On: The San Franciso Fire Department makes its own wooden ladders by hand

[petee]

All you're describing sounds way more expensive than a couple carpenters...simply being able to fix a ladder than toss it is a huge saving

Its the little details: -- For example, a 3" Fiberglass Ibeam 10 feet long is ~$200, and only rated to 140 degrees. I can't readily find a more comparable product.

-- your aluminum ladder with high temp rubber, also needs to be electrically insulated; so now you have to toss the whole ladder if the shell is breached in any little way, and probably needs to be re-certified yearly.

edit: i guess you edited while i was replying

[sol_remmy → petee]

Carpenters earning San Francisco wages, who probably qualify for a pension after 25 years of service (because they are in the fire dept)

[petee → sol_remmy]

You say it like its a bad thing. They build a product that consistently has carried firefighters and civilians to safety. They should be making a living wage, and have the ability to retire instead of dying on a factory line at 90.

[petee → petee]

You should also Google Image search, "San Francisco power lines" -- yes, they have a ton of overhead lines