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The latest Quad Cities news, weather and sports from Local 4 WHBF on https://OurQuadCities.com.
Muscatine firefighters test precision in ‘cone challenge’
By Linda Cook,
1 days agoOn Friday at Muscatine Fire Station One, members of the Muscatine Fire Department turned aerial ladder training into a full‑blown game of skill. The goal: Practice precise control of Truck 310’s aerial ladder — but with a twist.
To make the drill both fun and competitive, firefighters were tasked with placing an orange cone attached beneath the ladder bucket onto three stationary cones positioned at different heights around the station. Targets included the top of the training tower, the basketball hoop in the alley, and a corner of the station roof.
Each firefighter took a turn maneuvering the aerial ladder with the care and accuracy normally reserved for real emergency scenes, attempting to gently set their cone atop each target without knocking anything over.
“When operating the aerial during a structure fire, you need the experience to place that ladder exactly where it needs to be — quickly and safely,” Fire Chief Mike Hartman said. “Turning the drill into a game makes the learning more enjoyable for the operator and for everyone cheering from the ground.”
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
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