Sgt. Pullen from DCFD Truck 4 sent in his idea of “making it work” with another rex tool modification. The tool was created by removing the collar from a mini rex tool and adding it to a shortened halligan (NY roof) hook. Once the collar was removed from the mini rex, a hole was drilled through the head, and a 2” piece of round stock was added. The round stock was then sleeved (and welded) into the hollow end of the shortened hook. The round stock gives the tool the strength required when prying with the rex head. The welding was performed by FF Wipprecht from Truck 4. Sgt Pullen points out that the tool has proven to be useful for a number of different situations: going through-the-lock on investigations, lock-out’s/lock-in’s, forcing into the “charlie” side with nothing evident, into exposures, and to the floor above in apartment houses. All with minimal damage to the door and sometimes even quicker than conventional methods. Obviously the shortened four foot hook has some advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages are that it’s nice to have the rex tool handy without the weight of it in the pocket, the tool has the strength and stability required for the lateral movement of working the rex head behind the lock, and it provides the user with a hook once entry has been made. Some disadvantages are that the tool is too long to be used in some hallways, and is too short for extended use pulling ceiling over head. It’s just another great example of firehouse ingenuity and working smarter, not harder.
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Rex Hook
We have said it before, ingenuity is an important part of our job. We should always be thinking of ways to make ourselves more effective on the fireground. One of the ways of doing that is by evaluating ways to modify our tools to increase their usage on the job. Many of the tools currently found on every fire apparatus in the world have their original roots as firehouse creations. Fortunately for us there are a few reputable tool companies that have taken these creations and made them available to everyone. Firefighter Plunkett from a New York suburb fire department sent in a picture of his modified rex tool. The main benefit to this modification is that it makes the tool pocket size so it’s one less thing to carry. This particular modification allows for the tool to be utilized with a halligan and has both a slot for the adz and a collar for the pike. There are pros and cons to using the adz or pike depending on the situation. The nice thing about having the adz slot on the tool is having the ability to apply lateral force (side to side motion) when working the tool behind the lock. Rex tool modifications are nothing new, in fact, there is now a commercially made “lil rex” that is very similar to the homebrew version here but with just the pike collar. Regardless if this particular modification is right for you or your company, the idea is to think outside the box. There are many great tools already available for our profession, but with some simple modifications, you may be able to make the suit your own needs. Modifying tools to suit company or personal preferences is a good thing. however, don’t forget the most important step, TRAIN WITH IT!
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Make It Work For You
We have shown many photos in the past of deceptive buildings. We truly believe they all hold a valuable teaching point regardless if they are located in your area or not. The idea is to spark your curiosity to evaluate all of the buildings in your response area. Perhaps more importantly when evaluating buildings and building construction, you should always suspect that what you are looking at my not be the case. Engineer Steven Negedly from Orlando Engine 9 sent in some more photos that prove this point. These pictures are taken at the headquarters building for a local mass-transit bus company. The business type alone should have you on the look-out for something out of the ordinary, and the vent grills in place of some of the windows should be the dead giveaway. Well the backside of that “structure” reveals the truth, it’s simply a facade that contains the fuel tanks (biodiesel, diesel, and gasoline.) Keep your eyes open, know your area, and always expect the unexpected.
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Vent Grills
Neil Duffy from Boca Raton (FL) sent in these pictures of some solar shields being installed on a new building in his area. The shields are designed to cut down on the sun’s radiant heat from being absorbed into the building at each window. Since the building is located in South Florida, the windows are also hurricane rated. The shields are made from heavy gauge steel and mesh screen. The picture shows a mocked up section of the building that contractors build early in the construction phase to show what the final product may look like. The finished building will be eight stories tall with the solar shields on the southern and western exposed windows. Since the shields standoff of the building approximately three feet, it leaves just enough room to make assess or perform a rescue or vent from a ground ladder. The upper floors however may be more difficult. Since the aerial device may not be able to get close enough to the building, it may not allow for a steep enough angle to get underneath or around the obstruction. Defeating the shields with a rotary saw is certainly an option, but will be slow going, and must be done cautiously. Cutting the mesh to the left and right sides would probably be the best bet, leaving the heavy square tube bracket in place. Caution must be exercised with the shield falling away or even becoming a sail and falling away from the building in an unpredictable manner. Cutting one side and bending the shield away may also be an option, but would more than likely need to be performed from a tower ladder. Regardless of how you and your crew would handle dealing with this obstacle, the key to success is discussing it ahead of time, and training on whatever technique you would utilize. The trend toward more “green” building construction is undoubtedly change our business. You may not see anything like this in your area yet, but keep an eye out for it, it’s only a matter of time.
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Solar Shield
Jeff Silver from Raleigh (NC) Ladder 1 sent in this ladder modification. They simply took a few strips of DOT reflective tape and placed them on the beams of the ladders. In addition to these markings, they still mark the balance point. This simple modification allows the ladders to be more easily seen in low light conditions. The photo below shows what a difference this idea can make. The pictures were taken by local photographer Mike Legeros and were shown on his blog .
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Reflective Ladder
Imagine doing a quick search of this room. Either from the doorway, or even as a VES operation. Ask yourself a few questions… How long would it take? What would you expect to find? Did you take notice to the size of the furniture. …And most importantly would you have found this?
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Quick Search
Sometimes the simple things are the most effective. Augie Cardona from Lake Stevens (WA) Fire sent in this simple tip on storing spare saw chains. They simply cut a 8″ – 10″ section out of an old section of 1 3/4 hose. After removing the rubber liner, and duct taping the end, the hose sleeve becomes a great way to protect the spare chain.
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Chain Sleeve
It’s that time of the year again, it’s hard to believe that time goes by so quickly. Today is VES’s Birthday! Four years ago this website was created as a neutral, unbiased and un-intimidating medium were we could share ideas, methods, and techniques of this great profession. We truly believe that Truck Company functions are an art, and have become The Lost Art of The Fire Service. It is imperative that we protect this art for generations to come. The avenue to a safer fire service is by being proactive rather than reactive in both our training and our tactics. We need to bring back the aggressive yet safe attitude to the fire service, in order to continue to protect each other on the fire ground. This can only be accomplished through sharing the knowledge and educating each other. We can honestly say this site has been much more of a success then we could have ever possibly imagined. This website was started with the intentions of sharing some information on the local level. Thanks to each of you, it quickly became so much more than that. We have gotten emails, comments, and material from people all over the world! The overwhelming success of this site would not be possible without each and every one of you. No amount of thanks could possibly be enough. It is because of you, our loyal readers, that this site is what it is! We have some big things in the works for the future. Thank you for your continued support an understanding as we continue to expand the site. Stay safe, and train hard!
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FOUR!
Over the years we have shown numerous interesting homemade supplemental security devices, but most of them are found on commercial structures. Would you have ever have expected to find them in a residential structure? We sure hope so. You shouldn’t be surprised to find them on any type of structure. Deputy Chief Jon Starling from Sterling VFC (Loudoun County,VA) sent in these photos of a find at a residential structure. This door was found in the basement and provides access directly to the outside of the structure (with four steps up to grade level.) The wooden L brackets are secured into the doorframe with two lag bolts on each side. The drop bar itself is a 2
Michael Cox from Rock Hill (SC) Fire Department sent in these photos of an interesting fire that the crews from Rock Hill were recently faced with. The crews quickly discovered that it was the roof decking that was burning; however, they were having a difficult time accessing and extinguishing the portion of the roof decking that was on fire. The roof system they encountered is called a Ventilation Rib System. The system consists of a corrugated metal decking, 4 inches of Styrofoam insulation, 7/16” OSB, and then finally covered with asphalt shingles. The system is designed to maintain a steady airflow under the shingles to keep them cool. In this particular fire, the insulation was burning in-between the metal decking and the OSB, making for the stubborn fire and difficult access. The crews discovered that once the main body of fire was knocked down, simply backing out the 6” screws was the most effective way to open it all up for overhaul. Several crews spent nearly 9 hours removing the decking and performing overhaul.
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Ventilation Rib System
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