[RIDE ALONG!] - South Metro Fire Rescue Tower 18 Responding (former Littleton FR)

Seen here is a Ride Along Video with South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) Tower 18 for a sick person at a nursing home in Highlands Ranch near Denver, Colorado. The five-man crew was just about to complete the weekly station & rig check up (in addition to the regular rig checks each shift have to do when going in service), when first Medic 18 and seconds later Tower 18 were called out for medical aid.
When I made this video back in 2018 this unit used to be Littleton Fire Rescue Tower 18. In January 2019, almost a year ago, LFR & SMFR merged to one huge department, so I decided to choose "South Metro" for the title. Check out my other videos from Colorado and the United States! Watch the playlist ▶️ • USA Emergency Response...
A big thank you goes to the crew of fire station 18, who made an unforgettable day possible for me. Thank you very much guys!
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Video taken: August 8th 2018
Video taken by:
► Lukas (Cam: Sony FDR-AX53)
Edited by:
► Lukas (Magix Video Deluxe 2019)
All rights reserved. You are not allowed to use our content without permission. Sharing or embedding is excluded from this.

[@mothelde4458]

3:00 I love how everybody pulled over to the complete right side to let that truck pass. Major props!

[@iLeanonsyrup]

Watching these ride alongs tell you how important it is to move over to the side when you see these guys coming.

[@brokentombot]

Driving that thing must be like driving a full water tanker plus some extra length. Damn. Great maneuvering. You'd think it's easy blowing lights but damn that mass is no joke. Great operation of that machine!

[@andrewyaden5209]

If it’s the same as ours it’s technically a quint with a 102’ tower. She heavy.

[@TheBlindReviewer]

My favorite part about this video is the sound of the truck.

[@Jimmythefish577]

Beat part of this video? The chauffeur actually feeding the wheel and hands at 10 + 2, great driving!

[@ParabolH]

Noticed that as well. Any instructor would be very happy to see that.

[@markcarpenter1550]

The man who is driving the truck is called an engineer, that particular vehicle is a platform aerial also known as a truck in the fire fighting world.

[@tuggyboat]

@@markcarpenter1550 It's a platform basket, and its a tower in the fire fighting world.

[@HaythamAlsayed]

​@@markcarpenter1550FDNY and some other places call the driver/engineer a chauffeur

[@righteousryan22]

GREAT looking Tower truck anyone agree?

[@callumwinton6000]

Absolutely beautiful rig

[@novaplays6933]

Beautiful sounding federal Q and horn

[@alexanderbell6391]

I totally agree

[@Born2doom]

Yes beautiful Tower ladder for sure!

[@dz528]

Absolutely, our department has the same colors, if we would get a tower it would look very similar

[@redghost6309]

5 months ago I was with SMFR station 32 for a ride along. A lot of fun. I wish I could go again.

[@bettyclarke1933]

Great video, I especially like the all Q and no electronic garbage!!!

[@S.W633]

DAMN YALL WAS FLYING NOW THE ENGINEER OF THAT LADDER DROVE IT LIKE A BOSS! 😎 💪

[@jamesdillard3583]

I can't believe how things have changed since I was a volunteer fireman for St.Helens Oregon for seventeen years and I really enjoy you firetrucks and the way it sounds. I hate the new siren because they not the same. Keep up the great job on your Videos.

[@rondobson1828]

Gotta love the Q siren.

[@nvaa1991]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed it all!

[@secret2214]

Grad solche Videos gefallen mir am besten von euch. Auch alle anderen Videos sind in sehr gute Qualität. Einfach super gemacht. Muss man euch einfach mal sagen

[@Firescue112]

Vielen Dank, das hört man gern! :)

[@sebastianmelzer877]

Great Video, I love these kind of tower ladder

[@gabrielnelson3400]

The pumpers are alright...but the TRUCKS are really where it is at! Great vid!

[@ivybesmonte2577]

MY RIGHT EARS REEE at the beginning of the video

[@alsjdfalkaoeru]

That stethoscope next to the Driver seems super modern. Could that a Fischer-Price?

[@jimwattenburger9924]

Sincerest Retirement community, a City within the City of Highlands Ranch, COLORADO

[@kylewhetstone881]

That engine sound is lovely

[@fyrfyter81]

Great looking rigs!

[@Born2doom]

Beautiful Tower Ladder!

[@matthewdowd4686]

If you skip ahead ten seconds at a time during the drive to the call it sounds hilarious!

[@nicholasserrano3800]

you know I've never seen a day in a life as a Chicago fireman

[@zachrunyon3189]

Nice rig and love the Q

[@TheWpafirephotograph]

Needs a powercall to go with the Q

[@actionfire4036]

Looks like Dryden fire departments tower! 😊

[@canomike1517]

Great driving for code 3 run

[@RyanMiller3039]

Those trucks are beautiful

[@peanut111shorty]

Was that one entire nursing complex?

[@clydefrog8711]

Nice truck.. nice houses.. nice lawns... people pull over. Where is this place? Was this made on a computer?

[@Firescue112]

Too good to be true, huh? ;) - Hahah but no, the area south of Denver is really marvellous :)

[@dereinsatzfahrtenfilmer2239]

Geniales Video!

[@Firescue112]

Dankeschön! :)

[@delawarecountypafire]

Great video

[@andresreyes5398]

Wish it was still Littleton fire Department, local control is better in my opinion worth the extra cost

[@georgiafireboy3163]

It looks like Hall County truck 5 they got it back in 2014 used to be truck 16 in 2017 they transferred it after truck 16 got a new rig they took the 2014 rig to station 5 to replace a 2000 KME ladder

[@DefinitelyThatGuy]

Very nice pierce Tower!

[@Firescue112]

That's a Pierce Tower, not a Spartan Tower... :)

[@DefinitelyThatGuy]

@@Firescue112 my bad i got that wrong lol 😂😂😂😂😂😂 I mix them up 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@franklewis6943]

3:05 Notice how EVERYBODY observes right-of-way laws when there's an Arapahoe County sheriff's deputy at the intersection?

[@Firescue112]

I'm not sure if everybody has even seen the deputy. But it was kinda cool how everyone moved over at 02:13 - even though the road is extremely wide and the tower had no obstacle on the way. The drivers at Highlands Ranch seem to be able to drive quite well xD

[@S.W633]

Actually that's not ACSO, That's A Douglas County Sheriffs Office Sheriffs Deputy.

[@joegaito702]

Good looking tower like the style way to go appreciate your style your service is deeply appreciated thanks for everything take care best wishes to everyone. Joe.

[@092prat]

Nice

[@michaelgatien4277]

4:40-5:30, why did you shut off the Q for a while then wound her back up again? the road seemed pretty clear

[@Firescue112]

I think this was simply a spontaneous decision. It is always better to be heard and recognized, you never know if you have recognized all potential sources of danger.

[@malcolmgardner5292]

I totally love da sounds of fire trucks and totally love fire trucks straight facts

[@terimiddleton6057]

Cool south merto fire reusce tower 18

[@cxfirerescue2592]

Great response! Would you mind if I use a portion of this video in a presentation project of mine?

[@Firescue112]

Thank you! Yep, if it's just a short clip and if you indicate the source of the video it should be fine ;)

[@cxfirerescue2592]

@@Firescue112 thank you sir!

[@andrewlorentz9076]

This is insane using a tower for a med call at a nursing home!

[@CH-bo5jw]

Andrew Lorentz Extra manpower and extra equipment. Some departments only have a Ladder. The town next to me sends a Ladder to every call, big or small. All they have is a Ladder and Medic so they pretty much have too.

[@112nowysacz-FS]

Nice :D

[@Firescue112]

Thank you! :)

[@captured911]

Hammer Geil :O aus den USA hätte ich auch gern mal welche ^^

[@Firescue112]

Danke! Ich glaube es ist fast nirgendwo so leicht ein Ride Along zu machen wie in den USA... Selbstverständlich ist es natürlich nicht, aber halt auch nicht ausgeschlossen, wie fast überall sonst :)

[@Julian.on.Fire.]

Was ist ein ride Along ?

[@captured911]

@@Julian.on.Fire. eine Mitfahrt auf einer Einsatzfahrt

[@Julian.on.Fire.]

Ok danke Ich seit total klasse Ixh bin nich ein kleiner Filmer

[@ryanprichard3882]

Cool vid

[@Firescue112]

Thanks!

[@erikschuessleres]

Das mag jetzt vielleicht komisch klingen aber...warum fahren die so langsam? Sirene auf volle pulle aber dann gefühlt nur mit 30 da lang. Ich kenne mich leider in den Thema nicht so gut aus aber wäre auf eine ausführliche Antwort sehr dankbar!

[@Firescue112]

Nein, das ist eine berechtigte Frage! :) Vermutlich wirkt es erstmal wegen der sehr breiten Straßen (selbst für amerikanische Verhältnisse) so, dass wir hier langsamer unterwegs waren als es tatsächlich war. Zudem ist so eine amerikanische Drehleiter auch wirklich ein Koloss. Diesen zu beschleunigen aber auch abzubremsen dürfte länger dauerm, als bei vielen LKW, die in Europa typisch sind. Dazu kommt noch, dass es bei dem Alarm wohl nicht direkt um Leben und Tod ging, daher wurde kein Extra-Risiko eingegangen und das Fahrzeug nicht an seine Grenzen gebracht :D - Ich hoffe, ich konnte die Frage etwas beantworten :)

[@erikschuessleres]

@@Firescue112 Auf jeden Fall! Vielen Dank :)

[@TommyG11814]

That was a long way to go.

[@Firescue112]

Yep, Tower 18 responded into Engine 16's area

[@ukemergencyvideos3335]

Amazing video, lucky as well

[@Firescue112]

Thanks!

[@terimiddleton6057]

Tower 18 is cool

[@ABMP4D3]

That was a long ride, were they covering for another company?

[@Firescue112]

Yes, Engine and Medic 16 were on another call, it would usually be their first-due area.

[@kevoprezzo]

That Red and Black color is HOT!

[@leniszameit]

merry christmas lukas

[@Firescue112]

Thank you, Marlene! I wish you that too :)

[@heatherallan2695]

pur trucks are also red-black

[@chrischi783]

Das ist eine Arial Tower Ladder. Eine Tower Ladder ist eigentlich mit festem Arm und einer minimalen Leiter zur Selbstrettung der Besatzung und dient in der Regel nicht zur Rettung von Personen.

[@Firescue112]

Das ist nur die New Yorker Variante. Die amerikanischen Bezeichnungen sind sehr heterogen, sodass ein solches Fahrzeug in der einen Stadt Truck, in der anderen Ladder, manchmal Aerial, Tower oder Tower Ladder, teilweise sogar Ladder Tower genannt wird. Den generellen Oberbegriff setze ich für mich jedenfalls als "Tower Ladder" fest, im Gegensatz zu denen ohne Korb. Die New Yorker Variante würde ich im allgemeinen eher als als Aerial Platform (Teleskopmast) bezeichnen.

[@waeller.rescue]

😎👍

[@piuforte]

Wie läuft das? Fragt man da einfach, ob man mitfahren darf? 🤷‍♂️

[@Firescue112]

Das wäre eine Möglichkeit, hier wurde es mir aber angeboten - und da sage ich natürlich nicht nein! :D

[@mistijames1918]

Q2B ❤️

[@RescueBayern]

Geiles Video

[@Firescue112]

Danke! :)

[@1topfueldrag]

the cost per run using ladder truck or one of that caliber, for medical calls, has got to be astronomical. Our local department used to take a four man crew with engine on medical but now use a suburban with two firefighters.

[@AndrewZ12793]

It’s very minimal, it’s virtually fuel and fluids, the truck is being paid for and the crew whether it’s on a run or not so those costs are negated.

[@nathanzittle3822]

I was going to say, we are a Volunteer Fire Department and we usually run a 2007 Ford Expedition as the Chase car IF the call is an Automatic or Upgraded Medical Assist. Unless 8ts a forcible entry

1topfueldrag One other thing that I will say that I can see Running that Ladder Truck if it is at a Station Without a Pumper (Only Apparatus at The Station With The Ambulance) and you have a Cardiac Arrest or Something of that nature that may Potentially Require Someone From The Ladder Truck having to Transfer to the Ambulance to either Drive or Provide Assistance so you can have Two People working on the Patient. We have done that before on Bad Calls.

[@CH-bo5jw]

Taylor Alldredge It’s simple really. Extra manpower and Extra equipment. 75-80% of the calls a department gets is medical. The Engine is the usually the first called with a Medic, but if the Engine is out of service then a ladder truck is called. For most departments the Ladder Truck is also the main rescue truck because of the space. The only thing a ladder truck is good for on a fire call is the ladder itself and water line. Everything else is nothing but rescue / EMS equipment. That’s how my department is anyway. We always send an Engine/Medic to a Medical call and Ladder/Medic to a car accident.

[@dannd715]

Is it common practice to send a tower laddder to back up a medic unit?

[@Firescue112]

In the Area of South Metro Fire Rescue the majority of medical calls is handled with a medic and a fire unit. As there is no fire station with both, a Ladder Truck and an Engine, those stations with only ladder trucks will send those trucks to medical calls.

[@colinjr9953]

Firescue112 so y’all don’t have engines and ladders in the same station that crazy

[@Firescue112]

@@colinjr9953 Nope, South Metro doesn't have a few big but many small stations with just one staffed fire unit.

[@limemonster2295]

I wonder if yall have a tiller

[@MrIamalego]

I don't believe south metro has any tillers

[@cgaming5561]

But then are planning on going to get two tiller ladder for ladder 34 and ladder 35

[@wiggerj0nes104]

🚑 RESCUE 18 & 🚒 TRUCK 18

[@nicknovak83]

guess im the only one who thought it was stupid to roll a 5 man crew in a fucking bucket to an ems call with a rig on scene already

[@TellurideS13]

Cummins X15

[@cynicaltexan9639]

They drive so far

[@justanotheraviator2357]

I drive far to, just the luck of the draw. How about that snow?

[@phillywhateverguy]

A tower for medical aid at a nursing home?!? So if an apartment fire comes in are they still committed to the medical call? I just dont think specialty pieces should be dispatched to medical calls unless absolutely necessary. Especially at a nursing home with trained people there already.

[@CH-bo5jw]

Edward Prawdzik They would leave the medical call for an apartment fire. The a Ladder Truck is also the main rescue truck for majority departments. It’s nothing but rescue / EMS equipment. Extra manpower is the main reason.

[@ph11p3540]

That city looks so green and clean like a Western Canadian city. This reminds me of my home city in Edmonton. Not like those sad, dirty cities of the US Bible Belt

[@Firescue112]

That's true! The southern suburbs of Denver are really clean, friendly and pretty much safe! Some parts of the City itself are not that beautiful but I guess still better than some of those in the rust belt. Edmonton is also a cool place, I visited it too and made a few videos of their fire department :)

[@larrygunderman4207]

That a Peirce

[@Firescue112]

Indeed, it's a Pierce.

[@larrygunderman4207]

Sweet

[@thenussbaum44]

It seems like a poor use of a 1M dollar truck, I never understood this, at least send a pumper at half the value. Many cities do this and I think it's a waste of resources.

[@justanotheraviator2357]

We run medics and still take a truck. It's usually a manpower thing. There isn't a waste of resources, the ladder is assured to last 20 years and most departments I know of replace before that anyway! Yes it may be a big truck instead of a engine, but hey, maybe the engine wasn't available. And I believe that the closest vehicle should respond, regardless it being a truck or an engine.

[@justanotheraviator2357]

@ it's a big suburban fire department thing.

[@thenussbaum44]

Just Another Aviator so the more you use something doesn't affect the wear and tear on the vehicle it still last 20 years. Those trucks are usually overweight to begin with, running them on EMS calls on a routine basis doesn't make sense, for once in awhile is it is in a horrible thing.

[@louisianagator95]

@ I get what you're saying about having a Super-Duty type truck to run medical calls, and it does have some logic to it. My issue is that all the wear and tear you're not putting on the engine/ladder is still being put onto a vehicle, and now you have more variables when keeping track of who's where. It can also be an issue when you have two FF's out on a medical call and tone drops for a fire. Two guys go out in the engine and the two in the pick-up meet them there, well now you have a vehicle that's taking up space on scene, and you ended up adding to the overall wear and tear across the fleet while adding to the already logistical fakakta that leadership and dispatch already have to deal with.

[@CH-bo5jw]

Engine may not have been available. Plus, some departments only have a Ladder/EMS approach today. 75-80% of the a departments calls are medical. If they purchased a smaller vehicle, the Engine and Ladder (filled with medical/rescue equipment) would just sit there. And that doesn’t seem like a better use of money. It’s cheaper just to buy one big truck that can respond to anything and everything, vs 3-4 trucks. Plus, for most departments the Ladder Truck is the main rescue truck. It’s nothing but rescue/EMS equipment. At least the one at my station is anyway. We always send an Engine/EMS to medical calls and a Ladder/EMS to vehicle accidents.

[@robcassel1745]

Wait a minute...... A ladder is being dispatched for a sick person in a nursing home?!?!?!?!?

[@timbarnhart7971]

Possible use for man power when I was running as a volunteer for a department in indiana we always ran medical calls with ems with us having county ems 95% of the time we was always on scene 1st even when we wasnt we still went in as man power for ems just in case they needed us

[@CH-bo5jw]

Man power and extra equipment

[@michaels908]

Isn't it unusual to send a Tower truck on a medical call?

[@Firescue112]

Station 18 has only personnel to man one fire and one EMS unit - and Tower 18 is their primary fire response unit so they take this rig to nearly every call (except wildland fires).

[@tbuff91]

Never knew tower ladders went on med calls

[@Firescue112]

Depends on the department... I also caught HazMat Units rolling for medicals in other cities :D

[@tracerjames51]

Why do they send the biggest truck they have to this?

[@Firescue112]

Here's why: South Metro Fire Rescue has a variety of smaller stations, most have a Fire Suppression Unit (either Engine OR Aerial Company) and some also have a Medic Unit. There is no station with Engine AND Aerial in the District. Since a medic and suppression unit are alerted to almost all medical emergencies, the fire stations that only have an Aerial Company run the Aerial Company rather than the nearest Engine, which is smaller but farther away. Each Fire Suppression Apparatus must be able to handle all types of operations, according to the SMFR response concept.

[@BURNINGRYZEN112]

USA Donates Pierce Fire Vehicles For European Union 2.

[@CCscott]

Tower ladder for a medical call? Hmmm. 🤔

[@Firescue112]

In South Metro's District they often send fire suppression units along with medic units for medical calls. They do not have Engines and Ladder Companies housed together at one station so yep - also a Tower Ladder may run a medical.

[@canadiannavy9229]

Is there no emergency or something like wow great driving besides you kinda went slow like I mean slow

[@jimbobcramden]

Emergency vehicles must operate with due regard to the safety of the people around them. If they were going really fast they wouldn't be able to stop in time to avoid hitting someone. Some people don't know how to react when they see a emergency vehicle behind them with the lights and sirens.

[@canadiannavy9229]

@@jimbobcramden well they need to learn lol

[@MusicLoverPearson]

AS LONG IT TOOK THEM TO GET THERE I HOPE THAT PERSON DIDN'T DIE SHEESH

[@JayRL4]

MusicLover P Do u know how hard it is when you have trash handling, as well as ambulance was on scene already.

[@nathanzittle3822]

@@JayRL4 They need an EMS Car, Quicker, More Agile, and more Crew Space with less of the extra equipment

[@whiteboysixty5]

@@nathanzittle3822 go watch South metros KZbin before you guys start armchair quarterbacking

[@nathanzittle3822]

@@whiteboysixty5 How about you stop attempting to go keyboard warrior little buddy and realize what I was making was a suggestion, not a Statement so please, read CAREFULLY, and check facts.

[@whiteboysixty5]

'they need' sounds like a statement. And a 8 minute response time is about normal if you think about it. Also additional resources are requested depending on call type, could be a CPR, or a lift assist. Let's see 2 people lift a 400lb patient, not smart or safe for the back.