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Fire Engineering's Handbook for Firefighter I & II

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Fire Engineering's Handbook for Firefighter I & II 212 FIRE ENGINEERING’S HANDBOOK FOR FIREFIGHTER I & II Pinch-point bars are excellent tools for prying up wood Its biggest disadvantage is the absence of an engineered floors. By inserting the tool bevel-side-up into the seam striking surface on the hook end. When combined with of a wood floor, a user can drive the tool in and lift the a striking tool, a claw tool can be driven in and conven- first piece of flooring. Then, using the tool as designed, tional, forcible-entry techniques can be used. The tool’s the user can apply leverage and the flooring will come up. length makes it a great lever, but at 42 in. (1,067 mm) Two firefighters, each armed with a pry bar, can quickly long or more and with two sharp ends, it’s a tight fit in remove many floor surfaces this way. Once the first piece narrow hallways and rooms. When using the fork, you is removed, the rest will follow easily. must pay attention to the hook end. If the claw tool is Baseboards, moldings, and door and window frames are not well set and it slips, the point of the hook end can rip also easily removed with a pry bar, and, often, a firefighter skin and hook and tear face pieces. will not need to bend to insert the tool. Allow the pry The claw tool can also open windows. The fork can bar to slide along the face of the wall. Both wedge-point slide between the bottom rail of a window and its sill. bars and pinch-point bars will almost always find the Remember the principle of leverage and set the fork well. joint between a wall and a baseboard. Allow the weight Once the fork is slid as far as possible, pry down on the of the tool to slide and force its way between the wall and bar. The screws holding the window lock should pull out. baseboard. Pry outward, and the baseboard or molding The fork end can also shut off residential, light commer- will pop off. cial, and industrial gas valves. The distance between the Pry bars have a variety of uses, none of which has to do tines of the fork allows a good bite on gas valves. with using the tool as it was designed. Sliding both sides of the shackle into the fork and To make firefighting operations safer, you may use the twisting or prying down with a sharp motion can twist tool as a securing post for ground monitors or deck guns. off padlocks. Proper sizeup is key. If the hasp or other A pry bar can be driven into the ground like a fence post, device to which a lock is attached is not of good, strong and a monitor can be secured to it to prevent it from material, do not twist off the lock. The claw tool should walking. The pry bar must be driven in deeply and could be flipped over to use the hook end for easily breaking be difficult to remove following a fire, but it provides a padlocks. The striking surface of the tool can be used, secure post to which you may lash a gun. making this technique much safer than twisting. Pry bars can also be used for securing ladders to windows. The claw tool makes an excellent overhaul tool as well Place a long pry bar horizontally inside a window, and as a forcible-entry tool. Here, its length is an advantage secure the ladder rung or beam to the pry bar. Apply suffi- because a firefighter doesn’t have to bend so much when cient pressure with the rope to pull the pry bar tightly removing baseboards and flooring. The hook works well against the interior window framing or walls. Ensure for prying up flooring and subflooring , and the curve of that the pry bar is substantially wider than the window. the hook acts as an effective fulcrum when rocking the Pry bars also make good handles for carrying basket tool back to apply force to the floorboards. The fork can stretchers or other heavy objects. Properly lashed, a also slide under floorboards to easily pull up flooring. bar provides handles for several firefighters to carry a The 42-in. (101-cm) or longer length is a mechanical stretcher or heavy object. advantage for heavy-duty work such as overhaul. Claw tool. A claw tool (fig. 11–8) is a step up from a A firefighter wouldn’t want to work with the claw tool pry bar. It is a multipurpose prying tool, and although over his or her head for long. The tool is best used at not extremely versatile, it can perform many tasks on the waist level or below. Fourteen pounds is a lot of weight fireground when used correctly. Forcible-entry proce- to hold overhead when removing upper window casings dures can be performed easily with the claw tool. and door trim. The claw tool has some minor special uses, but they are limited. The hook end is an effective ripper for getting a firm bite into ductwork and other light-gauge, metal surfaces. You may use it to easily perforate and remove ductwork or metal. The curve of the hook end is a great handle when using the claw tool to open walls. Once a Fig. 11– 8. Claw tool hole is created in a wall, slide the tool fork-end-down into the hole. Grasp the hook end and pull toward yourself. 214 FIRE ENGINEERING’S HANDBOOK FOR FIREFIGHTER I & II There is a variety of pike poles. Your department may stored in compartments or on the side of the apparatus or may not have a selection of pike poles for you to use. (figs. 11–12 and 11–13). Pike poles come with different pike head styles to suit different materials, different handles that make them stronger and more durable, and different lengths to accommodate working overhead or below grade. Pike pole handles come in three basic materials: wood, metal, and fiberglass. The shape of the pole can be round, oval, or I-beam. Wooden handles can be pine, hickory, or ash. Fiberglass handles can be solid round or oval, hollow core, or solid I-beam. Metal handles can be stain- less steel, plain steel, or aircraft steel. The biggest problem is the pole’s diameter. Some fiber- glass pike poles are 2 in. (52 mm) or more in diameter. They are extremely difficult to work with because they don’t fit in your hand, they are slippery when wet, and Fig. 11–12. Apparatus tool compartments they are difficult to stow on the apparatus. Pike pole length is always a hot topic in firehouses. Many departments use short pike poles: 4 ft (1.2 m) long or shorter for working in tight areas. Many firefighters prefer this set-up. Tip: you’ll be much more efficient if you use a Halligan bar in place of the short hook. Pole length should depend on the type of structure for which you use it. Consider taking the standard 6-ft (2-m) pole as the minimum-length pole carried for standard firefighting operations. A 6-ft (2-m) pole will easily reach most parts of a residential structure that you will need to Fig. 11–13. Tools hung on the side of an apparatus reach. It can be carried into and out of structures safely and can be maneuvered easily inside. Other poles. Other styles of pike poles you might see in your department include the following (fig. 11–14 The 8-ft (2.4-m) pole should be the minimum- from left): length pole taken into a commercial structure or light-industrial building. ^ TheBoston rake is a great tool for older buildings with plaster and lath walls. The 10-ft (3-m) pole is not suitable for a typical residen- tial home, or is it? Do you have any mansions in your ^ TheChicago pike pole is a favorite tool of the jurisdiction? Large homes often have building features CFD because the originals were made by the that require a 10-ft (3-m) pole. The pole is a bit cumber- CFD shops. some in single-family dwellings and sometimes won’t ^ TheProvidence hook, a special hook with a cutting fit. Have one available for overhauling large houses and surface on the backside of the point (pike) and commercial structures and for ventilation operations. another on the top of the hook, pushes easily into The 10-ft (3-m) pole is the most useful pole in commer- g ypsum and plaster, downside. The head is so thin cial buildings and light-industrial buildings. that it doesn’t pull a lot of material on the down Some poles become extremely flexible at 10 ft (3 m) or stroke. It’s great for light, tin ceilings. longer, especially oval fiberglass poles. It’s like trying to ^ TheHalligan hook, also known as the use a fishing pole to pull ceilings: The head end bends multipurpose hook, was invented by Hugh and wobbles. Consider solid wood or fiberglass for Halligan, inventor of the Halligan bar. With its long poles. engineered angles, this hook makes quick work of Pike poles come with various head styles. The most overhaul. Ceilings, moldings, baseboards, and other common is the standard pike pole. You will find many trim offer little or no resistance. 218 FIRE ENGINEERING’S HANDBOOK FOR FIREFIGHTER I & II or her hand that is not controlling the saw’s speed must oxide blade but is made of different composite materials hold onto the carrying handle.
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