Capitol Fire Training

**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

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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**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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