When Ladders Become Cranes: Exeter Volunteers Master Extreme Technical Rope Rescue

Exeter TWP, PA - Volunteer firefighters and technical rescue personnel from the Exeter Township Volunteer Fire Department completed an advanced certification program in aerial rigging for technical rescue on Saturday, expanding their specialized high-angle capabilities in Berks County.

On October 3, 2026, sixteen members of the department participated in the daylong course administered by the Lancaster County Public Safety Training Center and led by guest instructors Joe Shapiro and Phil Colvin. The morning session opened with intensive classroom study covering aerial structural physics, mechanical advantage, rope rescue dynamics, and critical safety protocols governing high-elevation rigging.

During the afternoon practical session, crews mobilized to an off-site location to execute hands-on rigging evolutions utilizing Exeter’s frontline aerial apparatus, Tower 25. The apparatus features a distinct box-boom style construction and a heavy-duty 1,000-pound tip load capacity, providing structural capabilities that exceed conventional aerial ladders for rope operations.

Using custom rigging systems tailored specifically to Tower 25's configuration, firefighters ran simulated high-angle scenarios to practice victim lifting, mechanical advantage setups, and high-point anchor evolutions, validating their readiness for complex structural and wilderness technical rescues.