re: Why that Avatar and Name?

Yeah, they do. Made in their own ladder shops and maintained by the same family for like 5 generations or something. Their ladder shop is really cool, I was able to visit it once years  ago. There are some other places that use wooden ladders as well, but very few now. Mostly San Francisco keeps the wooden ladders because of tradition, but they also have to deal with a lot of overhead power lines from the streetcars, the old build of the city, etc. They’re heavy SOBs to be sure. Their long ladder is called a Bangor pole ladder. It’s a wooden 50’ extension ladder that weighs something like 425 lbs. 

It’s a pretty messed up fire department, but they do have some awesome traditions from doing it ‘their way’ for so many years.

Our primary 28’ aluminum ladder weighs about 50 lbs, for comparison.