A ladder failure in Hall County, GA has promted the Sutphen Corporation to instruct customers to remove SPH 100, SP 110, SPI 112, and SAI 110 Aerial devices from service. The incident today injured 3 firefighters Will Griffin, TJ Elliot and Stephen Jackson of the Hall County Fire Department. Last month, a similar incident injured 3 firefighters in Erie, PA.

WSBTV.com:

According to Hall County Fire Department, the firefighters Will Griffin, TJ Elliot and Stephen Jackson were injured when the bucket they were in fell about 20 feet to the ground. All three firefighters were talking, alert and conscious after the accident. Two of the firefighters were airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital and the third was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

Three Erie, PA firefighters were injured last month in a similar incident on a Sutphen tower ladder. STATter911.com covered that story here and here.

Press Release – Five-Section Aerials

Dublin, OH

**For Immediate Release**

Date: July 22, 2014

RE: Sutphen Voluntarily Removing 5-Section Aerial Devices From Service

Sutphen Corporation has announced that the Company is instructing customers to remove all SPH 100, SP 110, SPI 112, and SAI 110 Aerial devices from service, until further notice, effective immediately.

The Company states that customers are instructed to use the affected apparatus in the capacity of an engine or support vehicle only. The Company will stay in close contact with its customers to report details and when the units may be place back in service.

“At this time, our priority is the safety of our firefighters,” says Drew Sutphen, President of the Company. “In light of the recent incidents, we recognize there is an immediate need to take precautionary action. I would rather take every precaution necessary than to put firefighters at risk.”

The Company states that it will be contacting customers with the affected units personally to inform them of the events that have occurred and the steps that are being taken to get the units back in to service in a timely manner.

“We feel the need to personally assure our customers that we are working to investigate and correct the situation,” Drew continues.

Sutphen Corporation is an Ohio based privately held, family owned business that manufactures custom built emergency response vehicles. The company’s headquarters are located in suburban Dublin, Ohio northwest of Columbus.

For more information contact the sales office.