Hook ladders are ladder-shaped like a question mark with saw teeth in the hook part to attach to windows. They were historically used by firefighters for rescues and are still used in training. They were invented by Chris Hoell and gained worldwide popularity. Hook ladders required great skill to use and are now replaced by revolving ladders in modern firefighting.
A hook ladder is a type of ladder that is shaped like a question mark. In the hook part of the question mark, the ladder usually has saw teeth which are used to attach it to windows or other fixed objects. The ladder also contains rungs, which are attached to the longest part of the question mark. Historically, firefighters used hook ladders to scale walls when rescuing people from burning buildings. While not usually used in modern firefighting, hook ladders are still sometimes employed by fire schools when training new recruits.
Hook ladders were first used in fire rescue in the late 1800s. They are believed to have been invented by Chris Hoell, a lieutenant from St. Louis, Missouri. In honor of him, the hook ladder was originally called Chris Hoell’s life-saving device. A hook ladder is also sometimes referred to as a stepladder or pompier ladder, the term pompier being a generic name for French firefighters. Hook ladders have gained worldwide popularity.
Hook ladders were primarily used when firefighters lacked access to ladders. The first recorded rescue occurred in 1894 in New York City when a firefighter named John Binns, who belonged to Hook and Ladder Company 3, used a hook ladder to climb the outside of a burning apartment complex. With the help of the ladder, Binns was able to successfully rescue a young man trapped on the seventh floor of the building.
Using a hook ladder required firefighters great skill because the ladder had to be thrown from window to window. Generally, from ground level, a hook ladder firefighter would push the hook through a first or second level window. After attaching the hook to the windowsill, the firefighter used the hook ladder to climb up the window. Next, while straddling the window sill, the firefighter would pull up the ladder and push it through the next higher window. This process would be repeated until the firefighter reached their final destination.
In modern times, hook ladders are no longer widely used in fire departments. In general, a device called a revolving ladder has replaced the hook ladder as a means of scaling high walls. A turntable typically consists of a long ladder attached to a turntable on the back of a fire truck. The ladder is usually able to pivot from its base, allowing for greater length and greater flexibility.
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