PHOTOS: The three-alarm fire at Nox-Crete a week ago took thousands of gallons of water, at least 50 firefighters and a full night of tireless work to get under control.
But fire crews had additional help from a high-tech gadget: a remote-control nozzle attached to the top of a 105-foot aerial ladder.
Five fire trucks in the Omaha Fire Department fleet are equipped with this technology, which allows firefighters to operate the ladder and hose from the ground. This serves the dual purpose of keeping firefighters safe and allowing them to get the best vantage point.
"It helps so that we can actually walk around the truck and look at where the optimal place would be for the nozzle to hit," Battalion Chief Scott Fitzpatrick said.
From the hand-held controller, firefighters can extend and retract the ladder, control the direction of the nozzle, turn the water flow on and off and even adjust the water's spray pattern without stepping foot on the rig. In a fire like the one at Nox-Crete, a tool like this can be particularly helpful.