So, just what is the proper procedure for retiring a fire rescue net? Well, it must involve a ceremonial final jump. Tucson Fire Department Battalion Chief Louis Carrillo was happy to take the plunge on June 9, 1978. The department had eliminated the nets as standard equipment on fire engines, and seven of the rescue devices were being mothballed. They had been around for more than 30 years, but higher ladders and platforms, and the need to make better use of the space on the trucks, contributed to the nets' demise. To read more on the fire rescue nets, go to the archives blog Tales From the Morgue at go.azstarnet.com/morguetales.
JOSE GALVEZ / ARIZONA DAILY STAR 1978