Most fire departments, if they are even lucky enough to staff a truck company, often struggle with how to maximize the tasks that the truck can accomplish on the fireground.  Since times are tough and budgets are tougher, increasing staffing is unlikely. Below are some ideas to consider when trying to get the most from your truckies.

Our truck company will be staffed with three: an officer, driver and one firefighter.  We’re going to talk about fundamental truck functions like ladders, gaining entry, search and rescue and ventilation.  This article will focus on Forcible entry techniques.  We’re going to keep it simple and talk about conventional forcible entry and a touch of through the lock.

We can’t talk about forcible entry without talking tools, primarily the irons.  What separates any good crew from another is the mastering of the fundamentals.  What separates one truck company from the others is irons work.  The axe and Halligan are arguably the most versatile and reliable combination of tools available.  Since we can’t fight the fire unless we can get to it, irons work may also be the most important “x-factor” on the fireground.

A growing trend that I’ve seen is splitting up the irons, where the officer will carry the axe and the firefighter carries the halligan (or visa versa).  The problem with this  is that now you’ve taken an already limited crew and given it even fewer options.  The irons are ideal Because they can be married together and carried by ONE Firefighter.  This enables the officer to carry another tool such as a hook or sledge (or whatever) depending on the occupancy and FD SOG’s. Below are some tips for maximizing efficiency when forcing entry.  At the bottom are some videos showing great training ideas and efficient operations.

• You don’t need fancy props to practice your irons work.
• Striking the tool from any position and in any conditions is often the first skill lost. To fix this, get a hold of tow landscape timbers, place them together vertically and ratchet strap them to any immovable object in the firehouse.  Use the seem in between the timbers as your jamb and strike away.
• The other “issue” is that the irons are too cumbersome or heavy to carry.  The best remedy for this is to carry the irons more often.  Carry them together on all Fires, fire alarms, MVA’s, gas leaks, around the firehouse or whatever it takes to get used to it.
• Learn about door construction, lock construction and their strengths and weaknesses.  Half the battle of forcible entry is knowing how and where to begin the operation.
• Shock (a.k.a. sound) the doors by striking them with a tool at all 4 corners, at/around the lock(s).  This will not only indicate door construction, but help to locate additional locks and weaken any hardware that may be secured to the door and door frame.
• Going through-the-lock after spinning the cylinder on commercial mortise locks may be the quickest way to gain entry without a K12.

In the end, a successful forcible entry operation will depend on the crew’s ability to not only use the irons, but size-up, evaluate and adjust with the situation as well.

FTM-PTB and Be Safe