On Tuesday, a new tractor-drawn aerial apparatus, otherwise known as a “tiller truck,” joined the Pocatello Fire Department’s fleet. “The tiller truck expands our operational capabilities and ensures our firefighters have the best tools available to protect lives and property.”Rather than operate like a standard ladder truck, with a straight frame, the tiller truck has an attachment point between the front cab and a trailer carrying its ladder and other rescue equipment. “In this case, the trailer is the aerial, rather than a cargo trailer like could be on a semi truck. This truck was approved by the city council in October 2022, but before that, the department put together a committee to evaluate what kind of aerial vehicle it would order to replace its 20-year-old tower ladder truck. In two weeks, a group called Response Training Group will come to Pocatello for four days to instruct the department’s trainers on how to most-effectively train their own firefighters to operate the tiller truck.