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How often have we responded for the odor of smoke in a structure and chased our tails looking for the source? Most of the time we get lucky and find it before it eventually finds us. The moment we walk through the door most seasoned firefighters can tell what is burning by the...

Elevator emergencies have been on the increase as buildings get older and new buildings are built with more elevators. We will discuss various ways of accessing the occupants of a stalled elevator and the proper removal techniques. Removing occupants from a stalled elevator is a...

How many ways can we use a 3 or 4 foot long continuous loop of webbing and a carabineer? The list is too long to count but, here are 4 ways we can utilize it. 1. Lock Cutting   When having to force through a high security padlock the premier tool is the metal cutting K-12...

Fire Service Elevator Phase 2 Operations In the previous article, we discussed how to operate Phase 1 of the Fire Service Elevator Controls. Now we will discuss how to use Phase 2 of the Fire Service Elevator Controls. Phase 2 Fire Service Control ON” (Fire Service Mode) “OFF”...

When we respond to incidents in buildings with elevators do we know how to best utilize the tools that have been built for us? I am speaking about the use of the Fire Service Elevator. The Fire Service elevator will assist us in gaining access to upper floors in a timely and...

In the previous two parts of this article we discussed using adjoining buildings and ladders to get to the roof. Now we will concentrate on the last way to get to the roof — the fire escape. #3 – Fire Escapes Fire escapes are the third way to the roof of a Type 3...

Modification of the channel lock pliers will assist in cutting down on multiple tools in your pocket. In a previous article, I wrote about the five tools for your pocket toolbox.  The 5 tools for your pocket tool box are: modified channel lock pliers, the multi-purpose tool, a...

In my previous article of this series, we discussed using adjoining buildings to get to the roof. Now we will concentrate on the next best way to get to the roof — ladders. #2 – Ladders Ladders, either ground or aerial, are the second best way to access the roof. The...

How many options do we have to get to the roof of a Type 3 (ordinary construction) building? For most of us the answer is to the take the ladder or aerial device. The true answer is ALF. Adjoining Buildings / Ladders / Fire Escapes We will discuss 3 ways to access the roof,...

How many times have you been to a building that has an elevator equipped with fire service controls and known exactly how to operate these controls? Now you will learn the parts and functions of the elevator. Part 1 of this series will explain the Fire Service Elevator Control...