WATCH | South Metro (CO) FD Puts Its First TDA Into Service

South Metro Fire Rescue is proud to introduce the organization’s first tractor drawn aerial to the fleet, the department said on its YouTube channel. The TDA went into service Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Station 34 in Lone Tree, Colorado.

This new tiller, known as Ladder 34, replaces both Tower 34 and Heavy Rescue 34. Both pieces of apparatus were scheduled to be replaced to meet SMFR’s goal of replacing special operations apparatus at the 20-plus year mark.

Instead of needing two replacements that would cost the department millions of dollars, South Metro combined two pieces of apparatus into one with the new tiller. Ladder 34 is the first tractor drawn aerial to be seen on Denver Metro Area roadways in 20 years.

SMFR received Ladder 34 from Pierce Manufacturing within the last month after years of planning and preparing for this unit to meet the needs of the community. This tiller was specifically designed to be housed at Station 34 in Lone Tree and to be able to maneuver the streets with good sight lines for the engineers and operators driving and guiding the apparatus.

Dynamics such as tighter streets, complex access for buildings, and many multi-story residential structures allowed for Pierce to manufacture a tractor drawn aerial that can operate safely and effectively in the district.

South Metro also took into consideration that Ladder 34 can perform as a primary response unit as well as offering specialty support on calls needing heavy rescue and technical rescue capabilities. Tools that used to be on Rescue 34 are now being housed on Collapse 45. The new Collapse unit was added to the SMFR fleet in the last couple of years with help from a grant. Now, both Collapse 45 and Ladder 34 will be able to respond on technical rescue and heavy rescue calls with equipment spread across both units.

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