunately, it was not on fire.

The majority of use for the truck is 133 feet of ladders also placed on the truck that can be propped at windows and onto the roof as escape mechanisms for the firemen in an interior fire. “These escape routes are very important,” said Johnson. The RIT team ( Rapid Intervention Team) are the firemen that rush in to save a down fireman. “The ladder truck has everything we need to send in the RIT, like ropes, air bottle, saws, linemen’s pliers.” said Johnson, “They stretch out the ladder and it can be rigged to drop a Stokes Basket into a fire to retrieve someone as well.”

Firefighters are a brave group. Rushing into a fire is not for the faint at heart.

Two paid paramedics are housed at the Troutville Volunteer Fire Department. Otherwise, all of the firemen are volunteer at the Department. The TVFD does fund raisers but in your end of the year giving consider a donation. They attend most fires throughout the county and anything that happens on I-81 is often in their range.

Send a check to Troutville Volunteer Fire Dept., PO Box 609, Troutville VA 24175.

Story by Cathy Benson. Photo courtesy of Botetourt County.