Arial Water Towers

Aerial water towers are a common part of fire fighting apparatus. Fire departments may have a specially fitted and designed aerial water tower and the purpose of this structure is to release an elevated stream of water onto a fire from a safe distance.

It is no longer usual to see a firefighter using this method personally as it is more commonplace for a hydraulic aerial tower or ladder to carry out the release of water. Back in the day when these aerial towers were used however, they were operated either manually or mechanically when being raised and lowered and this was via friction drums of ratchet mechanisms.