The 2 1/2 gallon water extinguisher, the can, is arguably the most underutilized tool in the fire service outside the big urban inner-city fire departments.

I believe this to be true because of one thing, lack of confidence in the can. Many throw excuses around on why they can’t carry it during a search and trust me, I have heard a lot of them. Excuses like, it weighs too much, we don’t have the staffing, it cannot put out fires and my personal favorite, “That’s only an FDNY thing”. Unfortunately, these people may be missing out on the chance to put quick water between their victims and fire.

How and where is the can stored on your rig? Is it shoved in a compartment, buried behind cones, brooms and shovels, on the opposite side of the rig to where the firefighter sits? Before we get the can inside of a fire building for a search, we must set it up for success. The can is a lifesaving tool and we must treat as such. This means, we need to put it in a compartment nearest the firefighter that will be using it and making sure it is clear for deployment. Ideally, no more than a two-step process for getting it out and in the user’s hand. Example, open compartment door and undo a strap that secures it place. (See Photo 1)

Now that our can is stored in a manner that makes sense, we need to make a few modifications to enhance it. One of the cheapest, yet effective, modifications we can make is replacing the stock pin with a 2 1⁄2 hitch pin. (See Photo 2)

The hitch pin locks in the trigger assembly, allowing for an aggressive search with the can with no worries of an accidental discharge. Tying a length of para-cord to the pin and trigger assembly makes it easy to find the pin with a gloved hand.

Another suggested modification we can make is adding a wooden wedge to the can. Often times the search team is the forcible entry team, a wedge is a very convenient forcible entry tool, used to create gap or capture progress.

However, the most effective modification we can make to the can is a carrying strap or as some manufactures call it, a can harness.

These harnesses allow for multiple ways to carry the can during an interior search. The can’s weight can be intimidating to some, however a harness allows you to modify how you drag it, in some ways making the can feel lighter. (See Photo 3)

Now that we have a can modified and stored on the rig in a way that makes practical sense, we need to learn its capabilities and limitations. There are four important specifications to remember when it comes to the can. Weight, stream reach, discharge time and operating pressure.

Except operation pressure, these specifications do vary depending on manufacture. (The following numbers are based off of my own studies and manufacture averages). When properly filled, a can weights 29lbs, has an operating pressure of 100psi, has a discharge time of 50 seconds, and has a stream reach of 50 feet. However, the weight is the only way to confirm that it is properly filled.

Here’s a scenario, you relieve the off going shift and they say “We used the can last night on a rubbish fire, we topped it off and it is all good.”

You go about your daily rig check and get to the compartment that has the can in it. You notice the gauge is in the “green”, so you assume it’s topped off ready to go. The problem with this equipment check is that the gauge only tells you one thing, how much air is in the can. In reality it could be completely empty of water and have 100psi of air in it, a real problem at the fire room door!

We must no longer just open a compartment, check that the can’s gauge is in the “green” and move on. We should be getting it out of the compartment during daily checks and feeling the weight. This way we are sure is has the proper amount of water.

Now that our can is fairly squared away
we need to know when to come off the rig with it. The answer is pretty easy, every run that has fire or smoke in the call type, from working fires to automatic fire alarms. (See Photo 4) For fire alarms, although often false alarms, we did get called for a fire.

On the flip side, the can is a valuable tool when it comes to a working fire. It allows the search team to quickly place water between the potential victims and fire. The interior search team often finds the fire before the attack team, who is stretching hose lines and advancing in.

During a working fire, if it’s extending and present in the hallway, the can-man should use the reach of the stream to knock back the fire into a room.

This attack will “clean up” the hallway which is a major path of egress for any victims.

Once at the fire room, the interior search team can further knock back the fire. This may allow a member to do a quick sweep or scan of the fire room. (See Photo 5)

If possible, close the fire room door prior to moving beyond it. At this time the Officer on the interior search team should radio to the Engine Company, notifying them of the fire’s location.

The can-man should remain at the fire room door, protecting the hallway by cooling the door, while the other member(s) of the interior search team searches the immediate area. This is a great use of manpower. (See Photo 6/7)

Once the Engine Company arrives, the search should continue if the primary has not been completed.

The goal is basic, locate, confined and extinguish. After locating the fire, we want to confine it. There are two ways the interior search team can confine fire. One, apply water from the can and two, close the fire room door. (See Photo 8)

Extinguishment using the can could certainly be accomplished with small incipient fires. Don’t become the “moth to a candle flame” though, and forget you are in there for a primary search and not fire attack.

I like to say we start the extinguishment process by applying, what could be, the fire’s first interaction with water.

Those methods, combined together, could greatly increase the chances of survival for any victims inside.

Now, I am not suggesting we replace hose lines on fires. I believe every run with fire and smoke in the call type, there should be hose on the ground, period!

The can, however, is a tool for the interior search team who often finds the fire first. It is important to remember that fires are dynamic and our tactical plans for using the 2 1⁄2 gallon water extinguisher should be too.

Searching with the can, just like everything else, needs to be trained on. Training multiple ways to carry it during a search will determine what works and will give you can confidence!