The Top 5 Tools For The Truckie – Part 2

Disclaimer

There are many tools a firefighter needs on the modern fire ground.  In this series, we review the five most important physical tools a truckie needs to do his or her job effectively.  (Click here to read Part 1.)

The Pro Bar aka The Halligan

Truckie Tool #3 – The Halligan Bar

One of our most basic but essential tools is the Halligan bar.  It has been a reliable part of the firefighter’s kit since 1948.  The Halligan bar is the ultimate tool to push, pull, pry, twist, punch, or strike to gain entry or open up for any situation.  It can extend a firefighter’s reach to aid in searching for and helping trapped civilians.  It can clear a path through interior obstacles.  Additionally, it is a valuable tool if a firefighter is trapped in a structure.  The Halligan can pry off doors and window frames to provide either quick ventilation or an escape route.

2 Modification to the Halligan

Personally, I use a 30-inch Pro Bar from Fire Hooks Unlimited, with two modifications by Captain Bob Farrell (E-82, L-31, FDNY retired).

First, the backside of the fork was ground flat to 90 degrees to create a striking surface.  This way, the fork can be driven into a wall even in narrow spaces such as small hallways, where a firefighter cannot easily hit the tool from behind.

Second, a small ring was welded to the opposite end of the fork to slide a rope through.  This helps steer and control the pick towards a window when thrown from the roof or a ladder to vent a window.

The Halligan’s versatility more than makes up for any shortcomings and this is one tool that comes off the rig with me at every single fire.

Truckie Tool #2 – The Pig or the Maul

To complement the Halligan and complete the Irons, I recommend either the Pig or the Maul instead of a traditional flat-head axe.  The Pig Forcible Entry Tool (made by Chris Moren of  Lone Star Axe) and the Rescue 8 Maul with a 28-inch handle are both effective striking tools.  Either will drive the Halligan into a wall or door jamb farther with fewer strikes than a basic axe.  The Pig’s larger head also makes it more likely to hit the Halligan at each swing, hence making missing the Halligan less likely.

The Rescue 8 Maul (top) and the Pig.

The Pig and Maul are also more effective tools in their own right.  The larger, heavier heads on these tools can breach walls and roofs easier than a flat-head axe.  This makes them more efficient when making ventilation holes or creating an exit for trapped firefighters to escape through.

The Pig is also useful in search and rescue as a tool to extend a firefighter’s reach.  The flat side of the head lays better on the floor and slides more easily and evenly.  This makes it better than any of the other tools, even the Halligan mentioned above.

I believe either the Pig or Rescue 8 Maul provide the best marriage for irons and are far more effective than the basic flat-head axe.

Read the complete series here!

Part 1: The Portable Radio and the Thermal Imaging Camera
Part 2: The Halligan Bar, the Pig and the Maul
Part 3: Rescue Ropes