If you’ve ever stood by watching a fire crew stretch a ladder from their truck to a window on a burning building, you’ve probably thought, “How long is that actually gonna take?” I get it—when someone’s life is on the line, every second feels like it’s dragging. But as a fire ladder supplier who’s worked with departments big and small across North America, I can tell you the answer isn’t as simple as “10 seconds” or “2 minutes.” It depends on a bunch of things, most of which aren’t talked about enough beyond fire service training rooms. Fire Ladder
Let’s start with the basics: what we mean by “extending a fire ladder.” A lot of folks picture the big, aerial ladders on fire trucks that swing up and out—those are cool, but they’re not the ones we’re talking about here. We’re talking about ground ladders, the ones firefighters carry, set up, and extend manually. A standard 24-foot extension ladder, for example, has two sections: a base (the lower part that stays on the ground) and the fly (the upper part that slides up). To extend it, firefighters don’t just yank the fly up—they have to make sure it locks into place at every rung, otherwise it could slip. That’s non-negotiable for safety.
Now, how fast can a crew do that? Back when I first got into this business, 20 years ago, the average time was around 15 to 20 seconds for a 24-footer. But over the years, fire service standards have shifted, and I’ve noticed two big things change that number: training and ladder design. First, modern fire departments do a lot more ladder drills than they used to. A good crew—one that trains together at least once a week—can knock a 24-foot ladder out, carry it to a wall, and extend it fully in 8 to 12 seconds. But here’s the catch: that’s for a ideal scenario. No wind, no uneven ground, no distractions from a call (like hearing a smoke alarm blare or a bystander yelling). Add even one of those variables, and the time jumps.
Let’s break down the variables that actually matter, because a lot of suppliers will tell you their ladders cut time in half, but they don’t mention the fine print. First, ladder length. It makes total sense, right? A 10-foot straight ladder doesn’t need to extend at all, so that’s a no-brainer. A 40-foot extension ladder? That’s a whole different story. The fly section is way heavier, and it takes longer to slide it out to full length. A good crew will take 18 to 25 seconds for a 40-footer, and that’s when they’re in shape. I’ve seen new crews fumble with a 40-footer and take 45 seconds or more, which feels like an eternity when someone’s trapped on the second floor.
Then there’s the type of ladder. Back in the day, most ladders were wood, and those were heavy, awkward, and hard to extend fast. Now, aluminum is the standard for most ground ladders—light, strong, slides smoother. But even aluminum ladders differ. The ones we supply have lubricated rails and precision-machined rungs that the fly section glides on, so crews don’t have to fight friction. There are also fiberglass ladders, which are non-conductive for electrical fires. Those are a little heavier, so extending them takes 2 to 3 seconds longer than aluminum, all else equal. We tell departments that the extra safety is worth it, but they have to adjust their drills to account for the weight.
Another big one: crew size. A lot of people think one firefighter can extend a ladder alone, and technically, they can—for a short ladder. But for anything over 16 feet, you’re gonna get it out faster and safer with two people. The base firefighter holds the ladder steady (super important if the ground is soft, because the base can sink), and the top firefighter pulls the fly up. I’ve seen lone firefighters fumble to keep the ladder from tipping while they extend, and that adds 10 seconds easy. We always recommend two-person crews for any ladder over 20 feet, and the numbers back that up.
Environment is huge, too. Let’s say it’s 2 a.m. in the middle of a rainstorm, and the fire hydrant is blocked, so the crew has to carry the ladder 100 feet through mud. They’re already worn out from hauling hoses, and the ladder rungs are slippery. Extending that same 24-footer? That’s more like 20 to 25 seconds, not 10. Or if the building’s on a hill, and the wall they need to set the ladder against is tilted? The crew has to adjust the base angle to keep it from sliding, which adds time. Wind is another one—even a light 10 mph wind makes the fly section sway, so firefighters have to slow down to make sure it locks right. We’ve had departments tell us they’ve taken 40 seconds to extend a ladder in high wind, and that’s not a failure—that’s just real-world conditions.
Wait, let’s talk about what “fully extended” actually means, because that’s another thing that skews the numbers. When a firefighter says a ladder is extended, they don’t mean the fly is just slid up a few rungs. It means it’s locked at the correct height for the building—usually a foot or two above the window sill so they can climb through easily, and the base is set at a 75-degree angle (the safe ladder angle) so it doesn’t tip. A lot of suppliers will measure time as “fly out” instead of “fully set,” but that’s not useful for a fire. If the ladder’s at 50 degrees, it’s unstable, and you can’t climb it. So that extra 2 to 3 seconds to adjust the base angle? That’s not wasted—it’s saving lives.
I’ve also seen a lot of bad data out there, like videos of crews racing ladder drills for competitions, where they don’t even set the base right or check the locks. Those times are like a runner’s 100-meter dash—impressive, but not what you’ll get on an actual fire. Last year, we surveyed 50 fire departments we work with, asking for their average extension times on actual calls, not drills. The results were pretty interesting: on routine calls (small fires, no trapped victims), crews averaged 15 seconds for 24-foot aluminum ladders, 22 seconds for 40-foot. On calls with trapped people, that jumped to 19 and 27 seconds, respectively. Makes sense—they’re moving faster, but they’re also being extra careful because someone’s counting on them.
Now, as a supplier, I get asked all the time: “What’s the fastest ladder on the market?” The answer is, it depends, but here’s what we do that helps cut time without cutting safety. Our ladders have quick-lock systems—instead of the old twist knobs that firefighters had to fumble with, our locks are push-button, so you just slide the fly up and push a button to lock it, no twisting. That alone saves 3 to 4 seconds per extension. We also make our ladder sections with reinforced sides that reduce friction, so the fly slides 20% smoother than standard ladders. We tested that with a local crew last year—they went from 12 seconds to 9 seconds on a 24-footer, and they said the difference was noticeable.
But here’s the thing I want people to get: speed isn’t everything. I’ve seen a crew take 25 seconds to extend a ladder, but they set it perfectly, no wiggling, no slips. Another crew took 10 seconds, but the fly was only half locked, and the ladder was leaning so far in it almost fell over. Which one would you trust to save your kid? That’s why we work with departments to balance speed and safety—our ladders are built to be fast, but they never skip the safety checks.
I also want to address a common misconception: that aerial ladders (the ones on the truck) are faster than ground ladders. Yeah, they can be deployed quickly, but they take longer to set up in tight spaces—like a backyard with a shed in the way, or a narrow alley where the truck can’t get close. Ground ladders are way more versatile in those spots, and they’re often faster to deploy than waiting for an aerial to swing around. That’s why we still sell more ground ladders than any other type—they’re the workhorses of fire operations.
If you’re a fire department chief or a firefighter reading this, you know how important ladder time is. A few seconds can mean the difference between rescuing someone and losing them. If you’re tired of ladders that are too heavy, slide too slow, or force your crew to rush, let’s chat. We don’t just sell ladders—we’ve been around this business for 20 years, and we work with departments to find the right ladder for their needs, whether they’re a small volunteer department with limited training space or a big city crew with daily training drills. We can help you figure out what times you’re hitting, what’s slowing you down, and get you ladders that make a real difference on the fireground. Don’t hesitate to reach out to connect for a no-obligation chat about your ladder needs.
Fire Service Bamboo Ladder References
National Fire Protection Association. (2020). NFPA 1931: Standard for Fire Service Ground Ladders. Quincy, MA: NFPA.
International Association of Fire Fighters. (2022). Ground Ladder Deployment Best Practices for Structural Fires. Washington, DC: IAFF.
Fire Engineering Magazine. (2021). 2021 Ground Ladder Market Report. Quincy, MA: Fire Engineering.
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