Using the Halligan Bar

I think my favorite tool in the fire service is the Halligan bar. It is an excellent tool for forcible entry. There are a variety of ways that it can be utilized, and innovation opportunities are abundant. Some of these are not always utilized, but this is where the Internet is a great resource. With YouTube, companies and individual instructors can share training videos with the world.

The design of the tool makes its purpose versatile. It can be used for striking, prying, and pulling. Paired with a flathead ax, the two are often joined together as the "married" couple as "the Irons" to perform forcible entry on doors. The Halligan also can be used to shut off gas meters, prying open the hood of a car, vehicle extrication, and opening walls.

With a fork on one end and a pick and an adze on the other, the potential of the Halligan is vast.

Look at this article to read about utilizing the adze for forcible entry. He's right, in classes, we are generally taught to use the fork end to force our way in. I found the videos really useful; using the adze to create a gap could be a quick fix to entry. I think most of the time, yes, the fork is going to be enough to get the job done. However, those times where the fork might not work, the adze offers a mechanical advantage, as the article states. The adze would be able to get into some areas that the fork might not be able to. And it would definitely be good to use during vehicle rescue. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten the chance to really use the adze end of the Halligan for forcible entry, but it is definitely something that I want to practice.

This is a good video from Traditions Training on forcing inward opening. You'll notice that during the video both the adze end and the fork is being used, it is the "shock/gap/set/force" technique. I really like how the camera shots show the gap being created. I think it offers a valuable perspective. He mentions about having enough tools in the toolbox to guarantee having the right one. That applies to more than just physical tools. Learning, practicing, and implementing proficiently a variety of techniques applies as well. The more you know, the more potential solutions you can have in your mental toolbox. Just something to consider.

There is also this video from Brotherhood Instructors, LLC on forcible entry for through the lock failure. Appropriately enough, this uses the adze end with the ax.

I enjoyed the article and videos because I think it helps shape the way we think. The more we practice, the more proficient we are, the smoother and more efficient our responses can be. But with forcible entry, there's always one thing to remember: Try before you before you pry.

Keep fire in your life. Stay safe.