An Arial Truck from Beaumont Fire/Rescue was sent to Winnie to assist with the recent fire at the La Quinta Inn. The truck was used to extinguish fire located above the third floor on the outside of the building were firefighters from the ground could not gain access. Firefighters had to work under the fire on the third floor landing, risking their safety. Had the roof collapsed all the firefighters under the fire would have been trapped therefore, they could have been seriously injured or killed.

A ladder would have allowed firefighters to possibly access the fire from outside by cutting a hole through the exterior wall removing them from harms way. Had the fire extended throughout the building, firefighters would have been unable to stop the fire with hand lines due to the fact that they never could have gotten above the fire. Fire and heat would have spread to the Studio Six Motel next door and all efforts would have been placed on keeping the fire from spreading and destroying the Studio Six.

When firefighters have to work under a fire instead of above it, they are at risk from structural collapse. Attempting to fight a fire in any building with fire burning above the firefighters is a danger. As the fire spreads and structural support damage occurs due to the fire, the chance of the structure collapsing onto firefighters increases. Firefighters are always at risk, but volunteer firefighters are more at risk then paid firefighters due to lack of proper equipment due to insufficient funding.  Structural collapses during fire fighting operations injure and kill firefighters each year and fires that occur in multistory buildings pose a greater danger to the firefighters. So is there a need Arial Truck or not? What is the life of a firefighter worth to you?