Forcible entry is a subject that we can essentially spend hours upon hours talking about. It’s one of those subjects that
you can expand your knowledge on over time with lots of good training, getting out and learning your community and seeing different types of doors and lock combinations and most importantly, from actually trying with success and failure. Forcible entry is an art and once you perfect your craft you will realize that every door that you forced up until you learned the art of forcible entry, was pure luck.

In this column we will discuss the main compliment of forcible entry tools (striking, prying and modified). We will discuss some advantages and disadvantages, and also common practices for personnel and the compliment of tools that should be carried.

Some departments and corporations usually assign someone to be in charge of the forcible entry tools and in charge of the tactics used in gaining the initial entry. This can usually be determined by companies and corporations placing standard operating procedures or guidelines (SOP’s &SOG’s) in place. In some departments the unit officer will determine who will be in charge of the tools and tactics while going down the road, and assign them as he/she sees fit, due to changing staffing levels.

The forcible entry position can often be referred to as the “Barman” or “Entryman”. Having this position in place makes life
a lot easier for crews who are working to get the initial line in place. It’s just one less thing they have to worry about. The “Entryman/Barman” should have a full complement of tools readily available for whatever challenges they may face at the door. So what is the “Entryman/Barman’s” role and what is that positions basic tool compliment?

The “Entryman/Barman” should be the most experienced person on the unit. This person should be well versed in forcible entry techniques and tactics. Upon arriving on scene of any incident he/she should be sizing up the structure and determining the following information for themselves:

1) What type of structure is this we are responding to? (Is it a commercial building with a high occupancy level or a two story single family dwelling or a multi-unit residential structure?)

2)Does the door swing inward or outward? (Not EVERY single residential door will swing inward and vice versa).

3)What is the door and its frame made out of and further more built into? (Is it a wooden door or metal clad door set in a wood or metal frame? Are the walls studded walls with drywall or block & brick etc?)

4)How many locks are on the door? (Ones that I can see and ones that I can’t see?)

All of these questions are questions that the “Entryman/Barman” should be asking themselves as the unit is pulling up to its destination. As the “Entryman/Barman” is stepping off the unit with his/her tools, the approach to the structures door should be used to determine what the initial set of tactics will consist of (tactics will be described in a later edition of this 1 of 4 parts). The “Entryman/Barman” should be the first one to the structure’s door with the entry tools.

It is this person’s reponsibility to gain the initial access to the structure for the crews who will be deploying the initial handline. Forcible entry operations need to be quick and thorough as to not delay the handline from getting into place.

All “Entrymen/Barmen” should be responsible for carrying a basic compliment of tools, starting with our married set of irons. The irons should consist of one striking tool and one prying tool. The striking tool should be a flathead axe (8lb) and the prying tool should consist of a one solid piece style Halligan bar. There are many different good types of bars on the market but the main characteristic that you are looking for are one solid pieced, forged bars with slim forks and a sleek profile. These types of bars over years have proven themselves to last much longer than the bars that are pinned and or welded together. It has been proven that these pinned or pinned and welded bars,have forks and an adze that make gaining entry to structures very challenging Another option of tools for the “Entryman/ Barman” can be what we call a “heavy set” of irons. A heavy set of irons replaces the flathead axe with a sledge hammer (8lb or 10lb) and marries those two tools together. Carrying the heavy set of irons over the regular set of irons is all personal preference, but both have shown their advantages and disadvantages over time. None the less a set needs to be taken with the “Entryman/Barman”.

In addition to the irons, additional tools can be added to the basic compliment for residential and commercial buildings. The Hydra-Ram or Rabbit Tool hydraulic forcible entry spreaders are good to add to the “Entryman/Barman’s” compliment for residential structures. The Hydra-Ram and Rabbit tools are tools that can be only used on inward swinging doors. Note that the Hydra-Ram and Rabbit tool will work best if it is applied to metal frames with stronger structural integrity than wooden door frames where the door’s jamb and stop are easy to break when pushed upon. Often times for the sake and ease of carrying the tool, the nylon strap attached to the Hydra-Ram or Rabbit tool bag can be added to the metal ring on the end of the tool, for the “Entryman/Barman” to be able to sling the tool over his/her shoulder.

Commercial occupancies will require a different set of entry tools. Often times the K-tool and Key tool set are added to the compliment in the event of having the opportunity to go through the lock. The K-tool & Key tool set pouch can be easily placed in a turnout gear pocket. Some companies will also put a nylon or webbing strap on the K-Tool kit so that the “Entryman/Barman” can sling this tool set over his/her shoulder if need be.

Tactics used to gain entry into the structure will solely depend on the presentation of the door and the locks used to secure the door. It is the “Entryman/Barman’s”, responsibility to ALWAYS bring the necessary tools to complete the task of gaining entry to the structure. The initial operation of fire suppression can’t happen if the initial entryway can’t be opened.