I am sure that this has been discussed before on here. But I am curious what tools you and your dept. use the most and find the most valuable to have on scene.
As a member of a volunteer station in South Carolina i think we would obviously use a 1 3/4 in. crosslay but as in tools other than the obvious i think my station will most often use a 8 ft. pike pole or the halogen bar for almost every fire we come upon. What do you think??
Well i personally carry my own fire max tool and a pro bar from fire hooks unlimited with me to all calls. Plus i also carry a small tool kit which has a phillips and slotted screw driver, wire cutters, pliers, vise grips, door stops and a razor knife
I personally use a haligan bar more than any other tool. We assign tools by seat assignments, so each member uses his/her tools and by having the haligan, it is what I have become the most efficient with. The real nuts and bolts of the matter is to be sure that whatever tool you do use, learn all of its' abilities and limitiations. Be safe but inginuitive at the same time. Tools and their uses are only limited by our imagination.
TIC and res q wrench. As for the roll up doors, i live in the upper peninsula, and our pumper and rescue both have roll up doors. Got one truck in 04' and the other in 06', no trouble so far.
I could not agree more!
Most definitely the most under utilized tool by some.
Using a clear heard with common sense is not only a must on the fire scene but in all aspects of the fire service.
How many apparatus crashes are because they were driving too fast? How many FF's are killed because they don't buckle a seat belt? not only in apparatus but their personal vehicle?
After brain would be PPE.
All of your PPE the way it's supposed to be used. PPE is the next most under utilized tool in the fire service. When was the last time you used safety glasses? on the fire ground? at EMS calls? How about checking all of the equipment in the fire house?
After your brain, PPE, flash light, radio and axe. I don't think there is a "most used" tool. That is why we bring the big red tool box on wheels. We need a multitude of tools to get the job done. No two jobs are ever the same.
One of my first Lt's on the job used to say "use the proper tool for the job at hand". God help you if you were to use a tool improperly in his presence.