The Metal Halligan Hook
By · CommentsThe Metal Halligan Hook: 
Doug Mitchell
The steel halligan roof hook is one of the most versatile hooks used in the fire service today. This hook has many uses on the fire-ground, from opening walls and ceilings, pulling up floor and roof boards and opening up molding and casings. As is written in some sales catalogues, “it will assist you in the rapid removal of wood, lath, plaster, tin, sheet metal, plasterboard, fiberboard, sheetrock”, blah blah blah….I am sure you get it, this tool works! While primarily a push pull type of tool, its uses are almost limitless. It has obvious applications in ventilation, forcible entry, and even firefighter removal.
FF Survival in Baltimore County, MD
By · CommentsThis weekend TT Instructors Nick Martin, Dan Shaw, Danny Doyle, Scott Kraut, Chris Birch, and Joe Brown headed to Baltimore County, MD for a Firefighter Self-Survival class. While many training classes focus on how we can help others (civilians or other firefighters), this weekend’s class focused on the equally important topic of Firefighter Self-Survival: namely, the skills and knowledge we need to first prevent ourselves from getting in a bad situation and second how to get ourselves out, if necessary.
Class was sponsored by the Kingsville Fire Company in Baltimore County, Maryland. Also in attendance were members from White Marsh, Joppa-Magnolia, and career companies from the BCoFD.
Stuck in Bed?
By · CommentsThanks to Tim Aungst of Howard County Fire/Rescue Station 10 for this…
KEYCHAIN CARABINERS
Meant for your car keys, not your turnout gear.
I’ve seen many firefighters throughout the years using the infamous .99 cent keychain carabiner to hold various items on their turnout jackets. These carabiners use little force to open the latch and self close quite easy. Usually firefighters have them attached to their chest usually off of the D-ring near their radio pocket. Others have been seen attached to the waste strap of their SCBA’s to hold tools or bailout bags. BAD NEWS! These keychains can attach itself to many obstacles.
THE STORY…
A Successful Day in Lancaster County, PA
By · CommentsThis Sunday, 5/31, we hosted a open-enrollment Hands-On Training Day at the Lancaster County Fire Academy in Manheim, PA. On hand were 65 students from throughout the area as well as TT Instructors Nick Martin (DCFD), Doug Mitchell (FDNY), Dan Shaw (FFx County), Chris Birch (DCFD), Danny Doyle (PBF), and “Cadillac” Alvarado (DCFD)…
Topics for the day included:
- SCBA Emergencies for the RIT
- Vent, Enter, Search Skills
- Use of a 2 1/2″ line for interior attack
- Search-Rope Operations for the RIT
- Aggressive Primary Searches
- Long-Length Attack Lines
We’d like to thank everyone who came for a long day of hard work – everyone’s level of enthusiasm was outstanding. Particularly, Traditions Training would like to extend thanks to those companies who brought apparatus for the class and to the Lancaster County Public Safety Training Academy for allowing us to use their wonderful facility. Keep an eye out for future programs!
(Pictures courtesy of Capt. Dan Brooks, Honey Brook Fire)
Thru-the Lock Entry: “7-5″ and “5-7″
By · CommentsThe Adams-Rite lock is a mortise lock common to commercial occupancies, particularly store-fronts or “taxpayers”. It’s a relatively formidable lock; the throw is about 1.5″ of solid metal into a metal frame – very difficult to force conventionally. Further, the door is often glass – which may or may not be covered with some type of security bars or mesh. For a whole lot of reasons, I think breaking the glass is your WAY last resort.
Fortunatley, this is a VERY easy lock to quickly open “thru-the-lock” – provided you have a little know-how and “use the clock” (everyone like how that rhymed?)….
4 Days in Maine with Farmington & the City of Augusta
By · CommentsThis past weekend TT instructors once again traveled north to Maine for some hands-on training. The first of two stops on this trip was in Farmington – about 90 minutes northwest of Portland. TT Instructors Nick Martin, Doug Mitchell, Danny Doyle, and Mike Stothers were excited to return to Farmington for our “First-In Company Operations” class after having conducted a “Firefighter Survival” class in Farmington last April. This course focused on the essential engine and truck company skills required for first arrivng companies to make rescues and put the fire out.
- Click here for coverage of this year’s class by the Farmington Sun Journal.
- Pictures by Farmington Fire’s photographer are here and his YouTube video here.
On Sunday night, we traveled east to the City of Augusta to prepare for a 8-hour “Train the Trainer” class. Augusta’s Chief Roger Audette contacted TT after being lucky enough to acquire a huge abandoned mill-style building for training. Some of the topics covered was forcible entry on roll-down gates and conventional doors, hoseline teamwork, and large area search.
See after the break for more pictures…. To learn more about our classes, please contact us.
Venting The Roof… Is It A Must?
By · Comments
Here is another disscussion that I’m sure we’ve all taken part in.
“ Do we need to open the roof? ”
Well like a lot of things in the fire service, this topic is proned to many opinions. I’m sure in just reading the title, your wheels have started to turn. We think about staffing, building construction, the fire’s location, ….can we vertically vent, should we vertical vent….can we do it without a truck company? These are all great points to consider, but there’s so much more. Read More→
“Combat-Ready” with Fort Washington, PA
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On Saturday April 18, TT instructors Doug Mitchell & Nick Martin traveled to Fort Washington, PA (just outside Philadelphia) for an 8-hour discussion on “Combat-Ready Firefighting”. Combat-Ready is the cornerstone philosophy of Traditions Training; it focuses having your equipment and yourself ready for the most efficient performance at any moment – and on treating every fire like it’s “the fire of your career”, until proven otherwise…
To learn more about this and other classes & how you can become “Combat-Ready“, please contact us.
Visit TT Instructor Dan Shaw at FDIC 2009
By · CommentsDan Shaw, a vice-president & lead instructor for Traditions Training, will conduct an informative seminar on Fighting Fires in Attached Garages at FDIC 2009 in Indianapolis. These fires are becoming both more prevalent and more challenging in newer construction. Captain Shaw will cover a variety of issues and methods of attack for departments with various resources.
Visit Dan on Thursday at 10:30 am in Sagamore 1
To learn more about how you can have this program, or others, delivered at your firehouse – please contact us.
Do We Learn From Our Mistakes?
By · CommentsAs we all know, the title of this post can go in so many directions. Applied to everyday life, we commonly mov
e in and out of traffic, come and go from home to work, saying hello and goodbye as the day goes on… Taking for granted that our complacent actions just keep us going throughout the day.
It seems to me that over the past year the Line of Duty Deaths have again been relentless. Hearing day after day about another apparatus crash, vacant building collapse, fire conditions that surprisingly got worse or underestimating new building construction. I’m sure that we could go on and on about individual war stories and Monday morning quarterback tactical errors for hours on end. That, is one thing we seem to have down pretty good. Think hard for just a second… Do you want the next survival drill to be named after you? Read More→