Hand Tools

Question 1

Hand Tool Classification

Answer 1

(5)
Striking
Prying
Cutting
Specialized
Multi-purpose

Question 2

Battering Ram

Answer 2

• Forcible entry, penetrate floors, wall openings for hoselines, rescue work
• 2 firefighter use
• Forward bar hand protect—do not use as handle
• Forked end for breaching walls
• Blunt end for forcing doors
• Heavy duty prying

Question 3

Sledge Hammer

Answer 3

aka “double jack”
• 10 & 12 lbs
• Break: concrete, tile, walls, floors, metal bending

Question 4

Crow Bar

Answer 4

• 4 feet long
• 10 lbs
• Prying: doors, floors, equipment
• Can move a railroad car with proper application (bevel down)

Question 5

Hayward Bar

Answer 5

• General use prying (notch used for leverage)
• Lock breaking
• Window forcing
• Lifting shutters and overhead doors
• Ventilation aide
• Door prying
• Generally replaced with the Haligan

Question 6

Bolt Cutters

Answer 6

• 2 sizes
o #1—24”, 5lbs, medium steel up to 3/8”
o #3—36:, 13lbs, medium steel up to 9/16”
• Never used to cut electrical wires
• Can cut: iron bars, cables, cyclone fences, padlocks

Question 7

Cable Cutters

Answer 7

• Carried on some apparatus
• Chain ratchet and beak cutters
• Never used to cut electrical wires
• Can cut soft metals like: aluminum and copper

Question 8

Chisels

Answer 8

• Various types carried on TFD apparatus, most have hand chisels in tool boxes
• Heavy Rescue 4, carries impact chisel
• Eye protection shall always be worn

Question 9

Gas Plugs

Answer 9

• 2 styles
o Removable hand/expansion plug
o Attached non-removable handle/expansion plug
• Seals standard size gas lines
• Full turnouts and SCBA required while placing plugs
• (Wet area to prevent sparks)

Question 10

Hydrant & Spanner Wrenches

Answer 10

• Adjustable up to 1¾”
• 20” long and 5lbs
• Handle adjusts size (smaller=clockwise, larger=counter-clockwise)
• Spanners for tightening or breaking hose couplings 1-6”

Question 11

Sprinkler Head Stops

Answer 11

•	Allows stopping flow without shutting down sprinkler system
•	3 types: 
o	Wedge for frame type heads
o	Tongs (head shut-off) fits different type heads
o	Tapered for flush type sprinkler heads

Question 12

Wheel Chocks

Answer 12

• Metal or Plastic (no wood chocks)
• Used in pairs, front and back of tire
o Engine—rear Engineer side
o Ladder—front Engineer side

Question 13

Water Main Valve “T” Wrench

Answer 13

• Made to TFD and Water Dept standards
• 5’ long, ¾” diameter, square socket, 30” T handle
• Carried on Ladder/Tenders
• Engines and Ladders/Tenders carry a residential “T”

Question 14

Life Belt

Answer 14

• Extended work on ladders
• Nylon, Steel pompier hook and buckles, and sewn nylon straps
• Buckle bottom strap first to prevent overlooking it
• Snap onto rung with gate down

Question 15

Pick Headed Axe

Answer 15

• Multi-purpose tool
• Used for: forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation, opening concealed spaces, sounding to find rafters or studs, breaking glass: temperedpick; ordinaryflat side of head)

Question 16

Parts of a Pick Headed Axe

Answer 16

• Parts: Axis of handle (90*), pick, blade, shoulder, heel, belly, helve, doe foot
• Parts: Heel cut, eye, wedges (metal and wood)
• Metal wedge is put in with the grain or perpendicular to the axe head/wooden wedge (E&P)

Question 17

Pick Headed Axe Safety

Answer 17

• Watch for overhead obstructions
• Never swing overhead like a lumberjack
• Always have eye protection
• Keep sharp to prevent slippage
• No loose handles
• Scabbards provided on ladder trucks
• Never carried on shoulder
• Keep hands higher than the axe head when breaking glass

Question 18

Carrying Pick Headed Axe

Answer 18

How to carry an unsheathed axe:

• When walking, keep close to body, blade down, cover pick w/ one hand & place other hand on shoulder

Question 19

PIck Headed Axe Maintenance

Answer 19

• Maintenance
• File to sharpen—toward eye
• Spray with WD-40 to prevent rust

Question 20

Hay Hook

Answer 20

• On most apparatus
• Moving and carrying baled materials, crates, cases, cushioned furniture, auto seats & other soft
• Protect tip when stored

Question 21

Pike Pole

Answer 21

• Mostly used for checking for fires in ceiling
• Varying lengths
• Wood or fiberglass
• Carry hook forward and down
• Do not carry over shoulder
• Push, pull materials or objects
• Open dry wall ceilings or walls
• Pull metal coverings
• Sounding tool for ventilation activities
• Open windows
• Improvise slides for salvage and litters

Question 22

Shovels

Answer 22

• Round point, square and scoop shovels
• Water removal and other liquids
• Most often used at automotive accidents

Question 23

Rubbish Hook

Answer 23

• Roof operations for ventilation, overhaul, sounding, pulling roofing materials, pushing in ceilings, moving debris, ladders carry them
• Used often to test stability of rafters
• Most engines carry these

Question 24

General Maintenance

Answer 24

• Keep metal surfaces burr free
• Edges sharpened
• Wooden handles maintained with Linseed Oil

Question 25

Haligan Tool

Answer 25

* General forcible entry tool * Effective on wood & steel entry doors, interior doors, security doors & bars, swinging glass doors, all window types, dead bolt locks, breaking glass * Most popular with flat head axe • Auto extrication uses • Used in conjunction with K-tool for removal of dead bolt cylinders • Construction: -one piece cast steel, -3’ long - 2 ends: Adz end w/ spike & forked end

Question 26

Flat Head Axe

Answer 26

* Cutting and striking tool | * Weights 6 or 8 pounds w/ either wood or fiberglass handle

Question 27

Utility Shutoff Bag

Answer 27

* Includes: bolt cutters, claw hammer, large flathead screwdriver, 2 pairs of channel-locks, 2 crescent wrenches, pipe wrench, hack-saw, 2 ½” spanner wrench * Carried on ladders

Question 28

The Irons

Answer 28

(Flat head axe and Halligan) • Most common tools used for forcible entry • Usually paired together with strap • Very effective and will force entry into most doors and windows

Question 29

Mininimum Entry Tools for House Fire

Answer 29

* PPE, including SCBA * Communications * Hose line * Irons * Lighting * TIC (Thermal Imaging Camera)

Question 30

K-Tool

Answer 30

* Used to remove smaller dead bolt cylinders * Called K-tool due to shape of cutting edge of tool * Used in conjunction with Halligan and Flat Head Axe * Addition Key Tools to unlock cylinder

Question 31

Tool Box & Slim-Jim Kit

Answer 31

* Found on all fire apparatus * Contains various automotive tools * Slim-Jim used for non-emergency vehicle lock-outs (if emergent, just break window)