Rule: When forcing entry, always place the concave side of the halligan’s forks up against the door.

Tactical Tip: Although this might be a proven method to force doors, firefighters can also place the tool in the opposite direction. With wood and metal door frames, you may lessen the chances of burying the forks or piercing through the frame with the forks as the tool is being struck. If the firefighter who’s holding the tool isn’t paying attention or lets the forks bite into the frame’s skin too deeply, the forks can penetrate through and either get wedged into the door’s wood jack studs or pierce through the metal frame and wedge into the block behind the frame. When you place the halligan in the opposite direction, there’s less of a chance of the forks penetrating through the frame as it is being struck. 

Although you will not get the full mechanical advantage of the halligan when pushing it toward the door (because of the adz end facing the door, which restricts full movement), you can pull the tool out as you hold open the door’s gap and then reposition the forks in the opposite direction and reapply pressure to force the door. You also can just hold the purchase point open with your knee pressed up against the door and insert the adz end into the space if it is wide enough to force the inward door open. 

Another tactical tip when forcing some inward wood-frame doors is to remove the wooden door stop along the door knob side, which will allow the halligan’s forks to glide in easier between the door and the jamb.

Rule: When positioning a ladder company apparatus to a victim trapped at a window, always line up the turntable to the victim.

Tactical Tip: When you arrive with an aerial ladder, lining up the turntable with the victim ensures you reach the victim with both rails in line with the window frame, allowing unimpeded access onto the ladder. It also reduces the chances of twisting the ladder tip if the ladder is parallel to the window and the victim lunges onto the ladder. Twisting is one of the major factors contributing to the catastrophic failure of an aerial ladder. When faced with multiple victims showing and in a state of panic, you’ll have to split the difference with your turntable to make the rescues.

Another tip to decrease the time it takes to reach a victim using a tower ladder is to line the bucket up with the victim. This allows the operator to come out of the cradle and rotate and extend at the same time in a shorter arc than the aerial ladder has to, making the rescue pickup procedure that much quicker. Depending on multiple victims’ locations, you can position the tower ladder in the middle of the victims or in line with one and then extend it to the other.

Rule: Always stand under the fire escape landing when releasing the drop ladder from its securing hook.

Tactical Tip: Always stand under the first-floor landing when releasing the fire escape’s drop ladder so if it falls out of its track when released and comes down rapidly, it won’t strike a member. Prior to lifting the drop ladder’s base, you often strike the sides of the ladder to loosen the rusting metal and make it easier to lift up the drop ladder to release it from the securing hook. This safety procedure is a way to keep you out of harm’s way but not when dealing with a counterbalanced stairway fire escape—in this case, do not stand beneath the fire escape. The structural elements of the fire escape could be defective from exposure to weather conditions, especially the cables that hold up the counterweights. Standing beneath the large hinged staircase and weights could be deadly if the ladder collapsed on top of you as you released or pulled down on it. Stand in front of the base of the stairwell and pull down the stairs with a hook to avoid being injured if a sudden collapse occurs. 

When sizing up these types of fire escapes, also look for a release rod at the top landing or just beneath the first platform level. You must release it to lower the stairs; many of these installations may have this feature.

Rule: When forcing a door, never move the halligan while it is being struck with an ax.

Tactical Tip: When conventional forcible entry operations are in progress, the firefighter holding the halligan should keep it steady as it is being struck with an ax on the adz end. This limits the chances of the striking firefighter missing the tool and possibly striking the member holding the halligan. The member holding the tool should move the tool only in between the commands of “strike” or “hit” to ensure the striking firefighter isn’t trying to hit a moving target. 

There is one case when forcing a door that you can put some pressure on the adz end and slowly move the tool when it’s being struck: when the striking firefighter is hitting the shoulders of the tool with a slide hammer action. Moving the tool in an arc motion during the strikes allows the forks to set easier when slide hammering. It doesn’t have to be a deliberate or jerky motion, but a constant pressure of the adz will help the tool set faster.

As you can see, in firefighting you can never really rely on “always” and “never” all the time.

MICHAEL N. CIAMPO is a 33-year veteran of the fire service and a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. Previously, he served with the District of Columbia Fire Department. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He is the lead instructor for the FDIC International Truck Essentials H.O.T. program. He wrote the Ladders and Ventilation chapters for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and the Bread and Butter Portable Ladders DVD and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos on www.FireEngineering.com.