McHenry County College’s fire science department has a new ladder truck for students to practice on.
The truck was obtained from the Stowe Township Volunteer Fire Department in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, and joined the college’s roster of equipment in April, according to a news release.
The truck’s ladder extends to 105 feet, or about seven stories in height. It will give students the experience and training needed to serve taller local buildings, such as the Holiday Inn Crystal Lake, hospitals, older downtown areas or taller residential buildings, according to a news release.
In the program, students will train by climbing the ladder truck, practice with elevated water streams and gain experience using other equipment stored on the vehicle, which is used in search and rescues, ventilation, forcible entry, vehicle extrication, and specialized rescues, the college said.
The truck will mainly be used on the college’s campus, but as the program continues to grow, it may visit offsite locations for special training requests.
The truck will be incorporated into the curriculum in the fall of 2022.
For more information about McHenry County College’s fire science program, go to www.mchenry.edu/firescience.
