August 2007

Rescue Unit Roof Access Is Safer With Hackney’s Staircase

Hackney Emergency Vehicles has developed a way to safely gain access to the roofs of the rescue vehicles it makes with an innovative Auto Deploy Staircase (ADS) that mechanically lowers and raises an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliant egress to the vehicle’s roof.

As more equipment is placed on heavy rescues, every inch of the apparatus must be used, including the roof. Many rescue builders use “coffin-style” or other compartments on the tops of rescue vehicles, and access can sometimes be a challenge.

Hackney’s ADS system provides access without compromising compartment space or access to any part of the body, according to the builder.

To activate the system, the user pushes a deploy button located at the rear of the unit, and the automatic staircase mechanically moves out from its nesting position on top of the apparatus, pivoting and then traveling to the ground at a low, safe speed, according to Hackney. Deployment can be achieved in under 30 seconds, the company said.

As the staircase approaches ground level, the last three steps fold out and the staircase then rests on the ground. Handrails on each side of the stairs fold up and out, locking into position to provide safe and smooth access to the roof, according to Hackney. Firefighters and rescue personnel use the ADS the same as any normal staircase.

Heavy or bulky equipment and supplies can be safely retrieved and brought to ground level, as one would use residential staircases, without interfering with other operations in and around the rescue vehicle, according to the manufacturer. Other rescue workers can access the rear extrication compartment unencumbered by the staircase.

The system uses safety overrides that prevent the apparatus from accidentally being moved while the staircase is deployed, and flashing LED warning lights, rear scene lights and an audible warning alarm automatically activate during the deployment cycle. The LED warning lights and rear scene lights remain activated during operations.

Once operations are completed, the ADS is stowed in reverse of the deployment cycle, as the handrails fold flat against the stairs, locking into position. Activating the ADS button takes the system back to its nested position at the top of the apparatus, ready for the next call.

Hackney’s ADS system is fully multiplexed into the apparatus electrical system making it easy to operate electrically with built-in safety features, such as the interlock to prevent the vehicle from being moved while deployed and the warning and scene lights.

Additionally, the ADS consumes no addition storage space, nesting in the space typically used for a walkway between the roof compartments.

Hackney Emergency Vehicles, located in Washington, N.C., is a leading manufacturer of rescue and hazmat related vehicles and is well-known for its “drop/pinch frame” technology which provides full 40-inch compartment depth from the lower floor to the top of the compartment. The Hackney modification has been stress tested to provide up to 2.8 times the strength of the original frame, according to Hackney.

For information call 800-763-0700 or go to www.rescueleader.com.

Hackney Emergency Vehicles Auto Deploy Staircase (ADS) is multiplexed into rescue vehicles’ electrical systems and, with the touch of a button, moves a staircase from a stowed position on the roof to ground level in under 30 seconds.

Once deployed, Hackney’s automatic staircase provides quick and safe access to retrieve heavy or bulky equipment stored in roof compartments.