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The 1965 American LaFrance truck was 54' 9" long with a 24' turning radius. It had a 12-cylinder engine. The wood ladder extended 100 feet. Supply lines had to be laid to the truck as it had no pump installed and carried no hose. The truck had one 3" fire line that, once the ladder was raised, was extended up the ladder to the top two rungs of the ladder where the playpipe (hose nozzle) was tied off and a fire stream could be directed as needed. The rails at the top of the ladder lowered (much like wheelchair arms) once the ladder was raised to permit the hose to be fastened to the rungs and to stabilize the firemen who directed the hose stream. To extend the ladder quickly, drivers would turn the front section to form the letter "L" which stabilized the truck to extend the ladder. Otherwise, two stabilizing arms, one on each side of the rear of the truck, were manually swung out (to form the letter "T" on each side of the truck) and stabilizing jacks manually lowered to the ground from the stabilizers until the rear of the truck was solidly on the ground.

The Tallahassee Fire Department provides emergency services from fires and fire hazards, as well as first response to biological, chemical and radioactive hazards. Its mission is to prevent or minimize the loss of life and property, protect the environment, assist in cooperative emergency medical services, mitigate the consequences of natural and unforeseen disasters, and provide non-emergency support services, through professional and effective delivery, to all who live, visit, work or invest in the City of Tallahassee and Leon County.