Fire Service Training - Fire & Emergency Services Training Center

Summertime projects! We have made a few changes and upgrades to make things better.
Upgraded SCBA fill station with more air capacity and a larger Fellowship area for lunch.

Prepped and ready for Fire Academy! 🔥

New locker and gear storage for those classes that require participants with PPE! Thanks to Brandon Vessar for the design and construction!

OSU-FST had Auto Chlor install our new bunker gear decontamination system. This system includes a 65 lb washer extractor, the Ozonator Chemical line, and the Aquawing Ozone System. This system will allow us to reduce the exposure risk of our team of instructors and staff to carcinogens, viruses, and bacteria. This system allows for specialized cleaning of all wearable gear from the fire scene. It is NFPA 1851 compliant. The system kills bacteria, destroys viruses, removes carcinogens, and eliminates smoke odors while is gentle on the gear during the cold-water wash.

The Fire Demonstration Chamber: Rethinking the Flashover Container - Firefighter Training The flashover container is useful in demonstrating fire behavior, but sometimes becomes mere spectacle. Is there a better way to teach our students?

Helping with a few Fire Protection Safety Engineering Technology senior projects today! Residential sprinkler test and metal stress test.

New accountability tags ready for fire Academy!

Conducting our annual NFPA ladder testing today. All good and ready for another year of training!

We invite you to our new Fire Apparatus Push-in ceremony Sept 11 at 3pm!

Legends of the Job ~ Deputy Chief Hugh A. Halligan of FDNY

“History of the Halligan Bar”

One of the most versatile pieces of equipment used by the fire service today is the "Halligan Bar".

This tool has a rich history surrounding it. Many consider this tool to be one of the greatest advancements in the fire service. Many a great fireman will tell you, if there was only one tool they could take to work on any job, it would be the Halligan.

But, why is that the case? And, where did it come from?

The Halligan was invented in the 1940’s by Deputy Chief Hugh A. Halligan of FDNY. Hugh A. Halligan joined the FDNY on June 16, 1916. He had worked countless jobs on some of FDNY’s busiest engines and ladder trucks as a fireman and later as a Captain. In this time, Chief Halligan worked with the Halligan bar’s two predecessors–The Kelly tool and the Claw tool.

The Claw tool was considered to be one of the first forcible entry tool used by FDNY. This tool had been used on the job since the early 1920’s and was difficult to use. As most had discovered through painful experience, the Claw Tool was heavy and the striking surface was off-centered, making it very dangerous for any firefighter holding it as it was driven into the door.

Then, a Captain from Ladder Company 163, John Kelly, designed the next generation of forcible entry tool to be used by FDNY. Naturally, it was called the Kelly tool. This new tool did not have the large hook with the offset striking surface. The striking surface was inline with the entire bar and had a 90◦ flat surface (the adz) to the end.

The Kelly tool had a couple of downfalls; like the Claw tool it too was welded and still too heavy. And, in those days, firefighters needed to bring both tools to the building due to their specific advantages.

Chief Halligan wanted to design a tool that could be held in one hand; one that would not chip or break at a critical moment; a tool that would not fatigue a firefighter; and one that could be used with safety and full efficiency. After many hours of “trial and error”… the Halligan bar was born.

The Halligan bar was made of cross-drop forged from one piece of No. 4140 (high carbon content) steel, weighed 8 ½ lbs. Comprised of an adz, pick, and fork, the Halligan would prove to be one of the greatest forcible entry tools ever made. The standard issue bar is approximately 30” in length, with a 15/16” shaft shaped into a hexagon for grip.

The fork is a minimum of 6”long taper into two well beveled tines. Spacing between the tines allows for a gas valve to be shut off. The adz has a gentle curve for additional leverage, with a beveled end. In addition to being used to break something, the pick and adz–only when properly used–provide protection to the arms, hands, and body of the holder during forcible entry operations.

As soon as the tool went on the market it was a huge success. The Boston Fire Department was one of the first to place the Halligan bar on every ladder company in their department.

Now...one would naturally think FDNY had been the first to have them issued to their ladder companies. Unfortunately, there was a small problem. It was determined by those in higher places–let’s just say their favorite colors were white and gold–that there was a “conflict of interest” to have a member of the department selling tools or equipment back to the department in which they worked in. The department’s hands were tied and the bars could not be purchased.

However, the bars could be purchased by anyone other than the department itself. Ladder companies across the city began purchasing the Halligan bars with their own money.

The first company in FDNY to receive one was Ladder Company 47. Coincidentally, they were the first due ladder to Chief Halligan’s home in Parkchester, NY.

The 2nd generation and later Halligan bars were printed on the forks with what looks like AM+D6. It is, however, believed to be AMDG, which is a Latin acronym for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam or “for the greater glory of God.” This Latin phrase was a favorite of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. Pope John Paul II routinely used it in his writings. He would print AMDG in the top left of every page he wrote.

Chief Halligan was a very religious man. It has been told that he would hand make a rosary for each new member coming into the FDNY. After this task became too overwhelming, it was thought that Chief Halligan turned his religious influences into his bars by having each one printed with AM+DG. This way he could spread the word to even more.

Fact? ... Folklore? ...wishful thinking? ... either way it’s a great story. Only Hugh himself knows the true meaning behind this Hieroglyphics. Who cares...the bar speaks for itself!

Most departments who carry the Halligan bar really don’t understand the value of this tool. Unfortunately, too many of us do not get enough opportunities to become confident and proficient in the bar’s use.

Reading this article helps you learn the history of the Halligan bar however, to better UNDERSTAND why it’s the "tool of choice" of many firefighters, one must go to their engine or ladder, take it off...hold it...caress it... detail it.... and most importantly WORK with it.

Never set it down. Bring it everywhere you go. You’ll be surprised how many uses there are for this tool. Then–and only then–will they truly understand the impact the Halligan bar has made in the fire service.

Written by: Lt. Rob Fisher from Snohomish County, WA, USA

FDNY and the Irons? - Been settin' the standard for Generations!

Brotherhood of 🔥

It's Here!!! We took delivery of our new Fire Apparatus! Thank you Pierce Fire Apparatus, Conrad Fire Equipment, Darley Pumps, and Ryan Reeves for your dedication and support!

This week's apparatus update. We go for the final inspection in a couple weeks! We are excited! 🍊🚒

This week's apparatus update! Getting so close to completion. #🍊🚒

This week's progress on the 🍊 🚒

This week's apparatus update! #🍊🚒

Apparatus update for this week!

Production on our new fire apparatus has begun!

Packed and ready for the Camp Gruber Fire Training Weekend! See you there!

Awesome work by Crosscut Services for the tree and brush clearing on the new south grounds section! Thank you for everything you do! We are prepping the area for fencing and training areas.

Working our way towards the holiday break. Taking advantage of some nice December weather to make some facility improvements, repairs, cleaning, and new storage ideas.

On this Veterans day we thank Brandon Vessar for your service to our country!

Last weekend Red Dirt Oklahoma Search and Recovery K9 search team used our facility for a new fresh area to train. It was a great day of training and something different than the usual.

Spent this week preparing the burn cells for the fire investigation class that starts next week. Busy week with all the trailer deliveries and prep!

It's been a productive week. Water ball is set up for Saturdays event, worked on some maintenance issues, annual ladder testing complete, and recieved some new toys!

Incipient level fire extinguisher training for Kimberly Clark 🔥🧯8/11/21.

Rolling out for the GEAPS conference in Columbus Ohio!

7 Questions Industrial Safety Professionals Must Ask About Confined Space Rescues Answering these questions helps industrial facilities prepare for confined space emergencies and develop plans for timely rescues.

We're Hiring!

The Edmond Fire Department will be accepting applications for the rank of firefighter beginning at 8:00 am on Monday, May 17, 2021.

Applications will be accepted until 5:00 pm Friday, June 4, 2021. All applications must be completed online.

A link to the online application will be posted on www.edmondfd.com/hire on the morning of May 17.

There's always something to repair! New brakes and bearings on the Advanced Fire Behavior Simulator! They were almost overdue!

Conducting annual SCBA flow testing this week. Breathing apparatus flow testing is required annually by NFPA.

It's time to clean the can! The AFB Stimulator needs a cleaning and inspection periodically so these are the lucky ones to enjoy that task this week. Good work men!

Today we are preparing for the upcoming potential for weather we have not seen in years. We have winterized the best we know how and are bracing for the impact! Everyone Stay Safe!

First Due: Constructive Change is Needed in Recruitment & Retention Ken Brown identifies four substantive tools to improve volunteer retention.

10 Tips for Firefighter Training Officers - Firefighter Training and Education Veteran fire instructor Michael Daley provides insight into how successful training programs are developed for any type of department.

Firefighter Su***de: Risk Factors & Warning Signs Billy Wusterhausen reviews the risk factors and warning signs associated with firefighter su***de.

MO Fire Chief: Helmet Saved Life of Firefighter Struck by Beam A Noel Fire Department lieutenant suffered a spinal injury when he was struck by falling debris while battling a fire at a grocery store and mosque.

I think we have that exact nozzle on our shelf in the crib! 😂😂🤦‍♂️

Episode: "The Old Engine"
Original Air Date: 9/29/1973

Images Courtesy ©1973 NBCUniversal

Written By: Preston Wood
Directed By: Christian I. Nyby II

Station 51 gets their new fire engine (A Ward LaFrance), which gets put to use for the first time during a junkyard fire call.

While there, Roy and John buy a much older engine they had found there.

The paramedics try to help a woman strung out on L*D and have to chase her down to the top of a building when she flees.

The base station at Rampart is upgraded with a new transmitter and radio for better management of Squad traffic.

Dr. Brackett and Dixie both treat a gunshot victim (Michael Conrad) who later undergoes surgery, and wants to walk out immediately afterwards.

Meanwhile, the paramedics treat a politician suffering from a heart attack, and the station responds to a warehouse fire.

Today was our annual NFPA 1911 Ladder Testing. Thank you CFS Inspections for keeping us safe!