This standard specifies requirements for the use, maintenance, inspection, and service testing of fire department ground ladders. A.1.1 Ground ladders used in the fire service must be constructed to rigid standards to ensure that the ladders are of the highest quality. These ladders often provide the only means of fire fighter entry into a building or portions of a building and could be the only means of egress for victims trapped by a fire within a building. Fire department ground ladders serve as a path for fire fighters to transport people, equipment, and extinguishing agents from one level to a higher or lower level. Because the lives of fire fighters and fire victims often rely on the performance, without failure, of these valuable pieces of fire department equipment, these standards of performance are critical.
