Which statement best describes an aerial ladder?

• A. A self-supporting, turntable-mounted, power-operated ladder of two or more sections permanently attached to a self-propelled automotive fire apparatus and designed to provide a continuous egress route from an elevated position to the ground.
• B. A portable ladder carried in the aerial apparatus.
• C. A fixed ladder permanently attached to a building.
• D. A telescoping crane used for lifting loads.

Answer: (C)

An aerial ladder is defined by being a self-supporting, turntable-mounted, power-operated ladder of two or more sections that is permanently attached to a self-propelled automotive fire apparatus and designed to provide a continuous egress route from an elevated position to the ground. The key point is that it’s an integrated, extendable ladder on the fire engine that can raise, extend, and rotate to reach different sides and heights for rescue and firefighting. It’s not a fixed ladder on a building, nor a portable ladder carried on the rig, and it isn’t a crane used for lifting loads.