The only other possibility is that the passenger basket could have been removed from the Aerial Ladder but I have my doubts about that.

FYI The Village of Skokie bought this truck from the Village of Northbrook as a reserve. I think their 1995 Pierce Tower Ladder was already sold but I'm not sure because they have a new Pierce 100' Midmount Ascendant Aerial Platform Truck on order. I hear the Skokie Fire Department is the most underpaid Fire Service in the State of Illinois and they are still negotiating for a new contract. Over the last five years they have lost nine experienced members due to low pay.

@@aidankateri That's a real shame about the Skokie Fire Department being underpaid because the Skokie Fire Department is one of the best equipped Fire Departments in Illinois as well. If you consider that they in effect run with 4 to 5 Frontline Engines out of 3 Fire Stations that is a High Ratio of Engines to Stations. Rescue 17 out of Station 17 runs as the 2nd Engine from that Station and is in effect an Engine company with Squad and Truck tools on board. Squad 18 which runs village wide on Still alarms (structure fires) is really Squad/Pumper so it also can act as an addition pumper or a 5th Engine for the Village. They have also been running with Elevated Platforms for a Longtime and the fact is they will now be running with a 2nd Tower Ladder also says alot about there willingness to run with good apparatus.