Why the San Francisco Fire Department uses handmade wooden ladders

Firefighters rush toward the building carrying a ladder. The San Francisco Fire Department fights a four-alarm fire on Fifth Street between Harrison and Folsom on October 2, 2006. Firefighters rush toward the building carrying a ladder. The San Francisco Fire Department fights a four-alarm fire on Fifth Street between Harrison and Folsom on October 2, 2006. Photo: Lea Suzuki Photo: Lea Suzuki Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Why the San Francisco Fire Department uses handmade wooden ladders 1 / 13 Back to Gallery

This article originally appeared on PopularMechanics.com

It doesn't sound like the smartest idea for a fire truck to carry around wooden ladders, but for the San Francisco Fire Department, it makes a surprising amount of sense.

The Northern California city is infamous for its tightly packed roads and low-hanging power lines. San Francisco's cramped quarters make the wooden ladders a "necessity," as this four-minute video below explains. Compared to their aluminum counterparts, these ladders don't conduct electricity and are easy to maneuver in small spaces.

The coolest part? The SF Fire Department has its own in-house ladder manufacturer, the only city that can say that. The ladders are made from Douglas fir trees, and the lumber matures for at least 15 years so it can acclimate to the city's humid conditions. That's just the beginning of a life that can last for decades.

Check out whole process:

H/T Bangshift.com