DALE G. PEKEL's Videos (My Firefighter Nation) - My Firefighter Nation

"Sounding/Shocking" versus "Gapping" - Firefighter Forcible Entry

2019-03-24T02:17:42.971Z

"Sounding/Pre-Shocking" vs "Gapping" a door?

Some FFs and Instructors believe in "Sounding" or "Pre-Shocking" a locked INWARD opening door before you Gap, Set and Force the door. However many other FFs and Instructors (including myself) don't think it's necessary - WHY? - Consider the following facts:

1. You should always try the door (twice) before you try to force it - This step is universal regardless of your approach. The reason you should try "twice" is to get a true feel for the locks as well as the door itself (which may not even be locked, but just tight in the jamb).

2. Gapping the door instead of sounding/shocking actually saves time, reduces additional steps and does a better job of weakening the locks - By the time you hit the door (High - Middle - Low) you will have already gapped the door, put a hurt on the locks and made a better purchase point for completing the force.

3. If the door jamb has a nailed on stop, gapping the door will help to pull the stop off - This will expose the normal seam between the door and jamb - Which at minimum will provide another purchase point as well as help you to see what locks are engaged. Sounding or Pre-Shocking the door in many cases won't accomplish any of these.

4. Finally, remember we're FFs who are trying to get in to RESCUE occupants who may be lying unconscious right on the other side of the door - Not a Police tactical team trying to BLAST the door open to take the occupants DOWN. If we were, we would be using a battering ram to force inward opening doors without the fear of injuring anyone on the other side instead of using the IRONs which allow for more control when forcing the door.

In the end use the techniques you want, but don't make your decisions solely on experience working with forcible entry props and simulators, much less just watching YouTube videos - Base it on what works in the real world, on real doors and real locks.

Train, Stay Prepared, Be Aggressive, Make the Save - SURVIVE!
Dale G. Pekel

Search and Rescue Fast Strapping for Victim Rescue

2019-01-21T14:04:35.190Z

In this video we will be discussing and demonstrating another method for Fast Strapping - Which is considered to be a general term used to describe a variety of techniques for quickly applying webbing to a victim to assist with their rescue or extraction. The specific method reviewed in this video is what I like to refer to as the "Shoulder Hitch"...….

If you're a Firefighter, in the Military, a Police Officer and/or participate in a R.T.F. (Rescue Task Force) or T.E.M.S. (Tactical EMS) Team than you can benefit from watching this video...….

REMEMBER for any Fast Strapping technique to be practical it should satisfy the following key elements:
1. Be Fast
2. Be Efficient
3. Be Effective
4. Be "relatively" Safe - Causing no major harm to the Victim or you as the Rescuer
5. Be executed without ever having to completely let go of the webbing anywhere in the process
6. For FFs: Be performed while wearing full PPE, including FF gloves
7. Be able to be executed in ZERO visibility without making any major mistakes

If anyone of these 7 factors can not be accomplished - You need more practice or you should strongly consider using a different Fast Strapping technique.

Click on this link for how to tie a Water Knot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6HUW...

Here are 2 links for purchasing 1 inch tubular webbing:
https://cascade-rescue.com/pmi-1-inch...
https://www.amazon.com/BlueWater-Tubu...

Train, Stay Prepared, Be Aggressive, Make the Save - SURVIVE!
Dale G. Pekel

Firefighter Techniques: Masking-Up for Speed

2018-09-14T00:23:37.504Z

Here's a short video demonstrating how fast you can "Mask-Up" while wearing BOTH your firefighting gloves. One of the big advantages to this (along with the "Lid Flip" technique and a few other subtle "Tips and Tricks") is that you can mask up while moving and not have to stop or setting anything down.......

If you like what you saw and want to achieve similar times - Subscribe and stay tuned for a future video that will going into more detail on what you can do to get FASTER and CLEANER times!

Train, Stay Prepared, Be Aggressive, Make the Save - SURVIVE!
Dale G. Pekel

CMC LEVR Escape System

2018-09-10T19:35:06.398Z

This is a short promo video I made on the CMC LEVR Escape System. Stay tuned for an in depth review in an upcoming video!

Train, Stay Prepared, Be Aggressive, Make the Save - SURVIVE!
Dale G. Pekel

Firefighter R.I.T. Concrete Block Wall Breach

2018-08-10T12:34:46.490Z

Here's a short video we made while working on some vacants that demonstrates the "L" method for breaching a concrete block wall. The Battering Ram shown in the demonstration was fabricated by members of our Department specifically for Rapid Intervention operations...….

One point that I forgot to mention in the video - When attacking the upper corner of the "L" to knock out the rest of the block try aiming for a Horizontal Seam one course down from the top versus a Void Space and sometimes the block will fall away sooner.......

Remember if a FF or Company becomes trapped it's essential for a RIT to not only be proficient in a variety of tactics, but also have the necessary tools/equipment that will provide the fastest and most efficient extraction possible.

Train, Stay Prepared, Be Aggressive, Make the Save - SURVIVE!
Dale G. Pekel