LADDERS IN ACTION: PINAL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CANINE UNIT
This week we've got another example of Xstep USA® telescoping ladders in action, this time, as part of the canine unit at the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in Pinal County, Arizona.
The Pinal County canine unit uses the Xstep XT380 telescoping ladder as their collapsible ladder of choice out in the field. They chose the XT380 after comparing several different telescoping ladders. They choose telescoping ladders for their versatility, and because other adjustable ladders are not easy to move around on the fly . According to Sergeant Daniel Lopez, the XT380 was chosen “due to its ease of use, small collapsible size, durability, and maximum load.”
This unit also needs to consider the safety of their canine friends while on the ladders. “The maximum load is critical for us as we are climbing while carrying a dog. As you can imagine, an equipment failure during an actual deployment can be life threatening for a team,” Lopez notes. It's very important for them to find a ladder that is sturdy enough to carry a high weight load, while being flexible and versatile enough to use in a variety of emergent situations in the field.
You may be wondering how exactly do dogs and telescoping ladders go together? We asked Lopez how they train their dogs with the ladders, and he explained that it is a slow, step-by-step process, starting with “just picking the dog up cradled in the handlers arms and making the dog comfortable,” and moving along to getting the dog comfortable with being slung over the shoulder of its handler. Lopez explains there is a “slow progression moving up and down the ladder on just a couple steps until we can make it all the way to the top without issue.”
It goes to show that telescoping ladders can come in handy in a variety of situations, whether you're a contractor, firefighter, sheriff, or a do-it-yourselfer.
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