Ladder 4 was officially retired this week. After 26 gruelling years of service and several cosmetic repairs later, it was time to say farewell. Once called Aerial 2, the open-cabbed '67 American LaFrance had seen it all; from big fires to a run-in with a train.

It was a true ladder truck, no pump whatsoever. In fact, some veterans were known for telling rookies to go spin the pump and make sure it had water it it. After a few laps around the truck, the "new guy" would realize that the joke was on him. I myself fell victim to this joke, so I would know.

There were no bells and whistles, just the basics. Everything was done manually. One could only imagine how long it took to set the aerial up at a working fire. But it did the job and represented the department well. So Ladder 4 we say farewell and congradulate you on a job well done.