Truck work is all about tools and knowing how to use them efficiently and safely. It may seem like we can’t do much else to improve upon our most basic tools, but we can. In this column, I’ll review some truckie tools and ways to make them even more useful.
Wrap It Up
Hand tools commonly used at fires include prying tools, like the Halligan; striking and chopping tools, like the axe and tools in the maul family; and pushing and pulling tools, like the pike pole.
We can improve hand tool efficiency by making a few simple modifications. For example, it’s imperative to have a good grip on any tool, not only for efficiency but also for safety. While chopping through a roof, it’s not uncommon to lose your grip and drop the tool through the hole or send it flying off the roof. Although the chance of the tool striking a firefighter or victim below is low, based on statistics (and Murphy’s Law), a flying tool will eventually hit someone. So how can we get a better handle on our tools?
Let’s first look at a truckie staple: the axe. Axes usually arrive at the station with a slick, smooth handle constructed from a variety of materials, which may include wood, plastic or fiberglass (Photo A). You pick it up, hold the end of the handle with one hand, slide your other hand down from the head and take a practice swing. It’s then placed on the rig to await its next mission. But wait! Before you shelve the axe for future use, make one simple and inexpensive alteration: Tape the end of the handle. This will help prevent the handle from sliding through your stubby gloved hands as you swing.
Aptly named, friction tape has a rough texture. Electrical tape is easy to apply to a handle because you can pull it tight and it will stretch and fit the handle snuggly. A combination of the two is best. Cover the bulk of the handle with the electrical tape and finish it off with a top coating of friction tape.
I took a look around my department here in Buffalo. Most of the axes on our engines were not taped. Engines carry axes, but their main task is stretching lines. On the other hand, when looking at the axes on the trucks, most of them were taped. Although the quantity and type of materials used varied, one thing is certain: If you take a look at the people on the truck who are swinging an axe on a regular basis, you’ll probably find some type of material on the handle to help keep it in their hands.
I’m sure there are many ways to tape handles, but for those of you who want my two cents, here’s how I do it: In the handle area to be covered by tape, I add a twisted section of tape that will give the handle several bumps or ridges. To do this, I unravel a few feet of friction tape, hold the loose end and spin the roll of tape. This action winds up the tape, making a thick twine. I then corkscrew the material around the axe handle. You could also use a section of phone cord or similar material. Use a couple pieces of tape to hold it in place.
At the end of the handle, I create a knot that my hands will catch on as they slide toward the handle base during my swing. To make this knot, I often just wrap the friction tape around the base of the handle many, many times, thus creating a big knob of tape here. Sometimes, I take a piece of rope (cut to the circumference of the axe handle) and place it at the end of the handle; I then wrap a small amount of tape around the rope to hold it in place (Photo B).
Once your handle preparation is complete, wrap the friction tape around the handle. Keep it neat and overlap it a little as you go. Cover the raised areas you’ve created using the phone cord or wound-up tape, as well as the knot at the end of the handle. This will create a seamless, finished look (Photo C). A couple layers of friction tape should be sufficient for most handles. If you add too many layers, you won’t be able to wrap your hand around it, and the raised areas will disappear.
After taping the handle how you want it, wrap your hands around it and squeeze the tape, sealing any loose edges. Simulate how you would use the tool, ensuring that the knot, the ridges and the all-over tape will allow you to swing with ease. This may seem like a lot of trouble for an axe, but it does make a difference. (You can tape splitting mauls and mauls in the same fashion.)
Hold onto the Halligan
All officers in Buffalo, N.Y., whether engine, truck or rescue, keep a Halligan within reach. Several years ago, after a newly graduated rookie was assigned to my truck company, I explained to him how to function if we are first to arrive at a fire and need to force entry: I would aim the Halligan’s fork at the space between the door and the frame (in the area of the locking mechanism), and the rookie would strike the Halligan’s head with a flat head axe.
Shortly after that explanation, we were first to arrive at a house fire. The rookie and I approached the front door, donned our facepieces and prepared to force the door. I looked at the rookie and said “Ready?” He replied, “Ready!” I briskly swung my Halligan into a horizontal position and it flew from my gloved hand into the center of a large bush. The look on the rookie’s face expressed many emotions, but confidence in me wasn’t one of them.
After a short scuffle with the bush, I retrieved my Halligan, and we continued our mission. Upon returning to quarters, I found some friction tape and wrapped it around the center of the Halligan’s handle-where I commonly grip the tool (See photo 5).
Helpful Handles
Pike poles can also become slippery when wet and, therefore, difficult to hold onto. Friction tape is useful on pike poles, too; however, a better solution would be to utilize a D-handle-a handle that is, literally, shaped like the letter “D.”
After looking over many pieces of fire apparatus from many different locations, it’s evident that most pike poles have a simple, straight handle. Pike poles are commonly stored in long tubes, and if they had some type of D-handle, they wouldn’t fit in the tubes. I’m guessing this accounts for the lack of D-handles on standard pike poles. However, in my opinion, ease of storage shouldn’t overrule a tool’s function. Check out your rig and try to find areas where you could store pike poles with “D” handles.
Why am I such a proponent of adding D-handles to pike poles? There are several good reasons. When pulling ceilings, the D-handle helps you quickly push and pull your hook. Grasping a standard pole while you push and pull will soon cause fatigue, making it even more difficult to maintain a solid grip on the pole.
Additionally, when overhauling attics, a few truckies will often line up, stick their hooks into the underside of the roof and plant the end of their poles into their stomachs or hips and push up, hopefully forcing charred roofing materials off the roof. By utilizing D-handles in this application, the force on the end of the poles is spread out over a larger area-and not poking you in the stomach.
During cold weather, a thin coat of ice can quickly form on your pike pole. This can make pushing or pulling very difficult because you’re essentially holding a long icicle with numb hands. With the D-handle, you can grip the handle with one hand and slide the iced-over portion through your other hand like a pool cue.
Another tool that begs for a D-handle is the very popular “all-purpose hook.” Many people order these tools so they have a hook at one end and a gas shut-off at the other. Although shutting off the gas is often a necessity, we don’t need a half-dozen hooks with gas shut-offs. It only takes one to shut off the gas, and we usually carry other tools that can be used for the same application. Instead of overloading our hook supply with gas shut-offs, opt instead for the D-handle on some of the hooks. The primary function of these tools is a hook and, like the other tools, the D-handle makes them easy to grasp. Plus, if you already own all the pike poles and hooks you can use in the foreseeable future, and none of them have D-handles, many of your tools can be retrofitted with D-handles.
Coincidentally, this month’s Gear Test (“Get Hooked) reviews one of Fire Hooks Unlimited’s Holliken Hook models, Holliken I, a pole with a u-shaped bend in the handle to improve grip. Although I have not personally used this particular tool, it appears to have merit, because you could push and pull it with both hands.
Because the handle is bent, the tool can’t be stored in a tube, so you might as well make use of the ends. I’m not sure if the manufacturer offers it, but if it were up to me, I would include an all-purpose hook on one end and a drywall puller on the other end. If I ever have the opportunity to use a Holliken Hook at an incident, I’ll report back on it.
Grab On & Go
After arriving at a fire, a good truckie wouldn’t dare consider leaving their rig without tools, like axes or mauls, Halligans and poles. They are some of the most commonly used tools that we carry. As such, we should get the most out of them. One simple method: Get a better grip on them using tape or a D-handle. This will greatly improve the tool’s efficiency and help create a safer fireground environment.
