Ladder Bail Out
This month’s drill focuses on a skill we as firefighters hope we never need to utilize, however, if the situation arises where it is needed, you’ll be glad you have trained on it. If you find yourself on the second or third floor of a building with rapidly deteriorating conditions, performing a ladder bailout can be a lifesaving maneuver.
This will sound obvious, but to perform this skill having a ladder at the window sill is crucial. A proactive Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) should “soften the building” by placing ladders at windows on various sides of the structure. Additionally, pump operators can assist with deploying ladders once they have completed their initial responsibilities at the pump panel and established a water supply. To be clear, this does not mean the pump operator should abandon their primary duties or freelance on the fireground. However, if there is a ladder on the apparatus, it’s better utilized on the building than left on the truck.
Ideally, the firefighter should isolate themselves in a room with a door. Isolating the room from the fire helps prevent a flow path from forming and buys the firefighter time. However, isolating is not always possible. Therefore, when practicing this skill, emphasize exiting through the window as low as possible. This keeps the firefighter in the coolest area (relative to the rest of the window opening) and allows superheated gasses (and potentially fire) to exhaust through the top of the window.
With the ladder in position and the window open, it is time for the firefighter to exit through the window. A memory aid to remember how to grab the ladder is, “Wrap 2, Grab 4.” This means the firefighter will “wrap” the second rung from the top of the ladder by placing the rung in the elbow of their arm. With their other hand, the firefighter will grab the fourth rung. Grabbing the middle of the rung is ideal, as grabbing to one side can cause the ladder to shift. Additionally, in my experience, some firefighters prefer to grab the third rung instead of the fourth, this is fine as long as they maintain control throughout the maneuver.
In the picture you’ll see that the firefighter wrapped the second rung with his left arm and grabbed the fourth rung with his right arm. From this position, the firefighter will perform a controlled 180o spin towards the arm side that “grabbed four” on the ladder. After this transition, the firefighter can then walk down the ladder one rung at a time or perform a controlled beam slide. For a full video of the maneuver, view this article online, featuring footage from The Resilient Firefighter class taught this past January at the 2024 IFSTB Fire School.
When drilling on this skill, it’s helpful to start with a short ladder from a first-story window or a prop like the one pictured (credit Frozen Leather Blog). Instructions to make the prop can be found online under the resources tab of the Iowa Firefighter Training Archive. The short ladder, commonly referred to as a VES ladder, can be made by cutting down an out-of-service ladder. Once firefighters are comfortable from a first-story window, move to practicing from a second-story window. To safely train this skill from a second-story window, it’s essential to use a belay system to prevent a firefighter from falling if they accidentally slip from the ladder during the drill.
Remember, preparation and training are the keys to success in high-stress situations. Stay vigilant, stay safe, and keep honing your skills. For more resources and detailed instructions on building training props, visit the Iowa Firefighter Training Archive (bit.ly/IowaFirefighter).
Training Objective
Upon completion the firefighter should be able to safely perform a ladder bail out.
Cole Kleinwolterink is a member of the Waukee Fire Department, Granger Fire Department, and Fire Science instructor at Des Moines Area Community College. Feel free to reach out to him at kleinwolterinkc@gmail.com with any questions, comments or inquiries.