Ladder 58 debuted as part of the Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue fleet in mid-January, featuring a 100-foot extendable ladder and bucket system. (Town of Qualicum Beach)

By Alex Rawnsley

ladder 58

‘The right truck for the community:’ new truck a welcomed addition for Qualicum firefighters

Jan 28, 2024 | 7:11 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — Deployment of a brand new fire truck is seen as not only an improvement on response locally but also helping other departments across Oceanside.

A new ladder and bucket truck, with a 100-foot reach, was put into service for Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue in mid-January, replacing a similar vehicle built in 1996 which had long passed its useful life.

Fire chief Peter Cornell told NanaimoNewsNOW the new truck has many of the same features with one key difference.

“This one has a bucket or platform at the end, so we’re able to go have firefighters work in a safer environment strapped in with a harness so they can be up there between 20 minutes and hours working in this platform hooked up to air without standing on the tip of a ladder.”

Cornell said delivery of the vehicle with shelves and bays installed was the completion of years of planning and building.

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Local public works staff then installed all the equipment needed by firefighters complete with a rubber ducky on the front dash.

Cornell said it’s become tradition for each truck in their fleet to come with a unique figurine.

A key feature of the new truck, installed after its delivery to the region, was a rubber ducky on the front dash. (Town of Qualicum Beach)

Among the key features is the 100-foot extendable ladder with a platform at the end of it. It’s capable of reaching high balconies, roofs and construction sites and can be used to pick up injured people.

“When you’re climbing down a 100-foot ladder at a pretty steep angle, it’s not the best thing for firefighters. But a resident, it’s not something they’re used to and it’s a huge trauma for them. This allows us to pick them up in the bucket and bring them right to the ground secured.”

The addition of a bucket truck was deliberate, to not only service the calls locally but to also complement other equipment in the region.

Qualicum Beach’s department works in mutual aid with several other departments to handle larger-scale calls for service.

“Parksville Fire Department has a 100-foot straight ladder truck, so there’s no platform on the end but it’s a lot smaller and can get into a lot tighter locations. This truck is the right truck for the community, but it also supports our whole area. We’re not duplicating a truck, we’re complementing other trucks in the area.”

The new truck also comes with environmentally beneficial features.

Like similar vehicles debuted in Nanaimo over recent years, the new vehicle has an automatic shutoff with battery backup.

It allows the engine to stop idling, but vital equipment such as lights, heating and air conditioning will remain on for up to two hours while on scene.

The battery recharges as the vehicle drives, or when it’s plugged in at the fire hall.

Qualicum Fire Rescue responded to 310 calls for service in 2023, while its 31 paid on-call members and four staff put in a combined 5,700 hours of training throughout the year.

An extendable ladder with platform and environmental features make the new Ladder 58 a welcomed addition to firefighting in Qualicum Beach and the Oceanside region. (Town of Qualicum Beach)

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