In a two-firefighter ladder raise, placement and position of the ladder are determined by which firefighter?

• A. The Butt
• B. The Top
• C. The Rung Technician
• D. The Ground Supervisor

Answer: (A)

In a two-firefighter ladder raise, the firefighter at the base—the one handling the butt end—controls the ladder’s placement and stability. This person sets the base position, footings, and lean against the building, determining how far out the ladder sits and what angle it will sit at so it’s safe and accessible for the entry point. Once the base is properly set, the top firefighter focuses on raising and guiding the ladder’s tip to the window or target, but the final placement relies on the base firefighter’s setup. The other roles described aren’t responsible for deciding where the ladder sits in this two-person operation, so they don’t determine placement in the same way.