Hook and Ladder

A hook-and-ladder is a fire truck having an articulated bed, and with independent steering of the rear wheels. Long ladders are needed wherever there are tall buildings, and the length of the truck limits mobility in narrow city streets.

Rear steering allows a long fire truck to negotiate traffic circles and other street furniture. This hook-and-ladder parallel parked in a tight spot with ease, as the firemen rushed in for an urgent coffee stop.