Now, he said, three fire engines and two ladder trucks are automatically sent to the scene.

They took up positions and began to engage the attackers on the ladder truck.

He said the ladder truck was about 3 years old, purchased by the department in 1991 for $500,000.

The department has 65 similar ladder trucks made by the same manufacturer.

Also pushing the project was that the borough's new ladder truck would not fit inside.

In January, 2011 the company will take delivery of a new ladder truck.

Eventually there were 32 vehicles on the street outside, including eight ladder trucks and engines.

The ladder truck drove up to the edge of the building.

Then one of them had a thought and sprinted off to the nearest ladder truck.

When the ladder truck pulled up at a burning building, he was often the first one raised high into the air to battle the flames.