Cheap, case-hardened padlocks are found everywhere today. The most common locations for these locks are on roll-down security gates, scissor gates, chained fences and on slide bolts at the rear of commercial buildings.

These locks have been made to look like the American 700 series locks, high-security locks that are very popular because they look substantial and appear difficult to break open (photo 1). To an unprepared firefighter, these types of locks can hold up quite well to traditional forcible-entry methods. These locks have a hardened shackle that can withstand even the largest pair of bolt cutters. Also, these locks are made with heel and toe construction, so driving the body of the lock off the shackle with the irons can be difficult but entry can usually be forced in a matter of seconds with just a screwdriver. There are four telltale signs that you are dealing with a case-hardened padlock:

• These padlocks have a chrome finish whereas the American 700 series locks have a brushed satin finish;(photo2)

• The word “hardened” will be stamped somewhere on the body of the lock, usually on the back;

• The manufacturer name on the locks is usually Camel, Guard Dawg, Guard, Matrix, Can Pro or Lion;

• The words Made in Taiwan or Made in China are stamped on the lock body or by the key way.

Once you have established that you are dealing with a cheap, case-hardened padlock you will need to get a good-quality slot screwdriver. If you try to use a cheap screwdriver you may break it while attempting to force entry. This can lead to serious injuries so, as always, be sure that you are wearing all appropriate personal protective equipment.

 The thing that makes this type of lock susceptible to a quick forcible entry is the cheap cylinder guard on the bottom of the lock (photo 3). This cylinder guard is easily removable so the lock owner can replace the cylinder in the lock if the key is lost. Firefighters forcing entry are going to manipulate the cylinder guard to gain entry. Simply place the end of the screwdriver under the cylinder guard (photo 4).

Once the screwdriver is in place, pry the guard out of the lock (photo 5).You will be amazed at how easy it is to remove the cylinder guard. After the cylinder guard has been pried, give the lock body a light tap with the screwdriver and the cylinder will fall out (photo 6). Once the cylinder is out you will see the brass, pie-shaped locking mechanism inside the locking body. Use the screwdriver that was used to pry the guard out to turn the locking mechanism 180 degrees, opening the lock. Be aware that this method does not work on all case-hardened padlocks but is an excellent trick to keep in your back pocket and will be a huge time saver when the situation presents itself on the fire ground.

Till Next Time Stay Safe and Stay Low,

Andrew Brassard

Since the existence of the fire service firefighters have been constantly trying to improve themselves and the tools they work with to adapt to the challenges that their communities present. This article is going to cover some of the basic tool modifications that firefighters have been utilizing for years. The majority of these modifications where spawned in smoky hallways and the backsides of taxpayers by members of the FDNY, the author is not taking credit for any of these modifications…… simply passing on the word.

Marrying up your Irons
Many departments use marrying straps to keep the axe and halligan together, some of these straps can be very simple or quite elaborate with built in shoulder straps and other fancy gadgets that all glow in the dark. The problem with these straps is that they usually don’t hold the tools together very well or can be very difficult to undo in zero visibility with your firefighting gloves on. A better solution for marrying these tools together is to use a hand file to notch out a very small path for the halligan forks to go, after the notch is created simply place the halligan forks into the notch and then give it a quick hit into the ground setting the halligan onto the axe.

Note: even though the tools are “locked” together you should
never fully trust that they will always hold together. Always use proper carrying techniques especially while climbing ladders.

One of the most common questions I get about doing this to your tools is “won’t that weaken the integrity of the axe?” The answer is yes it will weaken the integrity of the axe!! But think about it realistically, it would still take thousands and thousands of pounds of force to cause that axe to break and if you pushed the tool to that extreme the handle would break first.

The Sledgehammer Bracket
The sledgehammer is another favorite striking tool of firefighters. The sledgehammer should be at least ten or twelve pounds for effective striking. The biggest problem that the sledgehammer has is that it does not marry very well with the halligan; this is easily corrected by simply welding a bracket onto the top of the sledgehammer for the adz of the halligan to slide through. This will help hold the position of the halligan but will not keep the two from falling apart.

Squared off Shoulder
For any firefighter that has ever forced a door in zero visibility they know that it can be a challenging task, one of the best tool modifications I have ever seen is squaring of the shoulder of the halligan. By squaring off the shoulder of the halligan you create a striking surface to dive the halligan in between the door and the jamb in zero visibility without risking striking your partner with the axe or sledgehammer.

Another excellent place where this modification will pay dividends is in very tight or narrow hallways; depending on the swing of the door you may not have enough room to swing your striking tool effectively. For this method to work well place the fork in between the door and the jamb (after gaping the door) and place both hands at the back of the adz and push the tool into the door, slide the striking tool down the shaft of the halligan striking the squared off shoulder. This method works excellent but the technique must be practiced often and under realistic conditions to be effective and efficient on the fireground.

Chain Link
A simple method for ventilating windows in high rise or multiple dwelling is by ventilating the windows from the roof. By welding a chain link on your halligan close to the fork you now have a place that you can attach a carabineer and piece of rope to. After you have attached the rope simply lower the halligan to the window that needs venting, mark the spot on the rope with your hand and haul the rope and halligan back to the roof. After you get the halligan back into your hands you can throw the halligan off the roof, when the rope goes tight the halligan will swing back in towards the building breaking the glass. This is an extremely effective way to ventilate windows at fires in multiple dwellings.

These are a couple of easy modifications that you can do to your tools that will make them more effective on the fireground.

Until next time stay low and stay safe, 

Andrew Brassard