Did you know that Raleigh firefighters used to ride "open-cab" apparatus? These were fire trucks without roofs. As the story goes, that make it easier for company officers to spot overhead hazards as they arrived at fires and directed the position of their apparatus.
However, the lack of a roof was also a safety hazard and the reason why enclosed and, later, fully enclosed cabs were developed.
The first “closed-cab” apparatus in Raleigh was delivered in 1990. Shown is the City's 1961 American LaFrance 100-foot aerial ladder at Fire Station 16 on Lead Mine Road, circa early 1980s. The RFD mechanical shop later built and installed a fiberglass roof to better protect the crews. Learn more about Raleigh fire truck history at Raleigh Fire Museum.
(Editor's Note: This information and photo are provided by RFD historian, Mike Legeros)