Many years back, Boston would take delivery on a new ladder truck about 350K (very, very old price) and send it to the FD maintenance shop. They would remove the front bumper and weld in a 3/8" steel bumper with multiple reinforcement points of very strong steel and 45 degree angled corners.
When they were in a narrow street and came across a double parked car while in response, they would push it to the next intersection, dump it there, back up and continue. I loved it.
I also loved taking out 2 car windows and running the large line through the car while leaving the couplings a bit loose. Always had a cop ticket the car for parking on a hydrant, that way the insurance company was not liable for payment due to illegal parking. Always more fun below freezing!
re short jacking... Under orders, I put an outrigger down through a VW bug and squashed it like the bug it was.
When they were in a narrow street and came across a double parked car while in response, they would push it to the next intersection, dump it there, back up and continue. I loved it.
I also loved taking out 2 car windows and running the large line through the car while leaving the couplings a bit loose. Always had a cop ticket the car for parking on a hydrant, that way the insurance company was not liable for payment due to illegal parking. Always more fun below freezing!
re short jacking... Under orders, I put an outrigger down through a VW bug and squashed it like the bug it was.