Capitol Fire Training

🚨**Product Alert**🚨
“Phenix TC-1”
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We are pleased to announce that is now our premier choice for protective headwear. Specifically the new TC-1 (traditional composite 1) lid.
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For years we have worn old hand me down training lids, or decommissioned lids from the job, in an effort to just get by while we teach. That’s all changing as we have found the one we like it of the box. This one has the typical traditional look with all the feels and completely customizable the way that fits our needs and still matching our style. Some of the features that we like and decided to go with that just collided with our vibes:

🔥- Matte/flat black paint scheme
🔥- Traditional burke eye shields
🔥- Low profile & low center of gravity 🔥- Lightweight (55 oz.)
🔥- Suspension liner & comfort pad
🔥- Black removable ear-laps
🦅- Traditional American Eagle (color customizable)
🇺🇸- MADE IN THE USA
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If you haven’t had an opportunity to see how Phoenix helmets have changed the game in both leather and composite fire lids, check them out. Lots of good stuff, keeping the traditional fire service look and not compromising our safety at the same time.
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**Capitol Quick Tip**
Navigating Your Tools
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When we must bring tools and still navigate tasks it’s important to understand how we can stage some tools and how we can use other tools. After the initial force of most entry doors (outside of apartment buildings) we can usually stage the flathead axe and navigate the structure with a halligan hook and bar.
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When it comes time to search the rooms we can always stage the hook, while we use the bar to navigate obstacles in the room. Of course we still search with our hands, but the smaller tool helps us identify objects that we encounter, then we go into detail examine that object with our hands. When we complete that room, we can then retrieve our staged tool and head to the next room (and repeat the process for however many rooms we have). Regardless…we want to bring our tools every time, for every place we go to. When the search is complete, we may find that our next series of tasks may be opening up ceilings and walls for extension. In that case, we then would have all these tools right there by our side because we brought them with us every step of the way.
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Bring your tools! Keep your tools! Use your tools!
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(Note: This Quick-Tip was shot during the set up of search rooms at the International Fire Rescue Training HOT days in Külsheim Germany. 🇩🇪. Special thanks to for not only helping to translate the tip in German, but helping with the class as well).
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bringyourtools

This is the most perfect example of what we teach in our forcible entry program (tight spaces).

✅- Special service company forcing the door in tight space.

✅- No overcrowding the stairs.

✅- Engine company remains disciplined to stay on the sidewalk until ready to make the push.

All of these moves happen when people train on these moves and practice having discipline on their assigned positions. Job well done by the Elmont Fire Dept. New York)
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We Can Do Both
“Have Tools & Search”
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Recently there’s been much ideology of not bringing a tool(s), (leaving it/them behind while searching). As a fire service we need to be very careful saying this with zero context. Here’s why…
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Many inexperienced people, younger in nature heed our advice that we put out there. Furthermore many newer/younger/ inexperienced firefighters need cut and dry directions until they learn the little nuances of the job. By saying “leave tools behind/at the door) or “we only search with our hands” essentially sets these newer firefighters up for failure, to believe it’s either this or that. Believe it or not, we can do both. Here is the context we should providing.
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It’s important that we bring a tool as a guide (not to do the work for us, but to be used as an identifying guide. This tools helps us:

-Identify objects in the room (dressers, bed posts, toys, junk, etc.)

-Helps us identify possible soft flooring or worst case a hole before our hands find it if we’re operating a floor above.

-Enables us to take a window if we’ve isolated the room from the hallway when we enter the room.

-Allows us to have a tool as an anchor, for those whose bailout plan is a caribiner with rope or webbing.
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There’s so many variables as to why, and reasons we should have it. There is no dispute that we search under and over things with our hands and identify things that our tool touches with our hands. This can all be done without swinging a halligan like an out of control banchee. We just get ourselves in a bad way when we say “always and never”, especially those who are following us to learn.
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(🎥 : Members searching a room during “Search Essentials” skill station. Members enter a room with their tools, use them to aide navigating the room, take a window when needed, but search with their hands. Members even locate a victim that needs removed, leaving the tool behind but always not far from them prior to the exit).
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**Capitol Quick-Tip**
“Effective & Efficient”
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The modern day fireground is full of tasks that need to be completed, and if you ask any couple of people everyone can have a different opinion on what’s the most important task. The fact of the matter is this, there’s many variables when it comes to what we can get done on the fireground. Much of it will depend on:
-🔥Time
-🔥Staffing
-🔥Physical Capability
-🔥What’s happening w/ the Fire?

And many more variables. With that said we have to be efficient in our ability to use or tools and effectively be able to make a difference. On the fireground. If we are not operating smart where we are capable in our ability to stretch a line, force a door, or bang a ladder…then we’re wasting energy that could be distributed in another place on that same fire-ground.
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As we have to navigate the above mentioned list, when we cannot get things done because we have no steam left, then it becomes a bigger problem. When we cannot make access, get lines into place, and put out the fires quickly we best figure out how we can navigate these skills more effectively and efficiently, because that’s what is expected of us.
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**FDIC 2026**
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Our both is set up and we are ready to see you all! Come check us out tomorrow at Lucas Oil Stadium Booth #8439. We have lots of Capitol swag (shirts, hoodies and decals). We will be here until Saturday.
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(Note: The 1st person that makes it to the booth when the doors open will receive a free Capitol Fire Training shirt of their size off the table. GET HERE!!!!)
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