Not only can they help rescue trapped occupants but they also allow access to upper floors for fire fighting. Until modern times firemen had no way to breath in smoky buildings in order to get close enough to apply water to the fire.
Ladders help firemen gain access to upper floors and roofs to attack the fire.
Hooks were used to pull down straw roofs, wood walls, hay or whatever was burning so that the fire did not spread and so that water could be applied in the most effective manor. Modern hooks range from 3' to 12' and larger. Since the larger hooks were so long they were kept on the ladder truck which was long enough to carry the ladders. It appears that Woodbury had three ladder sheds in 1830. This is believed to be a hand drawn ladder truck carrying ground ladders, hooks, lanterns, and a few other tools.