As the Champaign Fire Department gets ready to "push-in" its new jack-of-all-trades ladder truck, Chief Gary Ludwig and Lt. Brian Ball provided a quick look at what firefighters now have at their disposal. At noon Saturday, the new truck will be wetted down, dried and introduced to its new home at Station 4 on John Street.
Not your average bumper...
The 107-foot 2018 Ferrara aerial ladder truck has a front bumper like no other. Housing 100-foot hydraulic reels with hydraulic rescue tools — similar to the Jaws of Life — the bumper will ensure the ladder is ready for anything if it's first on the scene, Ludwig said.
Tools to cut through a steering wheel, pop a door open or split a car roof tap into the ladder's internal 10,000-watt generator. And with four high-powered LED floodlights, a midnight interstate wreck can be as fully lighted and serviceable as in broad daylight.