BOF FF1 Chapter 10*19 Forcible Entry

What are some general considerations for forcible entry of doors and locks?

direction of door frame, direction of door swing (inward or outward), type of lock and mounting of the lock

List the types of cutting tools that may be used for forcible entry

axes (pick-head axe/flat-head axe), metal cutting devices (bolt-cutters/cutting torches/rebar cutters) hand saws, power saws (circular saw/rotary saw/reciprocating saw/chain saw)

What are some of the uses for prying tools?

opening doors, opening windows, opening locks, and moving heavy objects

What are the four categories of forcible entry tools?

cutting tools, prying tools, pushing/pulling tools, and striking tools

What are some safe practices when carrying forcible entry tools?

lift with your legs and not your back/get help with heavy equipment/avoid running with tools (carry blade away from body and grasp the pick with hand - never carry axe on shoulder, sharp objects away from body - head down - close to the ground, maintain firm grip, transport as close to point of use as possible, and prevent fuel from leaking by ensure present gasket and tightened cap)

What are some safe practices when using forcible entry tools?

properly maintain, keep in best condition, read manufacturer's recommended maintenace guidelines, follow department procedures for repairs, and remove from service for those damaged or excessively worn by being tagged and sent out to the proper authority for repair/replacement

How should tools with wooden handles be cleaned and maintained?

inspect for cracks, blisters, or splinters, sand the handle to eliminate splinters, wash with mild detergent (rinse and wipe dry - do not soak), apply coat of linseeed oil to handle (do not paint/varnish handle), check tightness of tool head, and limit amount of surface area for tool marking

What are some guidelines for cleaning and maintaining an axe blade?

inspecting cutting edge for chips, cracks, or spurs/replacing axe head if necessary, filing cutting edges by hand (grinding weakens tool), and sharpening the blade as specified in dep. SOP's

What kind of fences and gates could you encounter when attempting to gain access to a property?

residential housing complexes, industrial sites, construction sites, and agricultural sites (chains and padlocks, electronic locks with remote opener, keypad, *accompanied with possible lockbox, internal key operated deadbolt locks)

What are some common door locks and latches?

basic types of pad locks - standard and heavy-duty/hardened-steel, drop bar, door chain, door limiter, surface bolt,and internal mounted bolt

What methods can be used for forcible entry on outward-swinging doors?

Insert the blade of a Halligan into the space between the door and the door jamb and fry the space open wide enough to allow the lock bolt to slip from its keeper; cut the lock out of the door

What methods can be used for forcible entry on inward-swinging doors?

One firefighter may use a Halligan tool to fry open a door but when using a Halligan tool and flat head axe, two fire fighters maybe needed; Hydraulic door opener to force the door open, cut around the lock in either of the two ways - rotary saw with metal cutting blade to make two intersecting cuts at isolate the locking mechanism and allow the door to swing & three intersecting cuts producing same result

What forcible entry techniques can be used for sliding doors?

breaking the glass with an ax or lifting the sliding panel up and out of its track (do not attempt to spread the door from the frame = shattering), force pocket doors using same technique as forcing a swing door

What kind of special tools may be required for through-the-lock forcible entry?

K-tool, A-tool, J-tool, and shove knife

What kind of tools can be used to cut or force padlocks?

duck-billed lock breaker, hammerhead pick, locking pliers and chain, and hockey puck lock breaker (pipe wrench)

What are some types of fire doors?

sliding, swinging, an overhead rolling varieties

What are some risks associated with breaking window glass?

May slow entry into structure while needing to clear glass shards, creates flying glass shirts traveling great distances, covers floor with glass making footing treacherous in advancing hoselines, showers glass on victims, changes flow path, and cannot be undone

What are some safety precautions when breaching different types of exterior walls?

Possible collapse and safety hazards, load bearing exterior walls, and any of the following - electrical wires, water pipes, gas pipes, components of other building utilities

What types of constructions materials may be found in interior walls?

Masonry, poured concrete, glass block, lath and plaster, sheetrock

A-Tool

Prying tool with a sharp notch resembling the letter A. The notch has cutting edges machined into it.

Adz

A wedge-shaped blade attached at right angles to the handle of the tool.

Battering Ram

Solid steel bar with handles and guards. It is blunt on one or both ends and is used to break down doors or create holes in walls. The tool weighs 30 to 40 pounds (15 to 20 kg) and can be operated by one or more firefighters.

Breaching

The act of creating a hole in a wall or floor to gain access to a structure or portion of a structure.

Cylindrical Lock

Lock having the lock cylinder contained in the knob.

Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS)

Nonload-bearing, exterior wall cladding, or covering system composed of an adhesively or mechanically attached foam insulation board, reinforcing mesh, a base coat, and an outer finish coat. Also known as Synthetic Stucco.

Forcible Entry

Techniques used by fire personnel to gain entry into buildings, vehicles, aircraft, or other areas of confinement when normal means of entry are locked or blocked.

Fulcrum

Support or point of support on which a lever turns in raising or moving a load.

Halligan Tool

Prying tool with a claw or forks on one end and a spike or point at a right angle to a wedge or adz on the other end.

J-Tool

Device made of rigid, heavy gauge wire designed to fit through the space between double-swinging doors equipped with panic hardware.

K-Tool

V-blade tool that is designed to pull lock cylinders from a door with only minimal damage to the door itself.

Lever

Device consisting of a bar pivoting on a fixed point (fulcrum), using power or force applied at a second point to lift or sustain an object at a third point.

Mortise Latch and Lock

Lock assembly mounted in a cavity in a door’s edge.

Pike Pole

Sharp prong and hook of steel, on a wood, metal, fiberglass, or plastic handle of varying length, used for pulling, dragging, and probing.

Rabbit Tool

Hydraulic spreading tool that is specially designed to open doors that swing inward.

Rim Lock

Type of auxiliary lock such as a deadbolt mounted on the interior surface of a door.

Tempered Plate Glass

Type of glass specially treated to become harder and more break-resistant than plate glass or a single sheet of laminated glass.