The first ladder at all structure fires is designated as which of the following?

The first ladder at all structure fires is designated as which of the following?

• A. First ladder
• B. Second ladder
• C. Rescue ladder
• D. Exposure ladder

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how ladder assignments are organized by arrival order on the fireground. The ladder that arrives first is designated the first ladder (often called the first due ladder) and it takes the lead for interior operations, such as establishing entry, performing initial searches, and supporting or advancing an initial water flow if needed. The next ladder to arrive provides backup and takes on additional roles as needed. Terms like rescue ladder or exposure ladder describe specific tasks that ladders may perform, but they’re not the general designation for the first ladder. So, the best answer is the ladder that arrives first.