Forcible Entry Flashcards
When should firefighters use forcible entry?
When the usual means of ingress are blocked or otherwise inaccessible.
Forcible entry is mainly used on structures, but where else can they be used?
- Vehicles
- Airplanes
- Train cars
- ships
True or false, A forcible entry can be done at any incident without planning?
False, it is important to consider:
- Tactics
- Stage of fire
- Ease of entry
- Location of fire
- Effect on ventilation
True or false, a firefighter should always look for a key or a code before forcing entry.
True, it is important to minimize damage to property where possible during incidents.
How can a firefighter aquire the code to a building so as to not require forcible entry?
Buildings often have preincident plans that should contain this information. The IC ought to have access to this information. there are often lock boxes with keys inside. fire halls often possess a master key that can open all these lockboxes in the area.
Should firefighter pry before they try?
No, try before you pry
What are the four catagories of entry tools?
- Cutting
- Pushing
- Prying
- Striking
What kind of tool is an axe and what is it used for?
The axe blade is used for cutting through wood, shingles, light metals, other lightweight materials.
The pick axe is used for prying, cutting, and digging.
The flat edge of the axe can be used for striking glass windows.
What are the most common types of metal cutting tool?
- Bolt cutters
- Cutting torches
- Powered and manual rebar cutters.
What are some items that bolt cutters can cut?
Bolts, pins, hasps, padlocks, iron bars, cables, chains.
What are some limitations of bolt cutters?
They cannot always access the locks.
Materials are sometimes too strong for the bolt cutter
What are the four kinds of cutting torches?
- Oxyacetylene
- Oxy-gasoline
- Burning bars
- Plasma cutters
List the four kinds of power saws used in firefighting.
- Circular saw
- Rotary saw
- Reciprocating saw
- Chainsaw
What do prying tools pry open?
- Doors
- Window
- Locks
- moving heavy objects
What properties of physics do prying tools utilize?
Leverage and fulcrum.
What are the most common prying tools?
Halligan
Hux bar
crowbar
What are two hydraulic prying tools?
- Hydraulic ram
- Hydraulic door opener
What is the primary purpose of pushing and pulling tools in forcible entry?
Breaking windows
Can pushing and pullling tools be used for prying?
no
What are some commmonly used striking tools?
Hammer, mallet, maul, battering ram, pick, chisel, punch, axe
Why is it so important to wear eye protection while operating sttriking tools?
Things will fly into your eyes
What combination of tools is known as “irons?”
The flat headed axe and the halligan.
What is a cheater bar?
A piece of metal pipe that is used to extend the length of a prying tool. This can cause the tool to snap and may result in injury.
Why is it so important to maintain forcible entry tools?
If one should break at an incident it could result in delays that could cause death.
What maintainance do wooden handles require?
- Inspecting for cracks and spinters
- Sanding
- Washing with detergent and drying.
- adding linseed oil
- check tightness
What maintainance do fiberglass handles require?
- washing
- tightness
- inspect for cracks
True or false. When forcing a door it is important that one firefighter stay back to control the ventilation created by the now open door.
true, they may also be responsible for managing the hose line.
Where should firefighters cut chain link fences and with what tool?
near the fence post to facilitate repairs post-incident, and a rotary saw or bolt cutters can be used.
How should firefighters overcome mason, and concrete fences?
They can instal an A-frame ladder to go over it.
List the four kinds of locks commonly found in North America
- Mortise
- Cylindrical
- Rim
- High security
What is the difference between a Mortise lock and a cylindrical lock?
They serve very similar functions, but cylindrical are the more common because they are easier to install. cylindrical locks are also easier to pry open.
Why are vertical rim locks more difficult to pry open?
Because it connects the wall to the door.
What are the three kinds of high-security locks?
- Multiple deadbolt
- Electronic keyless locks
- Electromagnetic locks
List the five most common Locking Devices.
- Dropbar
- Door chain
- Surface bolt
- Internal bolt
- Door limiter
What are some of the advantages of breaking glass to force entry?
It is easily broken so it is quick
What are some of the disadvantages to breaking glass to force entry?
Glass cannot be unbroken so the ventilation it creates will be permanent.
Glass shards are dangerous to the firefighters
some glass is very expensive or very difficult to break like plexiglas
If you can see the hinges of a door, does it swing towards you or away from you?
Towards you
How do you force an inward swinging door?
Either with a pry tool or with the rotary saw.
How do you force open an outward swinging door?
Either you remove the hinges with the fork of the Halligan, or you pry it open with the adz end of the Halligan.
You can also use a rotary saw to cut away the hinges.
How to you force enter a double door?
Either with a pry tool if the lock is a Mortise, or cut the lock with a rotary saw if it is a deadbolt or drop bar.
When should you break tempered glass?
Only as a last resort
How do you break tempered glass?
Place a covering over the glass to protect against the shatter. Use the pick of a pick axe to hit a bottom corner. scrape away all remaining glass.
How do you force open sliding doors?
Either cut the lock, pry it, or take the door off the tracks completly
What is a K-Tool?
K-blade tool for pulling cylindrical locks. used in conjunction with a Halligan
What is an A-Tool?
Very similar to a K-Tool, but it caused more damage. It is used for locks that are protected from the K-Tool.
What is a J-Tool?
A heavy duty wire tool that slips between double doors to unlatch panic bars.
What is a shove knife?
A piece of metal used to open latches on outward swinging doors.
Will interior fire doors be locked when fire fighters arrive at the scene?
They should only be activates when there is a fire and they should not be locked. Exterior fire doors likely will be.
Should firefighters open fire doors?
Only when necessary. they are helping to contain the fire so they should only be removed as a last resort.
What are some disadvantages to breaking glass windows as a means of forced entry?
- It is slow
- Flying shards are dangerous
- glass on the ground can be slipery
- could injure victims inside
- changes flow path of ventilation
- cannot be reversed
What is breaching?
forced entry through a wall
What are some of the dangers associated with breaching an exterior wall?
There could be electrical wire, gas pipes, water pipes in the walls.
The wall could be load barring and the structure could collapse as a result.
True or false. when breaching a wall the firefighter should go from the center of the breach and work their way to the edges.
true
Can a battering ram be used to breach a concrete block wall?
Yes but it takes a long time. better to use a rottary saw or a jack hammer.
