Patent ID: 8074767

Claim:
A ladder that is extensible, vehicle mounted and used to aid in raising and lowering in rescue operations, the ladder comprising: a rotatable base configured to define storage space within; a plurality of ladder units comprising at least a first ladder unit and a second ladder unit, configured to be nested together, the plurality of ladder units comprising a first ladder unit attached to the rotatable base and a second ladder unit nested within the first ladder unit, each ladder unit in the plurality of ladder units comprising four C-rails such that when the second ladder unit is nested within the first ladder unit, one of the four C-rails of the first ladder unit contains one of the C-rails for the second ladder unit; and, wherein the ladder units are adapted to be extensible from the rotatable base along a longitudinal axis to a top end; rungs, each rung comprising two ends, each end attached to rung mounts, each of the rung mounts slidably and directly engaging one of the C-rails of the first ladder unit and one of the C-rails of the second ladder unit when the first ladder unit and the second ladder unit are nested together; and, a drive cable connecting the rungs in a closed loop and powered to: rotate the rungs around the ladder units within the C-rails; and, extend and retract the rungs from the storage space with movement of the ladder units along the longitudinal axis.